ISU Extension Futuring Committee

Iowa State University Extension

ISU Extension Futuring Implementation Report

[Also available as a Microsoft Word file and as an Acrobat .pdf file]

September 7, 2004

A Brief Chronology of the Futuring Process

A comprehensive futuring process was initiated in Fall of FY03. The charge to the Committee appointed by the Vice Provost (made up of Iowa citizens and staff) responsible for this effort was:

• Assess the environment in which ISUE operates and major tendencies for change in this environment,

• Develop a vision for the future of ISUE that is consistent with the new environment and the traditional mission of Extension,

• Prepare a roadmap and guidelines for change that are consistent with the evolving environment and the vision and mission of Extension, and

• Establish priorities for change given the vision and roadmap and the tendencies in our environment.

The Committee held hearings around Iowa asking Iowans what they wanted from ISU Extension Service and then completed a report during spring of FY03. This report was vetted widely within Extension, with our external and internal partners and County Extension Councils. Based on related comments, an Implementation Plan was provided by Extension Administration in fall of FY04. The Implementation Plan was again widely vetted and discussed. Task forces to define specific actions for achieving the implementation were appointed and reported in early Summer of FY04.

The actions to achieve the implementation will be formally starting in early FY05; some actions are already underway. Among the outcomes of the futuring process are actions that will:

• Connect Extension more actively with community initiatives, allocating at least 20% of the budget to this activity--changing over the years with the priorities of Iowa communities;

• Aligning programming more closely with priorities of the state government, and thereby the people of the state;

• Support different types of local offices consistent with county budgets and service demands;

• Focus on high-level content and provide training and expectations of staff and faculty to continuously improve subject matter knowledge;

• Add to the cooperation and partnerships with others in the education and technical assistance business; and

• Increase program focus on economic growth and development.

The broadband communication and LEAN initiatives were also suggested by the Futuring Committee and were begun with the receipt of the committee report in FY03/04. This document concludes with a listing of guiding principles, relative to the implementation of these goals.

A description of the futuring process and outcomes can be found at the Extension website http://www.extension.iastate.edu/futuring/.

ISUE Implementation Long and Short-term Goals and Action Plans

Based on Task Force Feedback Summaries – July 12, 2004

#1 Special Community Initiatives

Interim Communities PD/Paul Brown

Long-term Goal:

Twenty percent of ISUE’s total budget will consist of Special Community Initiatives (SCIs) by FY06. Special Community Initiatives are defined by the August 11, 2003 proposal: ISU Extension Special Community Initiatives, available at <http://www.extension.iastate.edu/futuring/initiatives.html>.

Short-term Goal:

Broaden the understanding of SCI within Extension and among our stakeholders and partners by July 1, 2005.

Action Steps:

1. The Vice Provost for Extension will name a committee to establish baseline data on existing SCI activities by February 14, 2005. The committee will refine and share the definition and then collect and compile faculty and staff reports of ongoing SCIs. Highlight SCIs in Annual Report, Fall 2005.

2. The Area Directors and Program Directors, working with the annual reporting system, will establish sharing methodologies that collect information on SCI activities in order to measure progress toward the long term goal. Sharing methodologies will be in place by April 1, 2005.

3. Area and Program Directors will determine requisite skills (competencies) needed to succeed in identifying, designing and implementing SCIs and share this information with the team working on Professional Development (Goal #9).

4. Area and Program Directors, working with staff, will initiate five to seven new SCIs in the next three years.

#2 New Programs and Services

JaneAnn Stout

Long-term Goal:

All new programs will be knowledge-based by January 1, 2006. They will focus on economic and community development, leadership development, entrepreneurial education, and/or quality of life. Each unit will work to increase client participation by 5% annually for three years using FY04 as the base, continuing through June 30, 2007.

Short-term Goals:

1. Within each program area, 10% of the current base-programming budget will be allocated to new program thrusts related to emerging issues by July 1, 2005.

2. All ISUE programs and services funded through base funds will be research based and have a theoretical component or have been scientifically tested and have documented outcomes related to their impact for targeted audiences (where this does not already occur)by January 1, 2006.

3. New programs will have a marketing component incorporated in them by July 1, 2005 that will help citizens and stakeholders understand the connection ISUE makes through programming for the larger good of society.

4. Administrative, faculty, County Directors and Field Specialist performance expectations will address goals for meeting new program thrusts and related new revenue allocations starting with Spring 2006 performance evaluations. Overall outcomes related to revenue will result in 5% annual increase in the total ISUE budget.

Action Steps:

1. Area and Program Directors will define knowledge-based, new program thrusts, and evidence-based by September 30, 2004.

