- Author: Pamela S Kan-Rice
The annual performance evaluation is an opportunity for staff and supervisors to recognize accomplishments, identify opportunities to build skills, and align individual efforts to high-level unit and division goals. The evaluation review period runs from April 1, 2023, through March 31, 2024.
Come learn the ins and outs of the process and the ePerformance system. Supervisors need only attend the “Supervisor Role” webinar.
The webinars will be recorded and available on the Staff Human Resources website for those unable to attend in person.
Here are the day/times and links for the webinars:
Employee Role
When: 1 to 2 p.m. on March 6
Topic: ePerformance Session - Employee Role
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/98020169735
Supervisor Role
When: 1 to 2 p.m. on March 20
Topic: ePerformance Session - Supervisor Role
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/97725905465
- Author: Jodi Azulai
UC ANR Learning & Development
Landing page | Archived webinars | Learning platforms
Extension Methods & Delivery
Building Support
Equity, Diversity, Inclusion
Office, Team, & Personal Management
Telling Our Story: Help your data do the talking! Using visualizations for effective storytelling (Virtual - Extension Foundation)
March 14 | 11 a.m. – Noon PT | Registration.
Discover the power of storytelling through numbers! Join presenters Deanna Schneider and Christine Rybak for an engaging session where we delve into the art of crafting impactful visualizations with data. Did you know that well-crafted visualizations can make your message more memorable and persuasive?
March 27 | 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. | Registration.
Join us to learn about useful extension tools with practical explanations of how the tools are used and how they're received by clientele using examples or demonstrations.
The purpose of this webinar is to generate durable and accessible resources for professional development of extension and outreach methodology skills. To cross-pollinate ideas between academic discipline social circles within the broader ANR community.
Who should attend? New academics, advisors for training and networking, community educators engaging with Californians through UC ANR's statewide programs, seasoned academics who want new ideas, and staff research associates.
EXCITE Partnerships (Virtual - Extension Foundation)
March 25 | 11 a.m. – Noon | Registration.
Program Center Stage will highlight programs from across the system including current and past New Technologies from Ag Extension projects, Impact Collaborative projects, National programs like EXCITE, and more on the 4th Mondays of each month at 11 a.m. Pacific Time
Dynamic Discussions - Discussing Equity Needs in Cooperative Extension (Virtual - Extension Foundation)
March 28 | 11 a.m. -Noon | Registration.
To effectively serve our communities, it is imperative for Cooperative Extension to comprehend population demographics, understand the needs of diverse groups, and be aware of social conditions across the country. The Access, Equity and Belonging Committee (AEBC) is at the forefront of this effort, dedicated to contributing to an inclusive organizational culture and enhancing the capacity of 4-H and the Cooperative Extension System.
Accessibility Guides Aim to Help Creators: Practical Tips Available for Social Media Content (Virtual - UC ANR)
April 16 | Noon – 12:30 PM
Join Doralicia Garay for an insightful webinar on Social Media accessibility guidelines. In today's digital world, accessibility is key to ensuring everyone can participate fully. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enhance your understanding of accessibility and make a positive impact on your online community.
In this webinar, you'll learn:
- The importance of social media accessibility
- Key guidelines for creating accessible content
- Tools and resources for implementing accessibility features
- Best practices for inclusive social media engagement
Zoom Meeting https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/95634838858?pwd=Z3NtblNJdUdYTXNoSzdlWHhhdEhMdz09
Meeting ID: 956 3483 8858
Passcode: 572841
Call for Proposals - 2024 National Health Outreach and Engagement Conference (Extension Foundation)
May 13-15 | Details.
The planning committee for the 2024 National Health Outreach and Engagement Conference is now accepting proposals to present at next year's conference. The conference will be held May 13-15, 2024, and will be hosted by University of Georgia, Clemson University and North Carolina State University Extension Services in Greenville, SC.
