August 2021 Urban Extension News Bulletin

Leadership Development Opportunity: Become the next Western Regional Chair for N.U.E.L.

FROM: Edward C Martin, Ph.D.
Interim Director of Cooperative Extension, The University of Arizona

Dear Western NUEL Members and Supporters,

This year, my appointment as Western Regional Chair will come to an end. We are now actively seeking nominations for a new Chair. The nominations will be sent to the Western Extension Directors Association for approval. If you are interested, please be sure to get the approval of your State Extension Director and then send me a brief statement on why you would like to serve as Chair, along with a bio and picture. The appointment is for three years and will begin on January 1, 2022. The duties for Network Chair include:

Regional Network Chair:

• Recruit members
• Identify and coordinate regional professional development and networking opportunities
• Plan, coordinate and facilitate regional network meetings
• Serve on NUEL Steering Committee
• Attend monthly NUEL Steering Committee meetings
• Promote engagement in national NUEL efforts
• Help facilitate bi-annual national NUEL conference when it is in their region
• Coordinate bi-annual regional network meetings
• Regular communication/engagement with members

I want to thank everyone for their support over the last few years. I will still work to be involved in NUEL and move forward to enhance and improve Extension’s impact on our urban communities.

Best Regards,

Ed

Email: ecmartin@arizona.edu

WCMER Fellowship Accepting Applications
(deadline extended)

WCMER is excited to release RFP’s for the Deep Dive, Urban Sabbatical and Urban Graduate Fellowship programs, designed to enhance the impact of Extension, and the broader land-grand university system, in metropolitan communities.

Deadline to apply is July 31, 2021. EXTENDED TO AUGUST 22, 2021

TOPICS OF INTEREST FOR NEW DEEP DIVES, URBAN SABBATICALS, AND URBAN GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS

The WCMER will accept applications on any topic of interest that addressed the goals and mission of WCMER, however we are especially interested in applications that address:

1. All aspects related to the on-going impacts of and recovery from the pandemic.
2. The current social and political justice movements.
3. Building on current or past WCMER Deep Dives.
4. Building on one of the topics addressed in the Leading Edge Dialogue Series the WCMER completed in 2021.

OVERVIEW

The Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) is the representative leadership and governing body of the Cooperative Extension System, the nationwide transformational education system operating through Land-grant Universities in partnership with federal, state, and local governments. ECOP focuses on four core themes: 1) Build partnerships and acquire resources; 2) Increase strategic marketing and communications; 3) Enhance leadership and professional development, and 4) Strengthen organizational functioning.

Advocacy & Education/Messaging Resources:

These resources include priority language, talking points, and CES background information for consistency in messaging with APLU Board on Agriculture Assembly (BAA) Committees and Sections, the BAA Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy ESCOP, legislators, partners, University Congressional and Government Affairs staff, and related advocacy groups. Look to these links for additional information: 2018 Farm Bill, Related Legislation, How Laws Are Made, and the Federal Budget Process.

TOPICS:

• Agriculture
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Climate Mitigation, Resiliency, and Adaptation
• Economic and Workforce Development
• Health, Equity & Well-being
• 4-H Positive Youth Development
• Urban Programs
• Broadband Access & Digital Skills
• Nutrition Education & SNAP-Ed
  

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Journal of Human Sciences & Extension (JHSE) Special Issue Call for Author and Reviewer Recommendations

The development of an urban Extension special issue of the Journal of Human Sciences and Extension (JHSE) is underway. The release of this issue coincides with the National Urban Extension Conference, which will be held in New Jersey, May 23-26, 2022.

This will be a themed issue (like the May 2017 JHSE issue) for educators, administrators, and other Extension professionals to learn more about Extension in urban communities. This special issue will be for invited authors who have demonstrated expertise in urban Extension and successful scholarship.

The goal of the special issue is to better understand the unique aspects of Extension in urban communities by

• Providing examples related to how Extension engages with diverse urban audiences.
• Describing the urban context that presents both opportunities and challenges for Extension.
• Illustrating how Extension draws upon resources for impacts – public and private good.
• Exploring the current state of the country and of urban Extension.
• Contributing to the base of existing knowledge for decision makers to efficiently draw upon as they consider the urban influence in Extension.

Call for Author and Reviewer Recommendations
The following are 10 proposed cases to focus on the people we serve to illustrate and show what’s working. We would like each to demonstrate urban Extension relevance, illustrate engagement models, and include how they incorporated strategy due to the urban context of scale, diversity, and/or complexity.

• ·Hispanic or Latino
• Black and Brown
• Asian
• Multi-Racial
• Faith-based
• Immigrant/Refugee
• LGBTQ+ (not necessarily youth)
• Different Ability
• Urban-Rural
• Social Class

Do you or your colleagues have successful experiences working with one of these populations that should be shared to a broader audience? If so, we want to hear from you. Not enough time to write, but have interest then please sign up to be a peer reviewer. If you are interested please contact Brad Gaolach, gaolach@wsu.edu.

Ideally, this body of work will illustrate Extension’s relevance, accessibility, and impact in urban communities across the United States metro areas. It will also encourage critical thinking, keep conversations going, move people toward action, and demonstrate the value of our national networks.