Posts Tagged: July 2018

NAS identifies scientific advances for agricultural system's sustainability

Science Breakthroughs to Advance Food and Agricultural Research by 2030, a report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine was released July 18. The report identifies the most promising scientific breakthroughs that are possible to achieve in the next decade to increase the U.S. food and agriculture system's sustainability, competitiveness and resilience. 

“In the coming decade, the stresses on the U.S. food and agricultural enterprise won't be solved by business as usual – either in the field or in our current research efforts,” said Susan Wessler, the Neil and Rochelle Campbell Presidential Chair for Innovations in Science Education and distinguished professor of genetics at UC Riverside, who was a co-chair of this important new study.

Alison Van Eenennaam, UC Cooperative Extension specialist at UC Davis, served on the Committee on Science Breakthroughs 2030: A Strategy for Food and Agricultural Research, and other UC academics were involved in reviewing content for the 200-page book.

The urgent progress needed today, given challenges such as water scarcity, increased weather variability, floods and droughts, requires a convergent research approach that harnesses advances in data science, materials science, information technology, behavioral sciences, economics and many other fields.

The committee identified five breakthrough opportunities that take advantage of a convergent approach to research challenges and could potentially increase the capabilities of food and agricultural science dramatically:

1. A systems approach to understand the nature of interactions among the different elements of the food and agricultural system can be leveraged to increase overall system efficiency, resilience, and sustainability. 
2. The development and validation of highly sensitive, field-deployable sensors and biosensors will enable rapid detection and monitoring capabilities across various food and agricultural disciplines.
3. The application and integration of data sciences, software tools, and systems models will enable advanced analytics for managing the food and agricultural system.  
4. The ability to carry out routine gene editing of agriculturally important organisms will allow for precise and rapid improvement of traits important for productivity and quality. 
5. Understanding the relevance of the microbiome to agriculture and harnessing this knowledge will improve crop production, transform feed efficiency, and increase resilience to stress and disease. 

They include recommendations for a range of federal agencies, as well as federal and private funders and researchers.

“It is very gratifying to see a strong recommendation for enhanced support to the Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension systems as vitally important infrastructure!” VP Glenda Humiston said.

Humiston and other UC ANR leaders are considering how UC ANR might best use the ideas presented in the report.

The report is available for free download at https://www.nap.edu/catalog/25059/science-breakthroughs-to-advance-food-and-agricultural-research-by-2030.

 

 

Staff Assembly offers scholarships

The UC ANR Staff Assembly has established a scholarship program that is available to all UC ANR staff employees and county-paid employees. The scholarship provides financial assistance to UC ANR staff to pursue career interests, develop new career paths, and address knowledge or skill gaps needed to reach professional development goals.

Scholarships may be used for

• Courses/tuition/registration fee for required certification(s).
• Courses/tuition/registration required for degree attainment if related to current position or career development.
• Registration fees for seminars and workshops (excluding travel).
• Books and materials for career development (as required by selected course/workshop etc.).

Up to $499 is available, depending on the amount of eligible applications received. Only successfully completed training activities will be approved. Applicants must provide proof of completion with a passing grade for courses or seminars.

This year's award dates are for courses taken between April 16, 2018, and Oct. 31, 2018. Deadline for applications is close of business Oct. 31, 2018.

For more information and the application form, visit http://staffassembly.ucanr.edu/Scholarships.

Scholarship recipients

During the last cycle, Staff Assembly doubled the number of scholarship awards offered – six people received scholarship reimbursements, ranging from $494-$499 each. The recipients were:

• Christina Becker, lab asst. 3, Nutrition Policy Institute
• Lea Corkidi, staff research associate 2, UCCE San Diego     
• Ria Debiase, Pest Management Guidelines coordinator, IPM Statewide Program
• Jerry Harris, administrative services officer, UCCE San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara
• Kim Ingram, HR analyst III, Academic Human Resources
• Rhett Woerly, facilities management specialist 3, UC ANR Facilities Planning and Management            

Here is what the scholarship recipients are saying about the program:

When Ria Debiase was asked if she would apply for a scholarship again she replied, “Yes. As I will be entering grad school while working as a UC employee, I appreciate any help I can get.”

Lea Corkidi heard about the program at an all-staff meeting in her office. She definitely plans on applying for funds again in the future and absolutely recommends the scholarship program to peers and colleagues!

Rhett Whoerly took courses related to his Construction Management Certificate and also plans on applying for scholarship funds in the future. 

Kim Ingram, who is working on a masters degree in education, adult education and training, says “I was able to apply methods learned in this class to a recent facilitation training I co-lead, and to other process situations I engage in as part of my job.” She said she also recommends this program to others and will apply again in the future.

The Staff Assembly Council and the Scholarship Award sub-committee congratulates all the recipients.

We are so happy to be able to provide these reimbursement scholarships and hope that more employees take advantage of this program.

 

 

UC issues annual whistleblower notification

The University of California is committed to maintaining the highest standards of conduct in the fulfillment of its education, research, public service and patient care mission. The University's Whistleblower Policy provides multiple avenues for employees to bring forward concerns of potential employee misconduct. Faculty and staff are encouraged to bring forward concerns about possible improper governmental activity directly to their supervisor, department head, Locally Designated Official (LDO) or other appropriate university offices or officials.

