Alan McHughen, UC Cooperative Extension specialist at UC Riverside, will answer questions about DNA in an eXtension virtual chat Oct. 6.

The eXtension Foundation will host a virtual chat with UC Cooperative Extension specialist Alan McHughen, author of DNA Demystified: Unravelling the Double Helix, on Connect Extension, Oct. 6, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. It is open to all Cooperative Extension professionals.

DNA has moved from research labs into applications in our daily lives, through – among other things – personal genetic testing kits and GMO foods. The technology is not well understood by the general public, and the topic is often surrounded by confusion and controversy. Research indicates that Americans are closely divided over the perceived health risks of food additives and genetically modified foods.

DNA Demystified book jacket

In this virtual chat featuring McHughen, who is a UC Riverside molecular geneticist with an interest in crop improvement and environmental sustainability, participants will have an opportunity to learn more about the basics of DNA and genetics, along with newsworthy topics, including genetic engineering in the food system. McHughen will also weigh in on the ethical and privacy issues arising from DNA and genetic technologies.

UCCE emeritus advisor Rose Hayden-Smith will host the chat, which will include discussing the role of Cooperative Extension professionals in communicating complex science concepts to clientele.

Join this chat for an engaging discussion with colleagues about one of the most important issues of our time.

To participate, Cooperative Extension professionals will need to have a Connect Extension account. Register your free Connect Extension account at https://connect.extension.org.  

Do you have a creative idea that reflects UC ANR's mission and public values and will generate sustainable revenue to support your program delivery and reach? Does that idea just need a little help to get it off the ground? If an investment into the idea will help its launch and ensure its success, UC ANR leadership wants to hear about it! 

The intent is to use a small portion of reserve funding to secure UC ANR's ability to meet the needs of all Californians. These investments are for the implementation of new ideas and approaches to funding our programs, and not intended to provide bridge funding or grant support. This “venture capital” will be used to launch novel approaches to cost-recovery or income-generation related to program delivery.

Here are a few examples:

• Establish a new partnership model
• Build a fee-based online curriculum or micro-accreditation offering
• Invest in a platform that has novel delivery or subscription use
• Establish a fee-for-service lab or services
• Develop a fee-based speaker series

All UC ANR personnel located throughout the state – academics and staff, field-based and campus-based – are eligible.

Expected outputs 

• A new revenue stream that contributes to financial security of the program, while increasing or maintaining program reach that is consistent with the UC ANR mission
• Capital repayment – payments must begin within 12 months of award with complete repayment targeted within a 24-month period

Submissions will be received and reviewed on an ongoing basis until the allocated reserve funds ($300,000) are depleted. Any funds not used will remain in the reserve pool.

Read more about the submission and selection process at https://ucanr.edu/sites/Professional_Development/files/335333.pdf.

Nominations are now open for the 2021 UC Women's Initiative for Professional Development (UC WI). Please submit nominations by Oct. 14, 2020.

As in the past, ANR will be sponsoring women academics and staff to participate in the 2021 program. UC WI is committed to enabling the full participation, success and advancement of woman-identified professionals at the University. The program is open to all who support and are committed to this mission.

The program is designed to

• Cultivate a professional network that spans the UC system
• Provide access to top UC leaders — women and men — to learn about their diverse leadership approaches and journeys
• Strengthen skills and confidence through hands-on practice with a range of tools in the areas of:
• Professional development and impact
• Strategic relationship building
• Developing and delivering a compelling narrative regarding one's professional accomplishments and vision
• Negotiating at work
• Peer coaching

The ideal participant:

• Is mid-career faculty, staff or academic employee
• Has demonstrated potential for advancement
• Supports woman-identified professionals and seeks to learn concepts that improve their effectiveness at work and hear about the career journeys of established UC leade

Selected candidates will participate in a cohort that meets for four online sessions during: 

• January-March 2021, or
• April – June 2021
• For exact cohort dates/workshop sessions, see last 3 pages of this document.

Program overview:

Six cohorts of 30 participants each with representatives from every UC location, come together for interactive sessions jointly led by a Coro Northern California facilitator and a UC Facilitator. UC facilitators are past graduates of the program who share their experience and expertise and add a UC perspective. The final session of each cohort program will be a combined capstone event that allows participants to make systemwide connections.

Nomination instructions

Please use the nomination form at https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5759587/2020-2021-UC-WI-Nomination-Form.

1. Nominate someone, yourself, or more than one person.
   • You can nominate more than one person without having to fill out a new form each time.
2. A letter of recommendation is suggested but not required.
3. Combine – if there are multiple letters of recommendation – into a single PDF.
4. When prompted for anFAU account – enter “999”
   • Once candidates are selected the Learning & Development Coordinator will send the proper accounting information.

If you have additional files, please send them to ucwomensinitiative@ucop.edu. 

If you are interested in participating in this program, please talk to your supervisor. Supervisors are asked to send in nominations by 11:59 p.m. on Oct. 14, 2020. Late or incomplete nominations will not be considered. 

The program is a collaboration between the UC Systemwide Advisory Committee on the Status of Women and UC Human Resources, and is delivered by CORO, a nonprofit leadership-development organization that has worked with UC for the past decade. UC President Napolitano supports and partially funds the program. ANR will cover registration fees and reimburse travel expenses and half the lodging for those selected.

If you have questions about the program, please contact Jodi Azulai.

On Aug. 8, 2020, President Trump signed an executive order for U.S. employers to have the option to defer the collection of employee payroll taxes through Dec. 31, 2020.

Two weeks ago, the Internal Revenue Service issued guidance on this optional program. This program would call for the OASDI Social Security taxes deferred from the employees' wages through Dec. 31, 2020, to be repaid by the employees during the January through April pay period of 2021 in addition to their regular OASDI Social Security withholdings for that period. 

After this guidance from the IRS and the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), and in consultation with the controllers at every UC location, UCOP has decided that the University of California system should not participate in this optional program at this time.