Posts Tagged: strategic plan

ANR presents its Strategic Plan to President Drake

UC ANR's strategic planning team presented both the new 2020-2025 Strategic Plan and the 2020-2025 REC Strategic Framework to President Michael Drake on Feb. 2, 2021. His comments were generally very positive. A few minor edits were made to the UC ANR Plan following the meeting to further clarify the relationship between this “operational” plan and our systemwide public value statements and condition changes. The new plans will be posted to the UC ANR website later this month.

Thanks again to the ANR community for providing ideas to the ANR strategic plan during the four input sessions and via the survey. Notes on the ideas gathered will also be available on the web page where the final plans will be posted.

President Drake listens as UC ANR’s strategic planning team presented new 2020-2025 Strategic Plan and the 2020-2025 REC Strategic Framework.

Recent Strategic Plan accomplishments posted

The ANR Strategic Plan accomplishments for Fall 2020 and Winter 2021 have been posted at https://ucanr.edu/sites/anrstaff/2016-2020_Strategic_Plan/Strategic_Plan_Accomplishments.

The 2016 ANR Strategic Plan, which was refreshed in December 2020, focuses on four key areas: conducting relevant programming, employing top talent and supporting volunteers, increasing resources for programming, and enhancing research and extension facilities.

The plan is designed to position the UC ANR organization to achieve its vision of improving the lives of every Californian through our research and extension. Successes of strategic plan work are intended to support the research and extension efforts.

Share ideas on how to strengthen UC ANR's 2020-2025 strategic plan by Sept. 9

I'd like to thank those of you were able to join one or more of the four strategic plan input sessions to share your ideas on how to strengthen UC ANR.  We hosted four weekly sessions throughout the month of August, each covering a particular focus area. 

• Session #1 - Increasing Program Resources
• Session #2 - Strengthening Partnerships
• Session #3 - Fostering a Positive Work Environment
• Session #4 - Expanding Virtual Reach

With up to 200 participants at each session, we received many thoughtful comments.  Goal owners are reviewing all of the comments from these sessions and will use them to inform the UC ANR strategic plan goals for the next five years.  These goals operationalize organizational priorities for realizing and supporting our mission; they provide a roadmap for future focus and resource allocation.

If you were not able to attend these input sessions and are interested in hearing more about the challenges we face, our accomplishments to date, and the draft strategies for the future – the session recordings and slides are now posted on the UC ANR Strategic Plan web page.

After listening to the recordings, if you would like to provide input, there is still time. Links to surveys for each topical area are available on the web page listed above. The surveys will be closed at 5 p.m. on Sept. 9 to ensure that the goal owners will have time to review additional comments before completing their draft goal summaries.

We received positive feedback on the format of the input sessions, and so will definitely consider this approach again in the future.

Thank you again for your ongoing commitment to creating the best possible future for UC ANR.

Glenda Humiston
Vice President

Share your ideas on how to improve UC ANR

Every Tuesday during the month of August, UC ANR leaders will be hosting two-hour online meetings to share their draft 5-year goals and get your input into the ANR Strategic Plan Refresh 2020-2025.

Teams of goal owners will review challenges we face, briefly share accomplishments to date, and present draft strategies for the future. They want to hear what you think may be missing and your ideas on how to shape the future of ANR. There will be breakout groups to provide the opportunity for you to talk with colleagues and submit your ideas to inform the final ANR strategic plan.

See the table below with specific dates for certain topics and draft goals – and sign up!

All UC ANR staff and academics – including campus-based AES faculty and CE specialists – are invited.

Register at http://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=31683.

Sessions are limited to 1,000 people per the Zoom meeting license. If you have constraints joining by Zoom, please talk to your supervisor and strategize how the local office/REC can help accommodate you.

