CLICK on news February 2002, Volume 2, Number 1
WHAT'S NEW
* New template helps track stakeholders
* New extension display available
* Class covers marketing specialty farm products on Web
* Computer group purchase program to be availableUPDATES
* Online registration available for conferences
* Check Web for summer courses
* More information on staff photo procedures, costs
* New way to handle ICN class assignments
* Get involved with Life in IowaQUICK TIPS
* Don’t disclose equipment information over the phone
* Web statistics site moves
* EIT services information available on the Web
* Check publications inventory on the Web
What's old ... but still useful? Check the archive and index.
WHAT'S NEW
New template helps track stakeholders
A new template is available to help staff keep track of key Extension program participants. You can use the Stakeholders Database Template to collect names and information about your stakeholders and to facilitate on-going contacts. Get the template from the ISU Extension Marketing Web site.
The stakeholders database template is a runtime version, so you don’t need any special software to use it. However, it does require a Windows computer. To install the template, download the installation package from the Web site, then run the installation package on your computer. This will make Stakeholders an item under Program in your Start menu.
The data you collect are for your own use. It is suggested that you follow up with your stakeholders at least every six months to determine their future needs and level of satisfaction with past Extension programs. At some point, staff members may need to contact their stakeholders to provide support for Extension at all levels. For more information, contact Mark Settle, msettle@iastate.edu.
New extension display available
In January, copies of the new general ISU Extension display were made available to the area offices. County offices now have the opportunity to order their own copies. Use the order form on the ISU Extension Marketing Web site. From the site you can view the display as it would look mounted on the Nimlock display board and also on the Downing display board. Please place your order by March 31, 2002. Cost is $225 plus shipping per display. For more information, contact Del Marks, delmarks@iastate.edu, (515) 294-9807.Class covers marketing specialty farm products on Web
Extension Information Technology, in collaboration with the Value-Added Agriculture Program and Iowa Farm Bureau Federation, has developed a fast-paced, one-day workshop on marketing on the Web and an introduction into the world of e-business. The workshop will be held on campus and is currently scheduled for Feb. 27, March 19, April 24 and May 29. The cost for the workshop is $100 and includes the workshop, workshop materials and lunch. For more information on the workshop, contact Jeanne Wiebke, jwiebke@iastate.edu, (515) 294-8658.
Computer group purchase program to be available
Extension Information Technology (EIT) is putting together a group purchase program for offices interested in purchasing new desktop and laptop computers. If you are planning a purchase in the next few weeks, consider participating in this program. Our initial research shows very good savings if we pull together and leverage our purchasing power across the state. We are hoping to achieve about a 20 percent savings if we have enough participants. Our plan is to provide details about the laptop and desktop computers that you can purchase on a Web site and allow you to make an order. EIT will aggregate orders across the state into one large order to obtain the cost savings. More information will be sent out shortly.UPDATES
Online registration available for conferences
University Conference Services has online registration for many of its conferences. The "calendar button" on pages in the CECS Web site links to a list of upcoming conferences and the online registration.Check Web for summer courses
Summer 2002 courses are now listed on the CECS Web site. Courses are listed alphabetically by academic department, delivery method and degree and certificate programs. A new computer fee will be charged to off-campus students beginning this summer. The opening credit course page gives details on the computer fee and links to the summer course listings.More information on staff photo procedures, costs
Prices have been set for the new procedure for having ISU Extension staff portraits taken on campus. Counties, areas or campus departments will pay a minimum of $31.50 per sitting. This assumes that the sitting takes 15-20 minutes. If it takes longer (for example, for you to select your pose), it will cost an additional $21 per half hour.
To schedule a sitting, call Grant Steinfeldt at (515) 294-3223. Tell him you are with ISU Extension and that your prints should be sent to Jeanette Foshee, CECS, 3614 ASB, for filing. When you arrive for your scheduled sitting, check in at Instructional Technology Center (ITC), 1200 Communications Building.
Prints will continue to be paid for centrally by CECS. Contact Jeanette at (515) 294-6804 or phoenix@iastate.edu for prints. We also can provide digital files of your portrait, but we need to know the end use, for example, whether you need the photo for Web or print use.
For more information on photo service changes, see the December 2001 issue of CLICK on news from Continuing Education and Communication Services.