DRAFT Definitions:

• New Program Thrust -- a new program or service that was not previously in the plan of work.

• Knowledge-based programs – programs that are research based with a theoretical component and/or have been empirically tested.

• Evidence-based programs -- have systematic and documented observations.

2. Area and Program Directors will review current program plan-of-work process to ensure a systematic approach that allows for new program initiatives, marketing strategies, and resource generation by December 31, 2004.

3. Program Directors will list current programming and base budget reallocation projections for FY06 by January 31, 2005.

4. Program Directors, working with faculty, will verify the knowledge-base component of programs within the plan-of-work.

5. Area and Program Directors will articulate needs assessment methods that will guide development of plan-of-work by Spring 2005

#3 Integration with Colleges

Jerry Miller

Long-term Goals:

1. Increase the number of faculty (non-ISUE appointments) engaged with ISUE efforts by 10% annually through July 31, 2007, for the purpose of increasing responsiveness to the needs and interests of Iowans.

2. Increase the number of ISUE faculty positions with research appointments by 10% by July 31, 2007 (in colleges where this does not already occur).

Short-term Goals:

1. Departments and Colleges identify and participate in appropriate Plans of Work and ISUE Academies to integrate faculty into ISUE priorities (where not already being done) by July 1, 2006.

2. Align 4-H Youth Development Extension with the appropriate academic home by July 1, 2006.

3. Increase the number of joint research and ISUE grants, contracts and proposals by 5% per year (e.g., NRI, and others). Establish baseline from existing data by January 31, 2005.

4. Change the language expectations for job descriptions and promotion and tenure application documents for ISUE appointments to include Extension scholarship and entrepreneurship by July 1, 2006 (where not already done).

Action Steps:

1. Program Directors and associate deans will work to ensure that all colleges and departments with Extension appointments have language in job descriptions and promotion and tenure application documents for Extension appointments that include Extension scholarship and entrepreneurship by July 1, 2006.

2. Program Directors will review faculty templates used in the colleges for uniform inclusion of Extension scholarship and performance by December 31, 2004.

3. 4-H Youth Development Program director will establish a formal request for linking with the proposed newly combined College of Family and Consumer Sciences and College of Education no later than March 31, 2005. The intent is to broaden the scope of the youth program.

4. The 4-H Youth Development proposal will be reviewed and approved by the Dean of the newly formed college and the Vice-Provost for Extension no later than July 1, 2005.

5. Area and Program Directors will continue to review the monthly grant reports and identify annual trends and identify opportunities for growth.

6. Area and Program Directors will review current program plan-of-work process to ensure systematic involvement of faculty and staff in the development of new program initiatives, marketing strategies, and resource generation by December 31, 2004.

#4 Link to Goals and Objectives for Iowa

Mark Settle

Long-term Goal:

ISUE will be a preferred partner in state strategy development activities by July 31, 2007.

Short-term Goals:

1. Identify how and where ISUE is aligned with current key state strategies and use this as part of a marketing strategy, beginning June 30, 2005.

2. Identify voids and make plans to become involved and move forward, no later than January 1, 2006.

Action Steps (for Area and Program Directors):

1. Program Directors, Area Directors, and External Relations: Assemble and share with all staff a list of current state strategies and goals. Survey all staff to report current activities and programs that relate to listed state strategies. Assemble an annotated current list, and develop a marketing strategy that explains and demonstrates to citizens and stakeholders how ISUE currently addresses state strategies; to be shared widely through news releases, programs, etc.

2. Area and Program Directors, working with Information Technology staff, will support the development of an ongoing reporting mechanism within our existing or modified reporting process to collect information on programs and activities related to state strategies.

3. Mark Settle, working with Area and Program Directors, will research, aggregate and report on emerging state strategies to all staff on a quarterly basis.

4. Area and Program Directors will communicate the expectation that all staff will be attuned to emerging state strategies and will share knowledge at local, regional and state level.

#5 Financial Management and Revenue Generation

Laurie Gustafson

Long-term Goal:

Define and implement accounting and financial reporting systems to effectively manage a complex organization by July 1, 2007.

Short-term Goals:

1. Define and implement an enhanced, integrated ISU Extension County accounting and financial reporting systems for all 100 county offices by July 1, 2006.

2. Define and implement an enhanced ISU Extension Campus accounting and financial reporting systems for all program areas by July 1, 2007.

3. Merge revenue generation goals into the planning phase of program development by July 1, 2005.

4. Continue annual revisions of pricing process for revenue generation, maintaining consistency within and across units, as appropriate.

