Strategic Plan (working draft) Purdue Extension

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1 Strategic Plan (working draft) Purdue Extension Purdue Extension is part of a national system of land-grant universities charged with discovering and disseminating knowledge to the people of the United States and beyond. We are very proud of our land-grant heritage and our success in delivering research-based Extension programming to all of Indiana. Local issues inform our research agenda, so we can bring science to bear on Indiana s most pressing issues. Our system includes Extension faculty and specialists located on the Purdue University campuses, plus more than 500 Extension professionals serving all 92 Indiana counties. In addition, we extend our reach through empowered volunteers and co-delivery of programs with important partners. Our financial partnerships with county, state, and federal governments are key to our success. We remain committed to a county-based Extension model that has delivered, and will continue to deliver, educational programming focused on local needs. Purdue Extension is very proud of our educational resources and program accomplishments in the areas of: 4-H youth development Health and well-being Production agriculture Families Natural resources and environment Economic and community development Food and nonfood products Sustainable energy Nutrition Food safety Our strategic plan is designed to build on these strengths by redirecting a portion of our resources to address emerging, high-priority issues via innovative, multidimensional methods in these same program areas. As a result, we expect that this strategic plan will enhance our relevance to stakeholders and our organizational effectiveness. In 2008, Purdue University launched a strategic plan focused on launching tomorrow s leaders, promoting discovery with delivery, and meeting global challenges ( Subsequently, Purdue s colleges crafted strategic plans that complement the University s plan. Our Extension strategic plan challenges us to make the world better by focusing on strategic initiatives identified by the Colleges of Agriculture and Health & Human Sciences and the School of Veterinary Medicine. This alignment helps assure that Extension contributes directly to the mission of Purdue University. Our Mission and Vision To guide the Purdue Extension strategic planning process, we revised our mission and vision statements: Mission: We transform lives and livelihoods through research-based education. Vision: We will be a leader in providing relevant, high-impact educational programs that transform the lives and livelihoods of individuals and communities in Indiana and the world.

2 Process Our strategic planning process involved four key steps: 1. We surveyed Purdue Extension professionals to capture their insights and thoughts about the organization. A foresight survey identified key issues or conditions that we expect to see by An asset inventory captured the educational backgrounds, specific skills, and interests of Purdue Extension professionals. A preliminary Strategic Planning Committee meeting identified seven possible initiative areas (May 17, 2010). An initiative survey asked Purdue Extension professionals to review and comment on these ideas, and to identify missing opportunities (256 responses). 2. We reviewed the survey information at a Strategic Planning Committee retreat in June 2010 and drafted a strategic plan with 10 Initiatives. 3. A wide array of stakeholders will review this draft strategic plan in November and December The Strategic Planning Committee will review stakeholder input and produce the final strategic plan in December Overview Purdue Extension strategic plan initiatives (summarized below) are divided into two sections: Section 1 captures initiatives that identify new or refocused Extension programming. Section 2 identifies two initiatives that should enhance our effectiveness. Section 1: New or refocused Extension programming 1. Provide producers and consumers a more complete, science-based understanding of our food systems. 2. Improve the efficiency, diversity, and sustainability of food production by evaluating and demonstrating new technologies. 3. Prepare at-risk children to succeed in kindergarten and beyond 4. Reduce human obesity across Indiana through community-based programs. 5. Help regions, communities, and neighborhoods plan for a sustainable future. 6. Build Indiana s capacity to protect its environment and natural resources. 7. Develop and support leaders throughout Indiana. 8. Improve Indiana s ability to compete globally. Section 2: Enhancing our effectiveness 9. Use new and existing communication technologies to reach more people with timely, research-based information. 10. Enhance our effectiveness by focusing Purdue Extension professional expertise. For more information, please contact Chuck Hibberd, Director Purdue Extension hibberd@purdue.edu 765/