New way to handle ICN class assignments
Currently CECS attempts to find central ICN locations between students to keep driving distance to a minimum. Unfortunately this often causes students who registered early to have a change in assignment at the last minute to place a class in a central location. Students often don’t know their class location until the day of the first class.
Beginning with Summer 2002 ICN courses, ICN sites for each course will be predetermined based on a detailed analysis of past student locations, sites and term enrollment per site.
In fall 2001 CECS surveyed students who had taken ICN courses during the past five semesters; 144 students responded. The results showed that students are looking for sites that are identified up front to enable them to plan their semester. They are willing to drive a maximum of 30 miles to a classroom site. They appreciate the flexibility of adding a site if there are a number of students interested in taking it there.
We want to increase our enrollment in ICN courses with increased customer service to our students. With targeted sites we will be able to market to specific areas or industry groups and decrease scheduling and accounting demands. This will allow us more time to give better customer service. The ultimate goal is to obtain funding for guaranteed programs/courses three to four years in advance. For more information, contact Kris Phelps, kphelps@iastate.edu.
Get involved with Life in Iowa
Life in Iowa, a program for ISU undergraduates, emphasizes experiential learning (learning by doing) and living well in place (enjoying and appreciating a particular geographic setting). Students undertake summer internships in nonprofit cultural and environmental organizations, social service agencies, local food systems and small, locally owned businesses. The students donate 10 hours per week toward a service project in their Life in Iowa community.
Life in Iowa students will be in Atlantic, Bloomfield, Decorah, Fort Dodge, Iowa Falls, Marshalltown, Newton and Storm Lake this summer. Nancy Bevin, coordinator for the program, and CEEDs in these counties are recruiting community affiliates to be community service coaches and personal mentors. They are also seeking funding support and help with arranging housing and employment.
Bevin, nlbevin@iastate.edu, is interested in visiting with county extension personnel about communities that would like to be involved in Life in Iowa in the future.
QUICK TIPS
Don’t disclose equipment information over the phone
A county office recently received a call from a company requesting information on the model of laser printer in that office. The company was reluctant to give information about itself, and the purpose of the call was very suspicious. The county office did the right thing: office staff did not give out any information and instead contacted the Extension Information Technology office. If you receive such a call, we suggest that you don't give out any information, but instead ask for a phone number to call back, and contact EIT if you are suspicious of the call.
Web statistics site moves
The Web site that provides usage statistics for all the Web sites hosted on ISU Extension's Web servers has moved to http://www.extension.iastate.edu/webstats/. This site reports aggregated usage statistics for the entire Web server as well as reports for individual Web sites. Each report provides statistics on how many people have visited your site, what is the most popular Web page and how people find your Web site. To find out more about how to interpret these reports, read our Web Statistics help document. If your Web site is hosted on the ISU Extension Web server but is not included in the list of individual summary reports, you can request that EIT add your Web site to our monthly reporting system by sending e-mail to extensionweb@iastate.edu.
EIT services information available on the Web
(By Floyd Davenport)
In the last six months, I've received many questions on how the current budget cuts are impacting the Extension Information Technology unit and the services we provide. In short, the budget cuts are affecting us like they are affecting everyone. We must re-evaluate the services we provide, the costs of these services, the priority of each individual service in supporting the IT infrastructure across the state and opportunities for revenue generation. In order to keep you in the loop on changes to the services we provide, we have developed a new Web page that lists our services and any associated charges. In addition, we are developing an online IT assessment that will allow you to provide input into our planning process for IT services, training and priorities. I hope to have this assessment online in the next few weeks.Check publications inventory on the Web
Want to find out how many copies of a publication are in stock at Extension Distribution Center (EDC)? It is as easy as logging onto the ISU Extension For Staff site. From the ISU Extension homepage, log on to the staff-only Web site. Select Publications, then click on Extension Materials Database. You can search by ID number, title, etc. The information provided includes the selling price and how many publications are in stock.
If you have questions, contact Jim Trow, EDC, jtrow@iastate.edu, or Elaine Edwards, Educational Materials and Marketing Services, eedwards@iastate.edu.
Check the Continuing Education and Communication Services Web site. Also visit the ISU Extension Web site. Send your comments or questions about this newsletter to Laura Sternweis (lsternwe@iastate.edu).
Nondiscrimination Statement and Information Disclosures
