It turns out that I didn't need to attend the meeting in Denver this week. I suppose for some states it is important Director or Associate Director to attend this meeting, to learn more about reporting requirements, USDA guidelines for capacity fund acquisition, or want to expect during a NIFA review. But UC ANR is fortunate to have Joni, Katherine, Deb, and Jennifer who know the ‘ins and outs' of all of these things, freeing up the senior leadership team from needing to know the last detail of how to navigate the systems.

I attended sessions about capacity funds – these are the federal funds that result from, primarily, the Hatch Act and the Smith-Lever Act (the McIntire-Stennis Act to a much lesser extent). In short, these are funds that primarily pay salaries and benefits of academics, support staff, and a few program staff. While I've known for some time that the capacity funds aren't the ‘safe' support it once was, the conversation this week reinforced the concern. Beginning FY20/21, we will need to submit a funding proposal, much like that provided for competitive grant programs, though hopefully in a more aggregated manner. The rationale is that USDA needs to show how their federal funds are spent, across the land-grant system, on people, on program, or used as match. The devil will be in the details.

During one of the other sessions, we talked about the Pygmalion Effect whereby our beliefs influence our actions that impact the beliefs of others causing the actions of others to reinforce our beliefs. In a sense, a self-fulfilling prophecy occurs. I had been thinking about this concept earlier this week but in a different context. I had no idea there was a term for it. Beyond that awareness, I have to admit that I didn't get much out of the session.

Perhaps during my newly found ‘free week' next year, I will attend a programmatic event. I wasn't able to attend the Fire Summit, but I have heard only good things about it from Glenda and Mark Bell, both of whom attended. It was a full house with a waiting list. Congratulations to Yana, David, Lenya, and the rest of the team that put so much effort. Maybe, I will have a chance to attend the next Climate Summit; I've wanted to attend the last two, but the schedule hasn't allowed.

In the meantime, I will keep working on dossiers.