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Conference Call (April 6, 2005)
Present: Nancy Balcom, Paula Cullenberg, Bill DuPaul, Pauli
Hayes, Ron Hodson Jim Hurley, Frank Lichtkoppler, Jim Murray, Ralph Rayburn,
Mike Spranger, John Woeste.
Ralph called the meeting to order at 1:30 Central time.
Brown Bag committee – Ralph sent out a note to regional coordinators, SGA liaison, SGA ERC committee and others on who would compose the committee and requesting participation. He also updated the guidelines making reference to participation, coordination, and SGA representation on the committee.
Ralph has received a couple of responses to committee membership, but hasn't received input from SGA on Brown Bag guidelines or ERC representation on committee. Frank L. said he would participate as did Mike Liffman. Bob Bacon suggested Mike Spranger. Ron Hodson, Jim Murray and Jamie Krauk as well will be on the committee. Ralph will get back with all. Hasn't heard from MidAtlantic, New England or West Coast. Ralph will send out a follow-up note to these. There was a suggestion that the next brown bag to be focused on aquaculture as NOAA's offshore aquaculture bill is coming up.
Ralph will chair that committee for the first year. Jim Murray commended Ralph and all for the Brown Bags to date commenting that they exceeded his expectations.
Assembly Survey Review
One additional survey was received since the March meeting. Three programs have
not yet responded.
Survey is close on the question of whether or not we should consider including extension professionals into Assembly structure. Options paper on whether or not we should charter Assembly (i.e. for SG Academy) will be developed for discussion at Sea Grant week.
An Extension professionals survey was drafted by Nancy Balcom. Comments were offered and it was agreed that it would be reviewed by program leaders before the final draft goes out. Feeling was that program leaders would distribute it and replies would go directly to Nancy. Results would be discussed at Sea Grant Week.
External Relations Committee – Bill DuPaul sat in on this – talked about Houston meeting, speeding up priorities for legislative actions.
Program Management Committee – Ralph Rayburn attended. Theme teams discussed. Half of the chairmen stepping down. Anders will contact SG directors for replacements, hopefully before SG Week. Not required for the co-chair of a theme team to be a Sea Grant director (other co-chair is from NSGO staff). Jim Murray noted that extension professionals may have good potential to be involved on theme teams – if so, get in touch with your SG director. Jim Hurley will check with Anders and let us know if progress has been made on filling these spots. John Woeste noted that there are also vacancies on a number of theme teams and that this is a good opportunity for extension professionals involved.
SGA luncheon – Ralph attended and other affiliated groups
with SGA Delegates. Discussion focused on bringing the various groups together,
potentially calling the Assembly an affiliate of SGA. Pauli agreed that the
emphasis was on hearing more voices and creating a more of a "we"
feeling. Ron noted that the SGA will work best if all parts work together. He
encouraged the Assembly to communicate positively and proactively with the SGA
to support this concept.
Jim Murray noted that the Assembly looked active and positive to the SGA throughout
the meeting.
Meeting is set for Sunday, June 5.
Frank, Jim Falk, Paul Olin, Bob Bacon, and Nancy have been planning the meeting. Nancy chair the planning committee. The group has sent a draft agenda out to program leaders. In addition to updates, a number of topics have been suggested – fisheries extension – discussion with regional coordinators, how is it working? Theme teams discussion –accomplishments, are they connecting with extension audiences, are they working? Discussion on ocean observing systems – how to get extension to the table as a funded partner, discussion of current PATs, discussion, climate change, have regional reps talk about their regional award nominees, business meeting, survey results, role extension could have in identifying extension clients who want to support Sea Grant. Alternative energy adhoc committee may meet – Nancy is contacting Cliff Goudy on this.
Will be a busy day.
Outreach program award
Jim Hurley is coordinating this. The six contributions have been assembled and four members of SG review panel will evaluate them. A conference call the end of April will occur with the reviewers and then they will pass on a recommendation. Thanks to Jim for organizing this effort and to John Woeste (as Panel rep) for selecting panel members for participation.
Additional awards - Bill DuPaul will give these out as past chair. Nancy moved to give a service award to Frank Kudrna for his work as the Panel's liaison to the Assembly. Jim H seconded. Everyone agreed.
A letter will be written to Lynne with a cc to Margaret Davidson thanking her for her valuable work. Ralph will do a resolution of appreciation.
Mike Spranger reported that 30 participants from 21 states participated in
the first ever National Sea Grant Academy. John Woeste helped as did many others.
Thanks to Jim Murray as well for his work and NSGO's $25,000 in support.
Each program paid $750 tuition. Evaluations are being compiled and ratings are
high. The group's day in DC was very good. Academy participants spent
one day on history, two days on logic model, day in DC where they heard from
Louisa Koch, Bill Hogarth, Ron Baird, and others from NOAA and EPA. Mike felt
that the Academy kicked up the careers of these folks by a couple of years.
There will be an interim session with homework, then a follow-up session in
September.
John Woeste commented that he was impressed with the young people participating, very eager and able, looking for the information and the help that the Academy can give them. Tremendous step forward, valuable professional assistance to be effective educators.
Jim Murray commented that the Academy was outstanding and had been needed to be done for a long time. Appreciate Mike and team for making a good thing happen.
Pauli noted that from a communicators perspective, maybe the Academy could be expanded into an outreach academy to include another arm for communicators. Mike suggested that we bring that idea up in June.
Jim Murray discussed the sequence of events and his understanding of guidance concerning the Sea Grant Seafood Initiative of the National Fisheries Institute. Much of this was discussed in the e-mail message that Jim developed on the subject. Concern was expressed by EXCOM members over the failure to accept this major constituent group's offer to help in the appropriations process.
Unfortunately, the time allotted for the call ended before the last two agenda items were addressed. See Ralph's notes re: these two items in italics at the end of these minutes.
Call ended at approximately 3:15 Central time.
-- It went well -- NEMO folks from UCONN were the headliners -- met up with the Academy Field Day on Wed. so were involved in the meeting with the NOAA Chief of Staff and EPA officials.
Thursday did the noon time seminar at the NOAA Library and had about 50 folks there. After the seminar the headliners, Amy Zimmerling, Jim Murray as well as NOS CCD folks had lunch to discuss issues related to the NOAA-EPA MOU and other opportunities to work together.
-- Last year, the Assembly agreed to accept the invitation of the Puerto Rico SG program to have its 2006 meeting in Puerto Rico. Some of us visited with Chapa at the SGA meeting and he still indicated an interest in doing this. He suggested a venue of Isla de Viegas. I have had some e-mail with Chapa and his office staff over the past couple of weeks on this. Today Chapa planned on going to Isla de Viegas to visit with the Hotel on possible arrangements for May 2006.
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