The university established a systemwide, independently operated whistleblower hotline to receive calls or web-based reporting from faculty, staff, students or members of the public. The hotline allows for anonymous reporting. The hotline relays the reported concerns to appropriate university officials for processing. This hotline is staffed seven days a week, 24 hours per day and is capable of receiving reports in a number of different languages.

The toll-free number is 1-800-403-4744. Web-based reports can be made by accessing http://universityofcalifornia.edu/hotline. More information about the whistleblower process can be found on the UC Whistleblower website and on posters displayed in various employee areas. The University's whistleblower poster identifies other channels for reporting improper governmental activity, including the California State Auditor, the California Attorney General and locations for reporting fraud and abuse involving federal programs.

The California Government Code requires every state agency, including the University of California, to annually distribute to its employees a message from the California State Auditor that provides an explanation of the California Whistleblower Protection Act. Please see the 2018 message below or in the brochure at http://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/files/286804.pdf.

California State Auditor Whistleblower Program

YOU CAN REPORT IMPROPER ACTS 

We are your confidential avenue for reporting improper activities by state agencies or employees. It is your responsibility, as a government employee, to report any type of fraud, waste or abuse, which ultimately protects scarce state resources. It is also your right to be free from retaliation for doing so. 

In 2017 alone, we received 2,147 allegations of wrongdoing, most of which concerned misuse of state property, improper travel expenditures, and time and attendance abuse. Whistleblower complaints through our office have triggered investigations revealing more than $576 million in wasteful spending, such as: 

• Four psychiatrists at a state facility worked significantly fewer than 40 hours per week during a one year period. The cost of their missed work hours totaled $296,000.
• A state official received $152,000 in improper travel expense reimbursements over a 37-month period.
• An administrator unwisely entered into two contracts that wasted $652,919 in state managed funds and did not comply with state contracting requirements.

WE INVESTIGATE COMPLAINTS 

We report substantiated allegations to the head of the employing agency, the Legislature and the Governor. In addition, we report some of the substantiated allegations to the general public, keeping confidential the identities of the state employees involved. You can view these reports on our website at www.auditor.ca.gov/reports/investigative. 

WHAT TO REPORT

Pursuant to Government Code section 8547.2, subdivision (c), improper acts by a state agency or employee that should be reported to the State Auditor include:

• Violations of state or federal law, including theft, fraud or conflict of interest;
• Noncompliance with an executive order, Rule of Court, the State Administrative Manual, or the State Contracting Manual;
• Misuse or waste of state resources, including property or employee time;
• Gross misconduct, incompetence or inefficiency.

WHAT WE CAN'T INVESTIGATE

We do not have the authority to investigate either violations of internal department policies or procedures or local government agencies and employees.

WE PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY

If you report an impropriety, you are protected by the Whistleblower Protection Act, which:

• Requires us to protect your identity (except from law enforcement);
• Prohibits intimidation, threats or coercion by state employees that could interfere with your right to disclose improper governmental activities.

If you believe that you have been retaliated against for disclosing an improper governmental activity, you should report this immediately to one of the following agencies:

State and Court Employees

State Personnel Board 

801 Capitol Mall, MS53 

Sacramento, CA 95814

California State University Employees

Vice Chancellor of Human Resources 

401 Golden Shore

Long Beach, CA 90802 

Or contact the appointed campus administrator.

University of California (UC) Employees

Contact the locally designated official for the UC facility at which you are employed. Visit www.ucop.edu for more information.

HELPFUL TIPS WHEN FILING A COMPLAINT

Prepare Before Filing

Gather your thoughts before filing a complaint and prepare yourself to answer the following questions:

• What is the improper activity?
• Who acted improperly?
• Where does that person work? 
• How often and for how long has the activity been occurring?
• Why has it been allowed to continue?

Support What You Allege

We are unable to investigate allegations without support for your complaint. Therefore, please remember to include the following:

• Description of the evidence that proves what you are saying.
• Names and telephone numbers of knowledgeable witnesses.
• Copies of any documents you have in your possession that support your allegation. (Please do not submit original documents, as they cannot be returned.)

Consider Providing Contact Information

You have a right to file a complaint anonymously. However, we may not be able to investigate your complaint if we cannot talk to you to confirm the information you are providing or obtain additional information. Please remember that if you identify yourself to us, we cannot reveal your identity to anyone else without your permission, except to appropriate law enforcement personnel who are conducting a criminal investigation.

Keep Your Complaint Confidential

We investigate complaints as confidentially as possible to protect both your identity as a whistleblower and our ability to gather information without interference. To protect the confidentiality of your complaint, we encourage you not to tell anyone that you filed a complaint with us.

We refer substantiated violations of law to law enforcement agencies, as appropriate.

HOW TO REPORT 

You have three ways to report information to us confidentially:

Call the Whistleblower Hotline at: 

800-952-5665 

916-322-2603 (Fax) 

(Note: The hotline is staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, callers may leave a brief recorded message during other hours.)

Mail information to: 

Investigations 

California State Auditor 

P.O. Box 1019 

Sacramento, CA 95812

Submit a complaint online to: 

http://www.auditor.ca.gov/hotline

To view an informational webinar hosted by CalHR, visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WFYLhJDOss.

 

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