Action Steps (ISU Extension Finance Team) for short-term goal 1:

Laurie Gustafson will chair a Strategic Planning Committee which will:

1. Develop a plan to enhance the current system to become an integrated system for all county accounting functions and financial reporting. Plan to be defined by December 31, 2004.

2. Define new or enhanced software to meet the requirements of the Strategic Planning Committee by March 31, 2005.

3. Train Bookkeepers, Office Assistants and County Directors of the pilot counties by June 30, 2005.

4. Implementation of new or enhanced system for pilot counties – July 1, 2005. Revise as necessary in first year of pilot program.

5. Bookkeepers from pilot counties begin training of all other county bookkeepers/office assistants (January 1, 2006 to June 30, 2006). Complete implementation by July 1, 2006.

Action Steps (ISU Extension Finance Team) for short-term goal 2:

1. Laurie Gustafson will chair the Extension Fiscal Officers Committee to develop a new chart of accounts by March 31, 2005, and define income statement financial reports and create format by July 1, 2005.

2. Work with ISU Accounting and ATS to design bridge features between the ISU Accounting system and the newly defined Extension income statement reporting by July 1, 2006.

3. Work with Program Fiscal Officers to implement the new income statement reports monthly by December 31, 2006.

4. Work with the Central Finance Team to implement the new consolidated income statement for Iowa State Extension to be all inclusive (Programs, Counties and Central Extension) by July 1, 2007.

Action Steps (provided by Administrative Team):

1. Be proactive in focusing on programming goals with staff that will also support revenue generation needs. Program should drive revenue generation, not vice versa. Setting ambitious programming goals will force revenue generation.

2. Use existing or new tools such as revenue generation worksheet throughout program planning phase.

3. Where appropriate, encourage a shift from staff serving a geographical area to using expertise as driven by market and client need.

4. High profile, statewide programs need consistent pricing in all publicity and marketing. If a county feels that the cost needs to be reduced, it should be done locally by sponsorship but all marketing material remains consistent throughout the region.

5. Develop a process for consulting with field staff/county staff to adequately recover expenses for statewide programs.

#6 Local Presence

Lois Hunt

Long-term Goal:

Implement a model or plan for regionalization of ISUE that is more aligned with the level of the population and economic activity in Iowa, while still providing a county presence that provides for the face of Extension in every county and integrates “localness” and optimization of expertise resources by July 1, 2006.

Short-term Goals:

1. Review all current models of multi-county staffing agreements between County Extension Councils to provide an outline of key components for success, elements required in each agreement, and optional processes for reaching agreements by December 31, 2004.

2. Provide County Extension Councils access to the reports and evaluations of multi-county staffing agreements by February 28, 2005.

3. Provide a framework for negotiation and transition with County Extension Councils, Extension supporters and IACEC to explore new local presence configurations by June 30, 2005.

4. Provide incentives and regionalization guidelines by June 30, 2005.

Action Steps:

1. Area Directors will update staff and appropriate councils on changes in staffing on and off campus since 2000 to provide a clearer picture of the state of Extension.

2. Area Directors introduce the concepts of sharing CEEDs and engage the Extension Councils in possibilities for achieving the mission of Extension.

3. Area Directors share and/or develop contractual arrangements whereby County Extension office provides or pays for services.

#7 Sponsorships/Partnerships

Chuck Morris/Ron Cox

Long-term Goal:

Create opportunities to expand external partners by 10% annually through June 30, 2007.

Short-term Goals:

1. Identify and assess current partnerships/agreements within ISUE by December 31, 2004.

2. Develop a process flow chart and template for partnership MOUs and other agreement standards by December 31, 2004.

Action Steps (Area and Program Directors):

1. Preview and revise section 7.C of the ISUE Office Guide (specifically the section titled “Cooperation/Co-sponsorship with Other Agencies and Organizations).

2. Benchmark current partnerships/agreements within Extension and sponsorships outside of Extension.

3. Develop a check sheet to include: definitions of the different types of written agreements (i.e., 28E agreements, MOUs, confidentiality agreements); suggested MOU format; which includes an agreement on standards for each type of agreement; and templates for each type of agreement.

a. All staff will be informed about resources for partnerships and agreements at by January 1, 2005.

b. Area Directors will collect all written agreements (MOUs involving ISUE in their geographic area and Program Directors, statewide) by December 1, 2004. A listing of these will be posted on “For Staff Only” ISUE Web Site.

c. Networking and partnerships will be included as part of the “orientation plan” for all new ISUE staff by Spring of 2005

#8 Information Technology and Improved Effectiveness

Bill Tysseling

Long-term Goal:

ISUE will utilize state of the art collaborative technologies, digitally driven resources and delivery models to increase customers using IT communications by 10% annually.