How can the UC Davis Library help you? (UC Davis Library Resources)
UC Davis Librarians Erik Fausak and Ruth Gufstason presented to ANR Academics on Dec. 12, 2023. Here is the recording for your review.
The librarians still need information from UC ANR to identify future presentation topics, so please let them know by completing this survey. Those of you who didn't attend the Primer can skip the questions about the 12/12/23 session and go straight to the “future topics” question. Finally, feel free to contact the various librarians at UC Davis who cover different agricultural-related disciplines.
UC ANR Giving Day: Creating Your Strategy For Success
April 4 | 10-10:45 a.m.
This interactive webinar will give you resources to improve your online campaigns whether you are new to UC ANR Giving Day or have participated from the beginning. Learn how your group can harness the power of generosity and raise funds for your program. Join Emily Delk, UC ANR Director of Annual Giving and Donor Stewardship, to access campaign resources, and hear from other colleagues across the state as they share how they've engaged their supporters. And, of course, we'll announce exciting incentive Prize Challenges!
Emily Delk is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://ucanr.zoom.us/j/95195577323
Meeting ID: 951 9557 7323
The UC ANR Office of Contracts and Grants (UC ANR)
is the authorized organizational representative for all extramurally sponsored projects at UC Agriculture and Natural Resources. Find the analyst assigned to your county or program.
Engaging government officials and community stakeholders is a critical tool that helps builds awareness and support for your work and that of the University as a whole. For more information, read here.
Public & Media Relations (UC ANR)
UC ANR has subject matter experts to help you with media and other public relations. Be sure to contact them for support.
Conducting Culturally Inclusive Training (in-person, UC Davis)
April 30 | 9-11:30 a.m. | Registration.
This course will give trainers the skills to conduct training courses that address the diverse needs of trainees, and ensure that the training content is accessible for all participants.
Intercultural Communication and Competence (in-person, UC Davis)
April 25 | 1:30 - 4 p.m. | Registration.
This program will explore how individuals and organizations can become more culturally competent. Self and organizational assessment models will be presented and the various components of each stage of competence will be discussed.
Disability Awareness in the Workplace (in-person, UC Davis)
May 16 | 1:30-4 p.m. | Register
This course will increase your awareness of the lives and experiences of people with disabilities. We will also focus on developing skills to create a workplace environment that is respectful and inclusive of persons with disabilities.
April 1 - April 21 | Learn more and register.
The 21-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge is simple! You commit to deepening your understanding of, and willingness to confront, racism for twenty-one consecutive days in April of each year and the Food Solutions New England Racial Equity Challenge will:
- Raise your awareness, change your understanding and shift the way you behave
- Go beyond individual or interpersonal racism by helping to demystify structural and institutional racism and white supremacist patterns that are sometimes invisible to people
- Inspire you to act, on your own or with others in your organization, business, or group, to dismantle these systems, to make changes in your work and the world that can build true equity and justice for all.
March 2024 | Registration.
The 14-Day Challenge is an opportunity for you to experiment with daily writing, online community, and supportive accountability. It's very simple: You commit to write every day for at least 30 minutes.
At the beginning of your writing time, you login to our online community, start the timer, complete your writing and post your progress at the end. UC ANR is a paying member. Access your account today.
May 20 - July 28 | Register.
This intensive online program is our most popular program. It helps tenure-track and tenured faculty with the skills necessary to increase research and writing productivity while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. UC ANR is a paying member. Access your account today.
LinkedIn Learning (LiL)
Did you know that using LinkedIn Learning you can complete professional certificates? Here are some examples:
Career Essentials in Data Analysis by Microsoft and LinkedIn
Career Essentials in Project Management by Microsoft and LinkedIn
Career Essentials in Cybersecurity by Microsoft and LinkedIn
Career Essentials in Generative AI by Microsoft and LinkedIn
Get continuing Education units in
Project Management Institute
Society for Human Resource Management
And enjoy live discussions, interviews, and open Q&As with industry experts?
