Advocacy

Advocacy (Includes previous committees: LARC, Public Relations, Faculty Senate, Fringe Benefits)

NCEA Advocacy Committee

Michael Rethwisch, Chair

This was the first year for the NCEA Advocacy Committee. At the 2015 NCEA Annual Meeting, the NCEA membership voted to combine the Legislative and Administrative Relations Committee (LARC), Fringe Benefits, Faculty Senate, and Public Relations Committees into the Advocacy Committee.

Goals for 2016 were:

· Encourage local Extension units to meet or communicate regularly with County Supervisors/Commissioners, NU Regents, and State Senators, informing administration ahead of time on state level meetings. The positive outcomes will be awareness, programming updates, and relationship building.

  • Continue our annual support of the Faculty Senate Schwartzkopf Fund ($1100)
  • Continue support of Extension Faculty by the NCEA Faculty Senators, through weekly and monthly communication with University of Nebraska-Lincoln Administration.
  • Seek approval by the University Of Nebraska Board Of Regents to improve the faculty status of Extension Educators.
  • Strive to promote Extension and support the 4-H program, both internally and externally.
  • Continue efforts to improve the fringe benefits of Nebraska Extension Assistants, Associates, and Educators.
  • Ensure that new employees are well versed in all benefit provisions.
  • Maintain positive and open communication with the Dean and Director of Extension.

Accomplishments:

· Sponsored a team for the Nebraska 4-H Foundation Charity Shoot on September 22, 2016.

· Hosted a table at the Nebraska FFA State Convention Career Fair showcasing Extension as a future career.

· Educators from across the state met with their County Supervisors/Commissioners, NU Regents, and/or State Senators to advocate for Nebraska Extension throughout the year.

· A resolution was passed by the Faculty Senate on April 5, 2016 that supported elimination of Chapter 4.4.5 in the University of Nebraska Bylaws (which describes Extension Educators as county employees) and proposed the 90-day notice of termination for Extension Educators be extended with length of notice dependent on rank, with 90-days for Assistant Extension Educators, 6-months for Associate Extension Educators, and 1-year for Extension Educators. The resolution has been vetted by Chancellor Green and Interim Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Marjorie Kostelnik. According to Interim SVCAA Kostelnik, Dean Hibberd approved the language of the Bylaw change and now it has gone to Carmen Mauer, Corporation Secretary for the University Of Nebraska Board Of Regents. At this time, Interim SVCAA Kostelnik expects approval this academic year.

Members:

LARC Subcommittee: Chair Jessica Jones- 2016; Vice Chair Jonathan Larson- 2017; Paul Hay- 2018 Randy Pryor- 2018; James Schild- 2018; Deb Schroeder- 2018; Strahinia Stepanovic- 2017; Scott Stuhr- 2018; Bruce Treffer- 2017; and Carroll Welte- 2017.

Fringe Benefits Subcommittee: Chair Mike Rethwisch- 2018; Vice Chair Summer Gengenbach- 2017; Keith Jarvi- 2017; Randy Saner- 2018; and Ron Seymour- 2018.

Faculty Senate Subcommittee: Chair Sarah Purcell- 2019 SE; Brenda Aufdenkamp- WC; John Fech- 2019 SE; Connie Hancock- 2019 PH; Lisa Kaslon- 2018 NE; and Nicole Stoner- 2018 SE.

Public Relations Subcommittee: Chair Jill Goedeken, Tracy Anderson, Jami Ankrom, Jessie Bauman, Tracy Behnken, Terri Lemmon, Dave Ostdiek, Becky Versch, Cathy Weaver, Holli Weber, and Tyler Williams.

Recommendations:

  • Meet during NCEA as a full committee.
  • Continue advocacy for Nebraska Extension at all levels.