Short-term Goals:

1. Online Collaboration and Learning – ISUE will develop enhanced delivery methods to improve customer access to Extension.

2. Develop state of the art web-based technologies and procedures to provide enhanced, consistent and customizable information services to Extension clientele.

3. Evaluate the cost and benefits of implementing a web-based Customer Relationships Management system and implement a version that works for the system.

Leadership (steps 1-10 below) provided by Floyd Davenport, AEEDs, and PDs.

Action Steps:

1. Implement a statewide audio-data conferencing system capable of connecting all county offices into a single conference, April 30, 2005.

2. Implement a system to support multiple small group conferences and program delivery, October 31, 2004.

3. Develop the capabilities for clients to access selected ISUE programming on line 24/7. This includes registration, payment and assessment, January 31, 2005.

4. Conduct a training program for packaging educational materials and deliver online programs, April 30, 2005.

5. Coordinate and complete the development of an ISUE information taxonomy to integrate information services across ISUE programs, December 31, 2004.

6. Implementation of a new Content Management System (CMS) and the ISUE taxonomy to deliver on demand ISUE information, June 30, 2005.

7. Use the taxonomy and implement a syndication process for sharing and dynamically integrating information from the ISU Publications System and the Conference Management System.

8. Work with individual project and program websites to integrate the taxonomy and potentially provide syndication services.

9. Determine the requirements of a Customer Relationships Management (CRM) system for ISUE. Evaluate the cost and benefits of developing a web-based CRM.

10. Implement the selected version of the Customer Relationship Management system.

#9 Professional Development

Alan Ladd

Long-term Goal:

Bruce Stoll Implement a professional development program by July 1, 2006, that includes technical/content, process, and entrepreneurial and cultural competencies for all ISUE staff.

Short-term Goals:

1. Identify necessary staff competencies, which include both process and content by June 30, 2005.

2. Assess competencies by December 31, 2005.

3. Develop and implement a training plan to expand competencies by July 1, 2006.

4. Increase scholarship of all staff by July 1, 2007.

Leadership provided by Bruce Stoll and AEEDs and PDs.

Action Steps:

1. Supervisors and staff will identify professional technical/content, process and entrepreneurial competencies for each position. Some competencies will be system specific others position specific.

2. Develop and administer a competency assessment instrument to all staff.

3. Analyze the results of the competency assessment.

4. Allocate training development resources based on cost benefit analysis.

5. Staff develop training goals with supervisor.

#10 Diversity

Mary Schrandt-Prouty/Bruce Stoll

Long-term Goal:

ISUE is effective at working with diverse clientele and minority communities and employs a diverse workforce by December 31, 2007.

Short-term Goals:

1. ISUE will improve and define hiring protocols to double the number of minorities and bilingual staff hired by December 31, 2006.

2. ISUE will develop a specific plan to retain underrepresented classes of employees by December 31, 2006.

Leadership provided by Bruce Stoll, AEEDs, and PDs.

Action Steps:

1. Seek guidance from other employers in the private and public sectors on effective hiring requirements, successful recruitment strategies and retention for a diverse applicant pool.

2. Implement appropriate recruitment, hiring, and retention strategies.

3. Encourage administrative team to develop proposals to support minority interns.

4. Increase the awareness of supervisors for the need for retention strategies for minority or under-represented staff.

5. Expand the ISU Extension mentoring program to outside the bounds of Extension.

Timing of the Actions for Implementing the Futuring Strategy.

ISUE Futuring Process: Guiding Principles

The following guiding principles were identified that provided the framework for implementing the Futuring report goals.

1. ISUE will remain true to the Land Grant Mission with the priority to serving the underserved, disempowered and disenfranchised.

2. ISUE will provide leadership to demonstrate local, regional and state implications of globalization.

3. ISUE will work with Iowans to envision a new future and how to achieve it.

4. Innovation, entrepreneurship, continuous improvement and education will be standard skills possessed and employed by ISUE professional staff.

5. ISUE will model a flexible approach to structure, staffing and operation.

6. ISUE will have local presence necessary to build and maintain relationships with local power structures.

7. Staffing will be based on population, geographical area and community needs to be served.

8. Every county will have an Extension Office with flexibility on how that office presence is operationalized.

9. ISUE will have a statewide, consistent program development process.

10. ISUE staff will “walk the talk” of the guiding principles and will approach program delivery consistent with the guiding principles

Iowa State University Extension Centennial

Page last updated September 14, 2004