Office Hours with LinkedIn Learning Instructors
UC ANR is a paying member. To set up your account, contact ANR It at help@ucanr.edu.
Learn something new today.
Image credits
Gordon Johnson from Pixabay
Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay
OTH Amberg-Weiden from Pixabay
OTH Amberg-Weiden from Pixabay
/span>/span>/span>/span>/span>/h3>/h2>
- Author: Pamela S Kan-Rice
An informational campaign to raise awareness of COVID-19 and Influenza vaccination among migrant workers who speak Mexican indigenous languages has been created by Ricardo Vela, manager of News and Information Outreach in Spanish; Amira Resnick, statewide director of Community Nutrition and Health; and Irene Padasas, UC Cooperative Extension community nutrition and health advisor for Tulare, Kings, Fresno and Madera counties.
The project is part of the Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching & Engagement or EXCITE. The interagency agreement with the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funds the Cooperative Extension System to address health disparities among rural and other underserved communities.
UC ANR successfully conducted a COVID-19 vaccination awareness campaign in Spanish and several Mexican indigenous languages in 2022. The “¡Vacunate Ya!” Reaching the Vulnerable campaign partnered with news and community organizations to reach more than 350,000 people in targeted areas of California where Mexican migrant indigenous families live and work.
“This initiative, akin to previous years, prioritizes communication in their native language and will be disseminated via radio, TV and social media platforms within and around Fresno County,” Vela said. “We are fortunate to have established partnerships with UCSF Medical School in Fresno and the Fresno County Department of Health to further support this effort.”
The current vaccination awareness campaign uses the language of comfort of Mixtecos and Zapotecos of Oaxaca, Totonacas of Veracruz, Nahuas of Guerrero, and Purépechas in Michoacán, who all together account for 5% to 7% of the agricultural workforce in California.
In addition to advertisements for Mexican communities, UC ANR employees are asked to promote vaccination in newsletters and on social media.
“This time, EXCITE has requested that, in conjunction with the external campaign, we run a smaller internal vaccination campaign,” Vela said. “Thus, I am requesting your support to make it happen. All you have to do is help us spread the word by placing one or more graphics in your newsletter and program or employee social media pages.”
Images can be downloaded at https://app.box.com/s/8ub56opoox3mwx0wsa0mtb992xold8pj.
- Author: Pamela S Kan-Rice
More than 40 Cooperative Extension professionals from across the U.S. and outlying territories gathered recently in Tucson, Arizona, for Cooperative Extension's first national Climate Action Convening.
Individuals from land-grant institutions met with USDA leaders to discuss how the Extension system can quickly and effectively contribute to climate change solutions.
The event was hosted by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy's Climate Program Action Team.
“Using insights gathered at the Climate Action Convening, Extension Foundation and collaborators will co-create a series of logic models,” wrote Rose Hayden-Smith, UCCE advisor emeritus and Extension Foundation's chief editor. “These logic models will be incorporated into a white paper about the outcomes Extension believes it is best positioned to achieve through active and new climate programs, projects, and resources. The anticipated release date for the white paper is Spring 2024.”
Tapan Pathak, UC Cooperative Extension climate adaptation specialist based at UC Merced, and Sarah-Mae Nelson, UC Climate Stewards Initiative academic coordinator, participated.
Read more about the Climate Action Convening at https://connect.extension.org/blog/extension-professionals-unite-at-historic-climate-action-convening.
- Author: Saoimanu Sope
In late January, the University of California Nursery and Floriculture Alliance co-hosted the 62nd Western Region International Plant Propagators' Society (WR-IPPS) Annual Meeting in Temecula.
UCNFA, associated with the Nursery and Floriculture Workgroup of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources, is a statewide partnership of researchers and educators, growers, floriculture associations and allied industries. It serves the educational needs of California's agricultural industries that produce greenhouse crops and nursery products including vegetable seedlings, ornamentals, fruiting trees, vines and shrubs.