3 Initiative 1 Provide producers and consumers a more complete, science-based understanding of our food systems. Agricultural producers and allied industry members are often well-acquainted with their segments of the industry, but may lack a complete picture of our nation s food supply chain. Likewise, consumers and advocacy groups often have incomplete views of food systems and the many food choices consumers face. Our goal is to provide producers and consumers with science-based information that will give them a more accurate and complete picture of our nation s food systems. This involves the vast array of food production regardless of size, method, or intent. Ultimately, we want consumers to make informed decisions about the food they buy and its contribution to a healthy diet. And we want producers to understand and appreciate consumer demands for safety, sustainability, and quality. We will engage agricultural producers, the agricultural businesses that serve them, consumers, environmental and other advocacy groups, and government and regulatory agencies. We will also engage youth with consumer-oriented programs. As a result of our efforts, producers and consumers will have access to comprehensive, science-based information about our nation s diverse food production and distribution systems. This information will help them understand and consider the consequences that public policies (and their alternatives) have on our food system. Consequently, producerleaders will develop the knowledge and skills they need to better understand the concerns of the public and decision makers, and to effectively communicate with them about modern food production practices and the U.S. food supply. Consumers and advocacy groups will better understand the nation s diverse food production and distribution practices, agricultural regulation, and public policy s effects on food production and distribution. We will form a multidisciplinary Food Systems Team that will: 1. Assess our current educational resources. 2. Identify and develop additional educational programs and resources to address unmet needs. 3. Deliver materials and programs that foster a public conversation about our food systems among consumers, producers, environmentalists, and other advocacy groups. Program participants representing producers, allied industry groups, consumers, and advocacy groups will be more knowledgeable of our diverse food production and distribution systems. Producer-leaders, consumers, and advocacy groups will better understand food systems and production practices and the impact of policy decisions on consumers and producers.

4 Initiative 2 Improve the efficiency, diversity, and sustainability of food production by evaluating and demonstrating new technologies. The U.S. Census Bureau expects world population to exceed 9 billion people by 2043 up from 6.9 billion in To feed this rapidly growing population, the United Nations forecasts that global food production must increase 70 percent by Just as important as increasing capacity is a need to do so in ways that are diverse and sustainable. The USDA defines sustainable agriculture as integrated systems of plant and animal production practices that have site-specific applications so one size does not fit all. Over the long term, sustainable practices must: Satisfy our food and fiber needs. Enhance the quality of both the environment and the natural resources the agricultural economy depend upon. Make efficient use of nonrenewable and on-farm resources. Integrate natural biological cycles and controls whenever possible. Sustain the economic viability of farm operations. Enhance the quality of life for farmers and society as a whole. Meeting these ambitious goals will require improvements and innovation in the production, storage, processing, distribution, and marketing of food and food products. Our goal is to be a leader in transforming research into practical and sustainable solutions that will be used by food producers. We will work with agricultural producers and emerging groups of agricultural entrepreneurs (including small-scale, organic, niche, and beginning farmers). As a result of our efforts, we intend to increase the efficiency of our food production and marketing systems in ways that are sustainable and diverse. We will help food producers adopt new technologies by conducting applied research, providing demonstrations, and delivering educational programs focused on useful new technologies. We will form a multidisciplinary Innovative Food Production Technology Team that will: 1. Conduct applied research on emerging technologies to identify best management practices. 2. Develop and deliver educational programs that facilitate the adoption of emerging technologies that use best management practices. 3. Develop educational programs that help agricultural producers improve their managerial skills in areas such as human resource management, risk management, financial management, and marketing management for differentiated products. 4. Create partnerships with processors, wholesalers, and retailers and input suppliers to improve the adoption of best management practices. Farmers will adopt new technologies based on applied research results, demonstrations, and related educational programming. Participating producers will change their production, conservation and management practices leading to higher productivity and profitability.

5 Initiative 3 Prepare at-risk children to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. Indiana s high school graduation rate is unacceptably low just 81.5 percent in 2008 (ranging from 42.3 percent in some schools to 96.5 percent in others). Research shows that the roots of this problem can be traced, in part, to at-risk children who enter kindergarten physically and mentally unprepared to learn. The Indiana Department of Education has identified five domains of school readiness, which include improving children s physical wellbeing, motor skills, and language development. Our goal is to engage at-risk parents and their children with educational programs that result in improved nutrition, health, and literacy. In turn, these improvements will prepare children to succeed in kindergarten and beyond. We will engage parents and children who are at risk due to financial, familial, emotional, or mental stressors. We also will engage preschools and childcare providers. At-risk Indiana children will be better prepared to succeed in kindergarten as a result of improved nutrition, health, and literacy. Subsequently, we expect increased academic performance of at-risk students at all levels of education. We will form a Kindergarten Ready Action Team that will: 1. Deliver effective health and nutrition educational programs to a larger proportion of at-risk parents and children across Indiana. To do this, we will build on our successes with the Have a Healthy Baby, Raising Healthy Eaters, and other relevant programs. 2. Expand our reading programs to focus on language development. At-risk children will reach age-based norms for body weight and motor skills when they enter kindergarten. At-risk children will understand and be interested in basic language skills and literacy. Parents of at-risk children will be engaged in their children s learning.

