Regional Programming Approach
 

• Regional Issues and Program Committees address important issues and program needs in Eastern, Central or Western Kentucky or in the state as a whole.

• Links field agents with specialists, faculty, associates and administrators at UK and KSU main campuses and field stations to address important issues.

• Identifies issues using input from county Extension councils in strengthening county programs.

• Develops programming priorities on a regional basis, cutting across regions when appropriate.

• Focuses resources on high importance issues, with agents drawing on resulting programs as appropriate for individual counties.

• Allows other colleges within UK or KSU to better focus their own outreach efforts through Extension’s regional network.

• Uses Extension to strengthen community and economic development efforts.

Composition and Selection of

Regional Issues and Program Committee Members

Membership---Each Regional Issues and Program Committee comprised of:

             Nine County Extension Agents, five State Extension Specialists/ Associates, one Department Chair, one KSU Extension Specialist, one KSU Extension Administrator, Extension Assistant Directors, and the Regional Program and Development Coordinator for the regional committee.

Term of Membership:

            Members serve a two-year rotation with staggered terms.

            The Assistant Directors will serve on all three Regional Issues and Program Committees. Their membership does not rotate and is not staggered.

            The Regional Program and Development Coordinator will serve as facilitator/coordinator of the Regional Issues and Program Committee for the respective region.

Application/nomination process:

• Agents: self-nomination, peer-nomination, and/or nomination by District Director

• Specialist/Extension Associates:  self-nomination, peer-nomination, nomination by Assistant Directors and/or Department Chairs

• Department Chairs:  nominated by Associate Director and/or Dean of College

• Department Extension Coordinators:  nominated by Department Chairs and Assistant Directors

• KSU:  nominated by KSU Administrator for Cooperative Extension Programs

Selection Procedure:

            Final selection of members for each Regional Issues and Program Committee is determined by a team consisting of the Associate Director for Extension, Assistant Directors and Regional Program and Development Coordinators, and taken from nominations.

            Each Regional Issues and Program Committee represents the diversity in programming and personnel of the Cooperative Extension.  Each committee has parity in representation in regards to geographic locations, program areas, varying levels of experiences, race and gender, etc.

Meeting Procedures of Regional Issues and Program Committees:

            The Regional Issues and Program Committees meet once or twice a year as needed.

 Regional Quick Response Teams:

• Self-directed Quick Response Teams are formed to address high importance issues and will be interdisciplinary.

• Regional Issues and Program Committees determine the function and membership composition of the Quick Response Teams.  Membership is flexible, entrepreneurial in nature, and enhances programming at the county level.

• Timeline of the team and length of membership terms depend on the depth of the issue.

• Along with Extension personnel, team members include volunteer stakeholders, faculty from other colleges at UK and KSU or other universities, and, when appropriate, additional agency personnel.

• Quick Response Teams are formed within a region, cut across regions or encompass the state.

• Counties join together to form additional work groups/teams to carry out programs that are not a priority focus for the region.

Timeline/Due Dates:

August-Planning for Regional Issues and Program Committee meetings by Regional Program and Development Coordinator, Assistant Directors and the Associate Director.

September-Regional Issues and Program Committees meet. Orientation for committee members and begin reviewing of issues based data.

Fall & Spring-Quick Response Teams formed and each team initiates plan of action.

June 1-Applications for Regional Issues and Program Committees due to the Regional Program and Development Coordinator.      Nomination Form

July 1-Selection of members for the Regional Issues and Program Committees