“Up until 2007 and before almonds and grapes became a big deal, nursery and floricultural products were the top crop commodity in the state,” said Loren Oki, specialist emeritus of Cooperative Extension at UC Davis and co-director of UCNFA. “Nurseries and floriculture are a $3.6 billion industry in California, but not many people know about it.”
Since its inception in 1951, IPPS has sought and shared plant production knowledge globally with an emphasis on nursery production. Oki has been a member of IPPS since the 1980s. His father, George, who owned and operated Oki Nursery, helped establish the Western Region in the 1960s, paving a path for Oki who served as president of WR-IPPS in the 1990s.
Although this year was the first that UCNFA co-hosted, Oki is confident that it won't be the last. “We're already planning a conference for the fall in conjunction with WR-IPPS. Since the target audience of UCNFA are growers, it just makes sense to partner with growers for these events,” Oki said.
This year's meeting involved 145 attendees, 29 exhibitors and 23 speakers and occurred over four days – two of which were dedicated to grower tours and the other two offering educational presentations in both English and Spanish, another first for WR-IPPS.
Gerry Spinelli, UC Cooperative Extension production horticulture advisor for San Diego County and member of UCNFA's administrative committee, was instrumental in coordinating the event. When he wasn't moderating sessions or facilitating Q&A, Spinelli was sharing his expertise on measuring pressure, distribution uniformity and improving irrigation management in English and Spanish.
“It's rewarding to see so much statewide interest in nurseries and floriculture,” said Spinelli. “WR-IPPS is a great opportunity to showcase the extraordinary San Diego nursery and greenhouse industry on an international stage, and a perfect occasion for clientele to meet our new UC Cooperative Extension advisors.”
Bruno Pitton, who became the UCCE environmental horticulture advisor for Placer and Nevada counties in November, appreciated the increase in science-based talks compared to previous years.
“Before, there were more talks on production practices from grower to grower. This year, I noticed that there's more science extension talks – which is a good thing,” said Pitton, who also gave a presentation on nitrogen management in nursery production and irrigation training.
Recent UC ANR hires like Emma Volk, production horticulture advisor for Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, had the opportunity to learn not only from industry leaders nationwide, but fellow ANR colleagues. For example, she heard Don Merhaut, UCCE specialist for nursery and floriculture crops based at UC Riverside, present on controlled release fertilizer dynamics in containers during a one-year growing cycle for Southern California.
UCCE advisors and specialists had a significant presence at this year's meeting, leaving a positive impression on attendees, including Tony Shireman, WR-IPPS president, who said that partnering with UC ANR experts helps IPPS achieve its mission to seek and share plant knowledge globally.
“We're fortunate to have connections to people like those joining us from Cooperative Extension. It allows us to expand our knowledge and extend our reach,” Shireman said.
Johanna Del Castillo Munera and Kosana Suvocarev, two professors of Cooperative Extension at UC Davis, also attended and joined Spinelli for both English and Spanish sessions. Del Castillo Munera presented on disease challenges and management for nurseries, and Suvocarev talked about crop water requirements for irrigation scheduling in nurseries and greenhouses.
“There's a good sense of community here and there's a lot of passion from the speakers,” said Grant Johnson, UCCE urban agriculture technology advisor for UCCE Los Angeles and Orange counties, adding that he valued the opportunity to learn from growers and scientists simultaneously.
After attendees spent an entire day touring local nursery and floriculture operations and learning from growers in North San Diego County and Riverside County, they concluded the day with a dinner and keynote address from Karen Ross, California Department of Food and Agriculture secretary.
On the last day, Chris Shogren, UCCE environmental horticulture advisor for Los Angeles County and member of UCNFA's administrative committee, and Eric Middleton, UCCE integrated pest management advisor for San Diego, Los Angeles and Orange counties, talked about pest and pathogen management. The advisors offered fascinating visuals including photos comparing the size of agave mites to a penny, and led a stimulating Q&A session.
To learn more about the UC Nursery and Floriculture Alliance, visit https://ucnfa.ucanr.edu/.