6/25/2009 9:03:00 AM Extension restructuring moving forward
Since receiving Board of Regents, State of Iowa, approval on April 30, the Iowa State University Extension restructuring plan has moved forward. Initially, there was a lot of concern and surprise, but emotions are being replaced by positive efforts on the part of extension staff and council members, Jack Payne, Vice President for ISU Extension and Outreach, told the Board of Regents at its meeting June 11.
ISU Extension administration held regional sessions in May to present the plan to extension staff and councils, providing details and listening to the concerns of those most affected by the restructuring process. Council member comments indicate the elimination of the county director positions was perhaps the most difficult part of the plan for many at these regional sessions.
"The county council has worked closely with the county director, but it is the county director who has the connections and is the face of Extension," said Dona Paulson, Winnebago County Extension Council member. "It is hard to imagine how one regional director will be able to maintain that contact for five counties."
"Part of the anxiety, as a council member, is not knowing who is going to deliver the Extension product," said Sally VanWert, Franklin County Extension Council member. "We have depended on the county director to have the connections in the county to promote the programs and train county staff."
As council members begin to work in the realigned organization, they are finding there is no single, right path to take. Many decisions are yet to be made.
"Councils came to the regional meetings angry and concerned," Payne told the Board of Regents on June 11. "A Davenport council member summarized the feelings of many by saying, 'When I came to this meeting I was angry and ready to argue; but now that I understand the situation and see your plan as a solution, I want to work with you and make it happen.'"
The restructuring plan has evolved as council members and staff contributed feedback to the plan details. Board members asked Payne to clarify questions they had received from constituents regarding region size and reductions in administration and staff numbers. Satisfied that they had endorsed a well-thought-out plan in April, the Board continued to support the plan and Payne's efforts to move Extension forward.
Part of that forward movement has been to involve council members in the regional extension education director (REED) interviews. The REED positions were opened internally to those whose positions had been eliminated by the plan - county and area extension directors.
Sally VanWert attended the Region 3 REED interviews. "I came away from the interviews feeling better about the restructuring than I did going into them," she said. "The candidates had such enthusiasm as they talked about the opportunities associated with the region concept. They were so positive and already had ideas of how to handle the responsibilities, work with multiple counties and develop networks across regions."
Carol Schreiber, Allamakee County Council member and a board member of the Iowa Association of County Extension Councils (IACEC), represented IACEC during several days of interviews. "The interviews have been a good chance to work with extension administration and hear candidate responses," said Schreiber. "They have presented a wide variety of perspectives of what Extension can be in the future. During the interviews, I heard council member concerns as well as some very positive responses to those concerns."
Sitting at the interview table with representative council members from her new region gave Dona Paulson some insights into the future. "Our county hasn't worked directly with several of the counties in our region and the interviews gave me a chance to learn more about the issues and programs that are important to them. I guess it is the first step in figuring out how we will need to work together to continue bringing Extension to the people. We certainly need Extension in our county. We need to figure out how to make this work."
REED interviews continue through late June, with the announcement of those selected for the positions coming by July 1. County director positions end Aug. 31. Some councils have elected to hire directors as county paid staff, and some directors have chosen the ISU Retirement Incentive Option, which allows them to stay on staff until Jan. 31. A variety of local scenarios will play out as the transition to the restructured organization continues.
"This is an innovative and bold restructuring. It meets the financial realities we are facing and creates a flexible organization positioned to maintain its leadership as one of the best extension systems in the nation," Payne said. "Iowa State University and Extension Councils will work together to change our methods, but not our mission."