Date/ Time	Topic			Presenters
Aug. 4 10 a.m. – 12 noon	Increasing Program Resources  ·       Goal 9: Generate Revenue and Optimize Resource Deployment ·       Goal 10: Expand and Diversify Fund Development ·       Goal 11: Improve Efficiency and Strengthen Infrastructure ·       Goal 12: Strengthen Communication and Advocacy			Tu Tran, Associate Vice President - Business Operations Lorna Krkich, Development Services Executive Director Linda Forbes, Strategic Communications Director Anne Megaro, Government and Community Relations Director
Aug. 11 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.	Strengthening Partnerships  ·       Goal 1: Strengthen Research and Extension Partnerships ·       Goal 3: Build Sustainable Economies for Working Landscapes ·       Goal 4: Scale-up the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Program			Wendy Powers, Associate Vice President - Programs Glenda Humiston, Vice President Gabe Youtsey, Chief Innovation Officer
Aug. 18 10 a.m. – 12 noon	Fostering a Positive Work Environment  ·       Goal 6: Improve Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion ·       Goal 7: Recruit, Develop and Retain People ·       Goal 8: Support Volunteerism			John Fox, Executive Director Human Resources Missy Gable, UC Master Gardener Statewide Program Director Gemma Miner, Academic Coordinator for Volunteer Engagement Bethanie Brown, Director, Human Resources
Aug. 25 1 p.m. – 3 p.m.	Expanding Virtual Reach  ·       Goal 2: Increase UC ANR's Virtual Reach ·       Goal 5: Modernize Digital Information Delivery System			Mark Bell, Vice Provost of Strategic Initiatives and Statewide Programs Linda Forbes, Director of Strategic Communications

 

 

Delivering hope in the midst of loss

Between the Camp Fire in Butte County and the Woolsey Fire in Southern California in November, most ANR members have been affected in some way by the devastating wildfires. Several have experienced major personal losses that they are still dealing with.

While the Camp Fire was still raging on Nov. 14, Emily Symmes, director of UCCE in Butte County, wrote:

“As you can imagine, due to the destruction of nearly the entire town of Paradise and other ridge communities, all of our employees have numerous friends, family, and loved ones who have lost their homes and all of their belongings, as evacuations were so sudden and urgent that most left with only what they could grab in minutes. As such, all have been affected to varying degrees. We have two direct staff members, Alexandra Falk (nutrition education specialist) and John Klepps (Honey Bee Tech Transfer Team) who lived in Paradise. Both have received confirmation that their homes were among those destroyed. They and their families and pets are now safe and have found temporary housing. Many in our extended network of 4-H and Master Gardener program participants and volunteers resided in Paradise have also been heavily impacted, losing everything.”

Among the Master Gardener volunteers in Paradise who lost their houses is Bob DiPietro and his wife, parents of Damon DiPetro of ANR's IT team. Damon's sister and her family also lost their house.

Colleagues have asked how to help.

Emergency resources for UC employees

In response to queries, the Staff Assembly has posted information on their website about the impact of the Camp Fire on our ANR employees and their families at http://staffassembly.ucanr.edu/Resources_/Emergency_Resources_/. Earlier in the year, they posted similar information for those impacted by the Mendocino fires and have committed to maintain Emergency Services information on their website whenever any UC ANR employees are impacted. 

Emergency support is also available to UC employees from the university's benefit plans https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/2018/11/emergency-support-from-ucs-benefit-plans.html.

UC ANR assists Camp Fire survivors

In the midst of their own losses, UCCE staff in Butte County and neighboring counties have been reaching out to assist community members. For example, Ryan Cleland, 4-H representative, has been working with the 4-H community since Nov. 8, the day the Camp Fire erupted, to coordinate assistance and volunteerism. He is providing vetted and frequently updated information on where evacuated and displaced people can find help and how other community members can volunteer, donate and contribute.

The UCCE nutrition education team has been assisting with meal preparation at shelters, and also with volunteering at indoor youth activities available through the shelters and the local area recreation district.

Other UCCE staff and advisors have been volunteering where needed – helping gather and deliver supplies, volunteering at human shelters and animal shelters, helping out at the numerous meal centers that have popped up.

UC Master Gardener volunteers have been reaching out to fellow Master Gardeners who have lost their homes or remain evacuated to offer housing and other support.

Tracy Schohr, UCCE livestock and natural resource advisor in Plumas and Sierra counties, has been helping care for large animals in the evacuation zone.

The forestry, fire and natural resource advisors have ongoing fire safety research and education programs, coordinating with fire safe councils, and working with other agencies to assist in recovery and become better prepared for natural disasters.

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