6 Initiative 4 Reduce human obesity across Indiana through community-based programs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have identified risk factors related to obesity and physical activity among Hoosiers: 57.3 percent of youth ages are obese percent of adult males and 56.8 percent of adult females are overweight or obese. Annually, $264 per Indiana resident is spent on medical costs related to obesity and related chronic disease. 40 percent of people older than 18 participate in less than the recommended amount of physical activity. Research shows that communities that develop a planned approach to community health, and create a local health coalition to implement that plan, more effectively address health issues such as obesity. Our goal is to reduce obesity and resulting chronic disease by helping every Indiana county create and implement community-based educational programming via Healthy Community Coalitions (55 counties currently have such coalitions). We will engage physicians, public health advocates, school administrators, school food service personnel, teachers, parents, 4-H members and leaders, county health department officials, local policy makers, researchers, and small and large businesses. As a result of our efforts, we expect youth and adults to choose more nutritious food, eat more sensible portions, and increase physical activity. These lifestyle changes will reduce obesity and the incidence of chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. We will form a Community-based Health Team that will: 1. Help communities develop local health initiatives and build support for programs. 2. Help communities organize health coalitions that will draw members from many segments of their communities. 3. Provide coalitions with the tools they need to improve their communities access to healthy foods and physical activities. 4. Develop and deliver comprehensive, community-based health, nutrition, and physical activity programs for schools, preschools, caregivers, parents, policy makers, and other groups. Health coalitions will be active in every Indiana county. Community members will participate in prevention-oriented health practices (exercise, healthy eating, etc.). The incidence and severity of chronic diseases among program participants will be reduced.

7 Initiative 5 Help regions, communities, and neighborhoods plan for a sustainable future. In the 21st century, regions, communities, and neighborhoods face many challenges. They need to develop skills and implement strategies and actions that meet their specific, immediate needs and concerns. At the same time, they must plan in ways that fit into a more holistic, long-term framework. In the absence of such a framework, unforeseen external forces and turnover in community leadership often lead to instability and a new round of uncertainty. Communities must be resilient in these turbulent times and the sustainability concept can help them: Sustainable regions, communities, and neighborhoods are those that meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. (from the United Nation s 1987 Brundtland Report) Our goal is to equip regional, community, and neighborhood leaders with the tools they need to make decisions using the sustainability framework. More specifically, we will engage communities in a rigorous and customized process, supported by strong educational and technical assistance, to help them arrive at a point of equilibrium among economic development, social development, and environmental considerations (both in the context of the present and the future). Tools available include the North Central Region s Sustainable Communities curricula, Local Decision Maker, and a variety of resources in other units within Purdue (such as Discovery Park s Center for the Environment and Energy Center). We will engage regional, community, and neighborhood leaders, including elected and appointed public officials. We also will work with the leaders and staff of economic development organizations, human and social service providers, and environmental and natural resource organizations. More communities will base their plans and decisions on sustainability criteria. Specifically, by 2015 we will have established strong educational and technical assistance partnerships with at least 10 communities; and those communities will be routinely using sustainability criteria and concepts in their planning and decision-making. The ultimate outcome will be an improvement in quality of place, a measure of the overall well-being of a community. We will form a Sustainable Communities Planning Team that will: 1. Develop and deliver educational programs on the sustainability framework throughout Indiana. 2. Provide mentorship to help community and other leaders to integrate the sustainability framework in their decision making. Communities and community leaders will adopt sustainability best practices. Community leaders and communities will demonstrate the sustainability framework in their community planning and decision-making processes.

