Program Council, academic hiring, AFRI grant proposals

PC to include county-based members

With input from the current regional directors and other ANR academics, the Executive Working Group and Program Council have agreed on the importance of adding county-based academics with a statewide perspective to Program Council.

Barbara Allen-Diaz, AVP-Strategic Initiatives and Academic Programs, has announced that when the two remaining regional directors leave Program Council on July 1, county-based academics will be appointed. The selection process for these positions has not been determined. Allen-Diaz has already asked Academic Assembly Council for input and will seek input from across the ANR community to choose county-based members.

“Implementation of our Strategic Vision is accelerating and Program Council needs county-based academics with a broad statewide perspective for the benefit of the organization as a whole and a willingness to serve monthly for three to five years,” said Allen-Diaz. “I will be asking for input on a process for selecting these individuals.”

For a list of current PC members, see http://ucanr.org/sites/anrstaff/Divisionwide_Programs/Program_Council.

Input sought for process to prioritize academic posts

EWG will be creating a process for identifying and prioritizing Cooperative Extension academic positions to fill.

“While budget uncertainties remain, we recognize that ANR is at or below critical mass in the advisor and specialist ranks and we must move quickly and responsibly to begin filling critical academic positions,” said Allen-Diaz.

While no academic positions were eliminated by budget cuts, retirements and other voluntary separations have been a key source of cost savings beyond the administrative restructuring.

“We will be consulting broadly across the organization to develop a process for this critical task.”  Allen-Diaz said, “It is important that we also move quickly to develop the right process so we can begin selecting and recruiting for the highest priority academic positions.”

Guidelines for AFRI grant proposals posted

The Strategic Initiative leaders have released a set of guidelines for ANR academics who are interested in applying for USDA’s National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) 2010 grant program.

ANR wants to aid research/extension teams in their efforts to compete for these funds for projects that are relevant to the Division’s Strategic Initiatives. If you are considering an AFRI application, please contact the appropriate initiative leader and see the process, criteria and other details at http://ucanr.org/sites/anrstaff/files/1235.pdf.

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

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