I realize that many folks still have many questions after last week’s Adobe Connect session about the MSUE redesign and the changes that were presented. It was a lot to take in during a one hour session, and I hope that as you’ve thought about the changes to our programming and organizational structure that I discussed, that you’ve have thoughts on what you’d like to see or questions about what we did not address. If you didn’t see the presentation, or if you want to watch it a second time, you can view it by clicking this link: http://breeze.msu.edu/p49023636/
You’re probably tired of hearing me say that this is a fluid process and that it will probably see more changes, but it’s true! The administrative team is not only open to your input, thoughts and questions, but we’ve set up two discussion boards on the MSU Angel site to gather them.
One discussion forum is especially for gathering your ideas about the new MSUE districts and the other is for questions about the redesign in general. If you visit http://angel.msu.edu and do an “Angel Group Search” for MSUE, you’ll see a link called MSUE Restructuring. You do not have to login to Angel to get to this site, though if you have an MSU Net ID, you can do so if you’d like.
Click on the link to MSUE Restructuring and you will see the two fora listed there. Click on the link to either the MSUE Map and County Grouping or the MSUE Restructuring Questions and follow the directions to post a question or comment. We’ll be keeping an eye on both sites and will post answers to questions as quickly as possible. We’ll also post a link to this site on the MSUE Redesign page on the portal.
If you posted a question during last week’s Webinar and I did not have time to answer it during the presentation, you don’t need to post it on this site–just have a little patience. The associate directors and I are busily working to answer the questions that were asked and we will have them posted on the portal by the end of this week.
Again, thanks for your thoughtful suggestions about the future direction for our organization – and keep ‘em coming!
Master Gardener Needs Assessment Underway
While Fall planting may be coming to an end for many Master Gardeners, Fall “planning” is gaining momentum. Interim State Coordinator Mary Wilson along with ANR Communications staff Fran Adelaja and Ruth Borger, are coordinating a number of focus groups in Genesee, Kent, Grand Traverse/Leelanau/Benzie and Kalamazoo counties that will be held over the next few weeks.
The focus groups composed of Master Gardener volunteers will test promotional messages to be used in marketing materials, target what marketing and communication activities will be successful, and determine best practices for the use of the instructional manual. The manual is undergoing a major revision this year and information gathered at the focus groups will assist in the writing, design and production of the new edition.
These market research sessions are instrumental to growing and strengthening the program in the years ahead.
4-H’ers are Good Sports
If the back-and-forth of the budget situation hasn’t been enough of a sporting event for everyone, two upcoming sports partnerships will give 4-H’ers a chance to cheer. First, hockey fans can enjoy 4-H Nights at “The Joe” with special savings on tickets to home games on November 18 and December 14. The two-person package comes with two tickets, hotdogs and soft drinks for $48. If you’ve been to a game at the Joe lately, you know that’s half of what you’d usually pay. Get all the details and order tickets online at http://web1.msue.msu.edu/cyf/youth/member/cool.html.
Coming up January 9 is the annual 4-H Day at “The Bres” with FREE admission to the MSU versus Ohio Women’s Basketball game. The game is televised, which gives us a great opportunity to show support for Michigan 4-H when the cameras capture a “field of clovers” in the stands. You can order tickets online beginning Dec. 1. By the way, both of these events are coordinated by Pat Talbot, project event coordinator for CYFC. Thanks to Pat and everyone else involved in putting these terrific events together.
We’re “Growing the Bioeconomy”
Do you or folks you work with want to learn more about the status and potential of bioenergy for Michigan? There’s still time to sign up for the 2009 Bio eConference, “Growing the Bioeconomy: Solutions for Sustainability,” Dec. 1 at 9 a.m. in the Hannah Community Center here in East Lansing.
This conference, organized by Dennis Pennington and Mark Seamon, is a great example of both the type of programming and delivery that will become commonplace for us in the future.
Organized as of a 12-state partnership, the Bio eConference will give participants in all those states the chance to watch online presentations from national and international experts in this emerging industry and folks like U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu. At the same time, local coordinators can choose to offer in-person presentations like the ones that Dennis and Mark are providing that include Bruce Dale from MSU’s College of Engineering and Satish Joshi from the Department of Agriculture, Food and Resource Economics.
Folks can even choose to watch the online portions of the conference from their home computers. Want to learn more? Visit http://web2.msue.msu.edu/bioeconomy/ for all the details, including registration costs and a full agenda.
