April 14, 2020
Edition Topics
- Message from Dr. Silvertooth
- 4-H Students Offered Virtual County Fair Experience
- New Publications
- ALVSCE Perspectives on Diversity & Inclusion Series
- Educational Activities Videos
- Engaging Local Communities to Restore Fire-adapted Ecosystems Webinar
- Educational Communication - Cooperative Extension YouTube Channel
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Message from the Associate Dean and Extension DirectorTo say the least, some rather radical changes have taken place in the past few weeks since the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic came into our part of the world.
In a situation with rapid change and the prospects of a threat, it is easy to be taken over with a sense of gloom, negativity, and then panic can begin to creep in. We have been reminded that there are many factors beyond our control. We have also been reminded that there are some things that we can exert some control over.
Panic can be contagious and damaging to us individually and collectively. Thankfully, panic is also one of the factors that we can manage personally, as an organization, or community.
A sense of calm can also be contagious and in a good way. The capacity of people in the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension System (CES) to stay calm in the storm is remarkable.
I have been consistently impressed by the capacity of the professionals of the CES to adapt to the new conditions– all while continuing to deliver for the people of Arizona.
I want to commend everyone in the CES for adjusting in challenging times and moving forward on our efforts to find new ways to deliver on our mission to “Bring the university to the people of the state and to bring science to bear on practical problems.”
Please continue to take good care of yourselves, your families, your communities, and embracing a sense of calmness, which serves as an inspiration to your co-workers and stakeholders.
___________________
COVID-19: Employee Resources
FAQ - Follow the questions we are getting at Knowledgebase
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4-H Students Offered Virtual County Fair Experience
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| New Publications
The use of plant growth‐promoting microorganisms (PGPMs) to improve plant‐nutrient acquisition has a long history but reproducibility remains a challenge. Recent findings suggest an important role of suitable inoculant‐fertilizer combinations for the expression of PGPM‐effects, particularly with respect to nitrogen (N) supply. In face of the well‐documented N form effects on rhizosphere pH, this study addressed the impact of ammonium‐assisted PGPM‐interactions on the acquisition of sparingly soluble calcium‐phosphates as affected by soil pH.
A Systems Approach Helps Explain Significant Improvements in Local Wellness Policies Among SNAP-Ed–Supported School Districts
Theresa LeGros, Laurel Jacobs, Greg Goodman, Kathryn Orzech, Elizabeth Holmes
Extension and county health departments provide critical support for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) across Arizona, often working with qualified Arizona schools to improve opportunities for students to eat healthy and be active. This mixed methods study employed systems theory to explore how Arizona SNAP-Ed worked with federal regulations, the Arizona Department of Education, and school districts to influence the development of local school wellness policies (LWPs) that guide schools’ food and activity environments. We found that LWPs in SNAP-Ed–supported districts improved over time in both the scope of topics they covered and the strength of the policy language. Moreover, our findings suggest that state and federal LWP guidelines can work synergistically with SNAP-Ed interventions to influence improvements. (Note: If you cannot access the article, please contact Theresa LeGros at drejza@email.arizona.edu.)
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| Please Join us for the ALVSCE Perspectives on Diversity & Inclusion Series
Can You Hear Me Now?: Answering the call for increased mental health services and leveraging the opportunities for enhanced student and employee mental wellness
Thursday, April 30th | 12:00pm – 1:00pm | ZOOM Only
Have mental health difficulties affected your students, a loved one or yourself? Most likely, because in the United States almost half of adults will experience a mental illness during their lifetime. Having mental health challenges increases the risk of serious physical health problems, substance abuse, student dropouts and long-term unemployment. Depression and anxiety disorders alone cost the global economy $1 trillion every year in lost productivity. Unfortunately, these negative consequences are even more pervasive amongst underrepresented and marginalized populations. Despite these enormous difficulties, I will share how society at large and UArizona are enhancing their responses to better address this important public health concern. Furthermore, we will explore and discuss practical ways we can all support one another to increase our collective mental wellness.
Speaker Bio: Ryan Daily, the new CALS Management Counselor, is a Licensed Professional Counselor with over 16 years of experience in the counseling field, including 10 years within higher education institutions. Ryan has also provided mental health services within residential, case management, and community counseling agency settings. Ryan earned an M.A. in Community Counseling from NAU and a B.A. in Psychology from Lake Forest College. Additionally, Ryan's background includes coordinating Arizona's largest AmeriCorps program as well as teaching a variety of college success courses, on subjects including: study skills, career development, personal finance, and university transfer strategies.
Register for the Zoom Webinar for all 4 Speakers during Spring 2020: https://tinyurl.com/spring2020perspectives
Brought to you by: the ALVSCE Diversity & Inclusion Council
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| Educational Activities Videos
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| USDA Renewable Resources Extension Act (RREA)
Please join us for our third (in a series of nine) webinar!
April 23rd at 1:00 pm Eastern Daylight Savings Time.
This webinar is open to all! Please distribute to your colleagues and other interested people.
Register Here
Engaging Local Communities to Restore Fire-adapted Ecosystems
Webinar Summary:
Nationwide, the frequency and scale of catastrophic wildfires are growing at alarming rates, challenging forest and rangeland managers’ abilities to maintain ecologically resilient landscapes and fire-safe communities. To meet these demands, research and extension professionals are devising interactive and novel programs to engage and build capacity among landowners, agency land managers and decision-makers, environmental non-governmental organizations, and technical service professionals to address ecological, economic, and social dimensions of wildland and prescribed fire.
Webinar series sponsored by Renewable Resources Extension Act (RREA)
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| Educational Communication: Cooperative Extension YouTube Channel In the "digital age" - with the quest for information, but shorter attention spans - educational organizations are communicating more and more via social media, websites, and using digital communications, like Zoom.
Arizona Cooperative Extension is working to be at the forefront of this trend, in communicating with short, to-the-point videos.
Check out the Arizona Cooperative Extension YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/azcoopextension
Please make sure you're helping us advance the Cooperative Extension message. Please like, share and link through your social media channels, and help us do all we can to share with all stakeholders and communities.
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