- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Staff Assembly Council is recruiting for two UC ANR staff members to complete the remainder of the term for two positions on the Staff Assembly Council - communications chair/coordinator and program chair. The terms run through June 30, 2021.
All UC ANR staff employees are members of the UC ANR Staff Assembly, including county-paid, part-time and limited-appointment staff. The elected leaders of the group make up the council, which meets monthly via Zoom to plan activities and address staff issues. The council regularly seeks input from staff on policies, processes and programs and serves in an advisory capacity to UC ANR leadership, giving staff a collective voice on issues of concern. The council also provides support for career training and professional development to aid career advancement.
To learn more about UC ANR Staff Assembly, visit its website at http://staffassembly.ucanr.edu.
Following are excerpts from the Staff Assembly Bylaws that detail the role of the two vacant positions:
Communications Chair/Coordinator
- Serves as a liaison between Staff Assembly Council and all UC ANR staff to promote and advocate improved communication and interaction.
- Maintains and updates website as needed to reflect current and accurate information.
- Promotes UC ANR Staff Assembly events and programs as needed and works in conjunction with appropriate workgroup or committees to disseminate appropriate promotions.
- Assumes other responsibilities as specified elsewhere in the bylaws or as needed.
Program Chair
- Develops and submits to the SA Council for approval a list of possible topics for programs.
- Schedules programs, meetings and guest speakers and coordinates other details.
- Works with the chair and scribe to send “thank you” letters to guest speakers.
- Coordinates the SA Ambassador Program.
- Oversees the Educational Reimbursement Scholarship Program committee member(s).
If interested, please contact your local Staff Assembly Ambassador or email Council Chair Marvin Flores at marvinflores@ucanr.edu.
- Author: Jeannette E. Warnert
Providing a new opportunity to engage with colleagues, UC ANR is launching a photography contest and calling all staff and academics to submit their best shots.
“We have so many talented people in ANR, we want to highlight their skills and abilities,” said Mark Bell, vice provost of Strategic Initiatives and Statewide Programs. “These days, people aren't getting around to see California. The contest will give us all a chance to see scenes from different parts of our beautiful state.”
Photos may be submitted in five categories based on UC ANR's Strategic Initiatives:
- Endemic and invasive pests and diseases
- Healthy families and communities
- Sustainable food systems
- Sustainable natural ecosystems
- Water quality, quantity and security
A $50 gift card will be awarded to the first place winner and all staff and academics who submit photos will be eligible for a $25 gift card drawing. In addition, the winning photos will be featured at a UC ANR Town Hall.
All photos submitted to the contest will be stored on UC ANR's WebDam and made available for UC ANR presentations, websites, social media, etc., with credit to the photographers.
Click this link to begin submitting your photo(s). If there are recognizable people in the photo, please ask them to sign a release agreement and upload in the submission survey. The submission deadline for the 2020 photo contest is Nov. 30.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
UC ANR academics are invited to apply for the Sustainable Natural Ecosystems Strategic Initiative leader position. The position plays a key role in helping us connect by unifying, communicating and advocating to strengthen UC ANR's research and outreach agenda and as a participant in Program Council.
Given the evolving role of the UC ANR Strategic Initiatives (SI), we will again conduct an open search from across the breadth of expertise in the division.
“The SI leader position for Sustainable Natural Ecosystems is becoming available as our current leader David Lile is scheduled to rotate off at the end of 2020,” said Mark Bell, vice provost of Strategic Initiatives and Statewide Programs. “David has been a valued team member and contributor and has helped the SIs significantly evolve in their role.”
Who can apply? The positions are open to all UC ANR academics, including Agricultural Experiment Station faculty and Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists as well as academic coordinators and administrators. Strategic Initiative leaders are appointed by the Associate Vice President on a rotating basis for three years, with the possibility of extension.
Current SI leaders
- Endemic and Invasive Pests and Diseases: Jim Farrar
- Sustainable Food Systems: Deanne Meyer
- Sustainable Natural Ecosystems: David Lile (through 12/31/20)
- Water Quality, Quantity and Security: David Lewis
- Healthy Families and Communities: Lynn Schmitt-McQuitty
Role of the SIs. The SIs help us make connections. They lead efforts to Unify, Communicate and Advocate for what we do. See UC ANR Strategic Initiatives for more information. SI leaders are increasingly leading discussions on critical topics important to the future of UC ANR – both the focus of our work and how we implement our work. They are also decision-making members of Program Council.
How to apply. To apply for the SI leader position, complete the form at https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=32332.
Applications will be accepted until Nov. 20.
Applicants will be contacted for interviews in late November or early December.The target date for Zoom interviews is Monday, Dec. 14 (morning). The new leader is anticipated to start Jan. 4, 2021.
For information regarding the roles and responsibilities of the Strategic Initiative leader position, see the Terms of Reference for Strategic Initiative Leaders. If you have questions, contact Mark Bell or one of the SI leaders.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Russell L. Rustici Rangeland and Cattle Research Endowment funding is available to University of California personnel to support problem-solving research that will benefit California range cattle producers. The goal of this program is to promote collaboration and strengthen the network among research faculty, Cooperative Extension specialists, county-based Cooperative Extension advisors and range cattle producers, and to ultimately provide practical answers to critical issues and challenges facing the industry.
Annual research proposals for 2021 are due by 5 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020, to rusticiresearch@ucdavis.edu.
Extension activity proposals are accepted year-round at rusticiresearch@ucdavis.edu.
The full request for proposals and more information about this funding opportunity can be found at http://rangelands.ucdavis.edu/rustici/research-endowment.
- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
The virtual 2020 UC Master Gardener Mini-Conference was held Sept. 29–Oct. 1 online. It was a livestream success. All nine sessions streamed directly to the statewide Facebook and YouTube channels, which made for lively comments and instant access to recordings.
The UC Master Gardener Program recognized 52 of the 6,000 volunteers from across the state as "Gardeners with Heart" in celebration of the program's 40th year.
If you did not get a chance to join the conference live, or you just want to re-watch a session, they are all conveniently available on the statewide UC Master Gardener Program's YouTube channel.
Read Lauren Snowden's UC Master Gardener blog post for a wrap up of the virtual 2020 Mini-Conference at https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=43853.
