November 17, 2020
Edition Topics
- Message from Dr. Silvertooth
- Holiday Recipe Cook-along
- Worker Wellbeing Study
- Growing Community Science in Natural Resource Extension
- Now Accepting Nominations: 2020/2021 Leadership Fellows Program
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Message from the Associate Dean and Extension Director
The conditions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic are changing rapidly in most U.S. states, including Arizona. Many of the rural counties of Arizona are now experiencing significant increases in case numbers and the resulting pressures on the health care system.
While we are watching the public health data, we recognize that COVID-19 is a social disease, and our social behaviors are key factors in prevention and overall mitigation. The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension System (CES) has responded appropriately by following the science and well-documented principles that serve as our basic mitigation practices.
These basic practices include:
• Wear a face covering in public.
• Maintain at least 6 feet of physical distance from those not in your household.
• Wash hands thoroughly and often.
• Avoid crowds.
• Stay home if you feel ill.
• Keep any gatherings small and hold them outside if possible.
We all recognize the difficulties and challenges in maintaining these basic public health practices. People are tired of dealing with the pandemic, we are entering into the holiday season, and people want to convene with their family and friends. It is understandable, but it also lends to people becoming less vigilant with basic practices that mitigate the spread of the disease.
We cannot stop these trends by ourselves or as an organization. But all of us in the CES can provide important contributions by demonstrating good public health practices and providing good examples for our communities.
The current phase transition status for CES county units can be referenced at the following site:
https://extension.arizona.edu/phased-operational-plan
Keep up the good work, maintain good public health practices, and thank you for all that you are doing every day!
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| Holiday Recipe Cook-along
The UArizona Cooperative Extension Diabetes Prevention Program is offering a Free Holiday Recipe Cook-along on Thursday, November 19th at 5:30 p.m. This event is open to anyone who is interested in learning how to make their holiday recipes a little healthier. The food demonstrations will be led by UArizona Dietetic Interns and will feature baked cinnamon stuffed apples, cauliflower mashed potatoes, and green beans with cranberries and walnuts. Pre-registration is required and can be accessed here.
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| Growing Community Science in Natural Resource Extension
Please join us for our sixth (in a series of nine) webinar!
November 19 at 1:00 pm Eastern Standard Time.
This webinar is open to all! Speakers listed and register here
Webinar Summary:
How can community science projects support meaningful engagement among researchers, community members, and other stakeholders to achieve community benefits? The presentations in this webinar will draw on lessons learned from a variety of projects and initiatives on diverse natural resources topics, but with commonalities for employing community-based participatory approaches to gain positive social impacts and ecological outcomes.
Join us as our speakers share their experiences for engaging stakeholders through community science programming. There will be time for questions!
You will be sent a Zoom link for the webinar after your registration has been submitted. You will also receive reminders for the webinar. All webinars are recorded and posted on our website. If you have questions about this webinar please contact: Barbara Hutchinson (BarbaraH@cals.arizona.edu), College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Arizona.
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| Worker Wellbeing Study
We are well into the Fall 2020 semester and have just entered Stage 2 of the campus re-entry, thanks to the hard work of you and hundreds of other UArizona employees. We are a team of researchers seeking to inform the re-entry process as it evolves using frontline worker feedback, while highlighting the services that can best protect and support our colleagues.
We are currently recruiting for a study focusing on the concerns, needs, and experiences of UArizona employees who are at the frontlines during this Fall 2020 semester. We are recruiting individuals who are:
Working any part of their job on-site at UArizona facilities AND
In personal contact with students, visitors, or colleagues on a routine basis.
If you decide to participate, you will complete the 15-20-minute, anonymous, online survey which is linked below in this email. You will also be asked to provide your email address if you are interested in participating in future studies. The survey can be completed via computer or mobile device. After completion of the survey, you will have the opportunity to be included in a random drawing of 80 winners for $50 Target gift cards.
Participation in this study is entirely voluntary and your answers are confidential.
Your vital input will be used to understand our Wildcat community’s concerns and ultimately inform campus re-entry strategies and employee support services.
WORKER WELLBEING STUDY
https://uarizona.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0kUSvt6M0vQG3fT
Please contact us at uawellbeing-study@arizona.edu for more information. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to our campus community.
Sincerely,
Dr. Mona Arora, Principal Investigator, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health; Dr. Brian Mayer, College of Social and Behavioral Sciences; Dr. Sabrina Helm, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Dr. Melissa Barnett, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; Lisa Balland, MPH Student, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health
An Institutional Review Board responsible for human subjects’ research at The University of Arizona reviewed this research project and found it to be acceptable, according to applicable state and federal regulations and University policies designed to protect the rights and welfare of participants in research.
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| Now Accepting Nominations: 2020/2021 Leadership Fellows Program for Staff and Appointed Professionals
The Vice President for Agriculture, Life and Veterinary Sciences, and Cooperative Extension is pleased to announce that applications are now being accepted for the fourth annual distinguished leadership development program for exceptional university staff and classified staff. Given that two-thirds of the employees in CALS are non-faculty, it is conspicuous that, until its induction in 2017, there had been no formal program to support the transformational leadership and professional development of rising star staff.
This program requires a significant commitment from both the nominee and the mentor to develop future higher education leaders through stretch experiences, transformational professional development, and tailored mentoring.
Eligibility and submission packet materials can be found here. Completed applications are due December 18, 2020. Incomplete submissions will not be reviewed. Nominees and mentors will be notified in writing in early February 2021.
Example Scenario: Wilma Wildcat desires to be a vital student advisor and leader in CALS and at the UA. She identifies a mentor in Nancy Rodriguez-Lorta. Together, they develop a detailed development plan including stretch projects where Wilma leads change efforts in advising within CALS. The plan also identifies the need for Wilma to become a certified advisor, which requires $2,000 in course work and testing. Nancy actively mentors Wilma in the achievement of her goal. As an alumna of this program, Wilma will be expected to continue to give back to CALS through service on future Fellowship selection committees, leading future initiatives, consultation with senior leaders of the division, etc.
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