ANR Update, March 9, 2010

These announcements are also posted and archived on the ANR Update pages.

County directors to discuss fundraising

Don Klingborg will be holding conference calls with the county directors to discuss fundraising in the counties. During the calls on March 19 and 24, Klingborg will ask the CDs for their opinions about whether we should pursue fundraising at the local level and, if so, what are the potential roles and approaches that should be standardized?

Business Operations Centers

Two ANR Business Operations Centers have been established, one in Davis and one at the Kearney Research & Extension Center in Parlier.

Nikki Humphreys is the lead for the Business Operations Center-Davis (BOC-Davis).  The unit is charged with the responsibility to provide administrative services to Davis-based ANR service units & statewide programs.

Cherie McDougald is the lead for the Business Operations Center—Kearney (BOC-Kearney).  This unit is charged with the responsibility for providing administrative services to county-based Cooperative Extension offices throughout the state.

Some of the major functions of the Business Operations Centers include:

• Contracts & Grants (budget review, new account set up and notice, cost-share/effort reporting)
• Payroll (time & leave reporting for academic and staff employees)
• Payroll/Personnel System (personnel action entries for academic and staff employees)
• Gift acceptance
• Purchasing
• Accounts payable
• Bank accounts
• Direct charges
• Travel and entertainment

Joining Humphreys in the BOC-Davis unit will be Marianne Goetze from the REC A/O and Laura Hernandez from IPM, both transferring from their respective units effective April 1. Jeri Hansen from Communication Services and Information Technology (CSIT) will follow on May 1. The Administrative Review Council (ARC) will continue discussing the design and make-up of this unit at its March 16 meeting.

The BOC-Kearney unit is currently staffed by McDougald, Kathy Montanez, Kennieth Nasalroad, Diane Chadwick, Lorraine Holm, Nora Rodriguez, Cathy Edwards, and Joyce Hatanaka, all formerly with the Central Valley Regional Office. Currently, the BOC-Kearney provides services to advisors and staff from the Central Valley and North Coast & Mountain regions. In April, they will begin phasing in services to the Central Coast & Southern Region CE advisors and staff. The BOC-Kearney is now recruiting to fill one payroll services assistant position and three financial services assistant positions as part of the approved staffing plan.

Program Support Unit

The new Program Support Unit is up and running under the leadership of Joni Rippee. While the entire scope of responsibilities for the ANR Program Support Unit is still in development, the major responsibilities have been identified as follows:

• Support for regional/statewide workshops/conferences/symposia—Provide logistical support in terms of planning, coordination, meeting arrangements, business and contract management associated with the meeting, catering, A/V, other hotel agreements, etc.
• Support for ANR initiatives—Work with initiative leaders to plan, coordinate and conduct meetings of initiative panels, advisory group, etc., to facilitate the development and implementation of programs.
• Support for ANR advocacy efforts—Work with advocacy leaders to plan, coordinate and conduct meetings to facilitate the development and implementation of advocacy goals.
• Support for internal ANR competitive grants programs—Assist appropriate leaders in developing requests for proposals, coordination of review panels, compilation of funding decisions, and interfacing with Business Operations Centers to communicate funding decisions.

Working with Rippee are Sherry Cooper, who was formerly based at UCCE Shasta County and joined the Program Support Unit on January 1, Heidi O’Guinn from the REC AO, and Melanie Caruso from IPM who both joined March 1. The Program Support Unit is directed by Bill Frost.

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