- Author: Pamela Kan-Rice
Dear Colleagues:
After receipt of over 100 proposed positions and review of 800+ comments from individuals, agricultural organizations, governmental agencies, youth and nutrition coalitions and many others, I am pleased to announce the release of 19 new Cooperative Extension advisor and specialist positions. Hiring for the first seven positions will begin immediately in Round One. Hiring for Rounds Two and Three will begin approximately in February and May 2013 respectively.
Position proposals and comments were evaluated by a variety of groups within the University including county directors, college/school leadership, and ANR program teams among others. Criteria used to evaluate all positions included critical issues to be addressed, contribution to strengthening the network of local and campus-based Cooperative Extension and the Agricultural Experiment Station faculty, provision of adequate support, and expected contributions from applied research and educational outreach. This process led Program Council to provide a list of 50+ high-priority positions, with 33 recommended for first hire.
Over the past four years, 86 Cooperative Extension advisors and specialists have left ANR, primarily through retirement. We have hired 37 replacements to date. In order to continue to fulfill our mission to provide science-based solutions and boots on the ground throughout California, it is imperative that we invest in academic positions that are critical to the health of California agriculture, natural resources and communities.
Hiring will be in phases over time to enable us to accomplish the search and hiring process in an orderly manner, evaluate available resources on a real-time basis, deal with unexpected changes in staffing and address unanticipated issues as they arise.
Three of the 19 approved positions are moving forward with the support of newly forming partnerships with the California Table Grape Commission and the pistachio and tree nut industry. A number of additional important positions that were identified by Program Council remain in our queue. These positions will be released as funding is realized. In these times of increased belt tightening, we will continue to look for innovative partnerships that will allow us to fill critical positions more quickly.
Thank you all for your hard work throughout this process. Together we will ensure that CE, AES and our land-grant university continue to meet the needs of Californians. The list of approved positions follows this message.
Barbara Allen-Diaz
Vice President
Round 1: November 2012
Area Dairy Advisor (UCCE Tulare County as headquarters)
Area Viticulture Advisor (UCCE Kern County as headquarters)
Area Viticulture Advisor (term, UCCE Tulare County as headquarters, funded by the California Table Grape Commission)
Area Agronomy Advisor (UCCE Colusa County as headquarters)
Area Nutrition, Family and Consumer Science Advisor (southern San Joaquin Valley area)
Area 4-H Youth Development Advisor and County Director (UCCE San Mateo County as headquarters)
Nut and Fruit Crop Pathology Specialist (Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center as headquarters, with pistachio industry support)
Round 2
Area Range and Livestock Advisor (UCCE Humboldt County as headquarters)
Area Urban Agriculture Advisor (Bay Area)
Area Integrated Pest Management Entomology Advisor (Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center as headquarters, with tree nut industry support)
Apiculture Specialist (Housed in Department of Entomology, UC Davis)
Area Youth, Family and Communities Advisor (UCCE San Luis Obispo County as headquarters)
Urban Agriculture Food Safety Specialist (Housed in School of Veterinary Medicine)
Perennial Crop Nematology Specialist (Kearney Agricultural Research and Extension Center as headquarters)
Round 3
Nutrient Management Specialist (Housed in Department of Land, Air and Water Resources, UC Davis)
Metropolitan Agriculture and Food Systems Specialist (Housed in Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, UC Berkeley)
North Bay Food Systems Advisor (UCCE Marin County as headquarters)
Area 4-H Youth Development Advisor (UCCE San Joaquin as headquarters)
Area Orchard Systems Advisor (UCCE Glenn County as headquarters)
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This announcement is also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages.