Or: Making the Best Better

Sandy Macnab

Professor, OSU Extension

Transforming OSU Extension and My Role in

Its Transformation as Regional Administrator

Established 1911To take the knowledge from the college to the

people, “extending the campus” to all Oregonians.

Later added deliver the needs and real issues from the people back to campus to be addressed

Feds joined in 1914Passage of Smith-Lever Act

OSU Extension

Representative Lever:

“The County Agent is to assume leadership in every movement, whatever it may be, the aim of which is better farming, more education, better living, more happiness and greater citizenship.”

OSU Extension

Sought, tested, purchased conservation tillage equipment

Purchased insecticide and sprayed up to 72,000 acres for Mormon crickets

Led conversion from sacked grain to bulk storage

Provided for and promoted Victory Gardens

OSU Extension

Demonstrated improved range land grasses and practices

Chaired the Draft Board, labor pools, ration programs, Neighborhood Leader Planning, long range planning

Chaired local scrap metal drives

OSU Extension

Land use planning

OSU Extension

Master Gardeners

OSU Extension

Master GardenersMaster Woodland ManagersMaster Food PreserversMaster Watershed StewardsMaster RecyclersMaster Green BuildersMaster Anglers

OSU Extension

ListeningCounty CourtsAdvisory Councils4H Leaders AssociationsCommodity groupsCivic/Service groupsExtension faculty and staffOther

OSU Extension

Are we meeting local needs?Do we have the skills to meet them?How to address those priorities?Career vs. seasonal vs. episodic?How to fund?

OSU Extension

Currently 17 positionsRetirements looming

OSU Extension

Do we simply refill the same position?Are the support dollars there?Re-organize the position or totally new?Possibly regionalize?

Consider all the costsMust make sense

Coordinate a shared position?Fill position with campus based faculty?Drop the position?

OSU Extension

What do the people want and agree to?

OSU Extension

Discover what needs are un-addressedCan we find replacement agents to address

different roles/ Do we want to?

OSU Extension

Priority:The OSU COUNTY Extension Program

One century… One mission

OSU Extension

Limited within region

Each stream is separate.

As regional agent and chair…..

1. Managing multiple streams of funds and honoring existing sources /agreements within this region.

2a. How have you changed your thinking to embrace transformation changes?

2b. Balancing community needs vs organizational constraints

2c. How to advocate and be resource for employees during this transformation?

3. Describe how you have been effective in in an environment that values diversity.