8 Initiative 6 Build Indiana s capacity to protect its environment and natural resources. Environmental issues are a growing concern for many Hoosiers. People worry about the quality of our water, the condition of landfills, the rate natural environments are converted to urban space, and the impact societal choices and business practices have on our climate. If ignored, these pressures will likely degrade our living environment. By educating Indiana youth and adults about sustainable environmental practices and lifestyle choices, we expect a better quality of life for future Hoosiers. Our goal is to design science-based, natural resource and environmental science education and action programs focused on best practices. These programs will help individuals, communities, and businesses discuss environmental issues in the context of science and implement successful strategies to protect Indiana s environment and natural resources. We will engage agricultural producers, agribusinesses, environmental groups, government agencies, homeowners, teachers, students, 4-H Club members and volunteers, and other groups that have an interest in our land and environment. Residents (including youth), businesses, and communities will develop and implement mitigation strategies to enhance environmental and natural resource sustainability. Water quality will improve with fewer nutrients released into Indiana lakes and streams. Communities will remove debris from and stabilize the banks of rivers, creeks, and other waterways to enhance water stewardship. We anticipate a more robust, science-informed public dialogue on factors and emerging trends impacting environmental sustainability with a special focus on practices that may affect the climate. We will form a Natural Resources Sustainability Team that will: 1. Design and implement natural resource education resources and programs including the development of best management practices for natural resource management. 2. Collaborate with other organizations and agencies that have similar interests to build large-scale initiatives. 3. Encourage applied research and demonstration projects in environmental sciences. 4. Improve the environmental stewardship and leadership of 4-H Club members and volunteers. Communities or groups will implement or participate in Purdue Extension-led environmental stewardship activities. Stewardship projects will improve specific natural resource sites. The public conversation on environmental sustainability issues such as climate change will be more informed.

9 Initiative 7 Develop and support leaders throughout Indiana. Businesses, communities, and organizations require leaders who have the ability to initiate new efforts, build partnerships, and manage successful collaborative efforts. Research demonstrates that the most effective way to train leaders is to combine experience with training that focuses on leadership principles and concepts. Ultimately, individuals throughout Indiana should be able to develop and strengthen their skills so they can be more effective at leading their organizations and communities. We will engage youth, aspiring leaders in civic and nonprofit organizations, elected officials, and individuals who want to be more effective in results-oriented leadership in their organizations and communities. Youth and adults will improve their leadership competency (skills and knowledge). As a result, more effective leadership will help organizations and other groups develop and reach their goals. In addition, program participants will learn tools and techniques to effectively address complex issues both within the organization and in the community. The ultimate outcome will be more youth and adults actively engaged in leadership roles in their organizations and communities. We will form a Leadership Training Team that will: 1. Compile and assess current leadership resource materials. 2. Develop and deliver educational programs in leadership. 3. Develop a leadership website to expand access to our programs and leadership resources. 4. Collaborate with relevant organizations. Individuals and organizations will complete Purdue Extension leadership development programs. Those who participate in our programs will be engaged in key leadership roles in their organizations and communities. We will see evidence that program participants are leading effectively with robust planning, constructive approaches to complex issues, and meaningful accomplishments.

10 Initiative 8 Improve Indiana s ability to compete globally. Increasingly, our local communities are global communities. For example, global events have very real effects on our local economies, our products are exported at higher rates than ever, and our communities are influenced by new residents, some of whom are immigrants. To compete globally, Hoosiers need to understand the global marketplace. In addition, we need to understand other cultures and be comfortable and competent working with people from diverse backgrounds and cultures. Our goal is to build Indiana s capacity to compete in a global economy by enhancing our understanding of global issues and building cultural competency. We will engage community leaders, government and nongovernment organizations, businesses, and residents throughout the state. Indiana residents will better understand global interdependence in terms of business, economy and societal issues. Community organizations, businesses, and individuals will initiate meaningful global projects, programs, and business ventures. In addition, organizations and businesses throughout Indiana will demonstrate multicultural competency with enhanced diversity and inclusion in their organizations and with their public. We will form a Global Competitiveness Team that will: 1. Conduct educational programming to enhance multicultural competency. 2. Broaden understanding of global issues and the international marketplace by facilitating exchange programs, celebrating cultural and national events, and sponsoring international study programs both locally and abroad. 3. Facilitate global ventures and initiatives for Indiana residents and businesses. Program participants will demonstrate multicultural and/or global competency. New projects, programs, or business ventures will engage in international work. Diversity and inclusion will become the norm within organizations and their public.

11 Initiative 9 Use new and existing communication technologies to reach more people with timely, research-based information. The people who choose to take advantage of Purdue Extension programs are changing. So are the communication tools they expect to use. Purdue Extension has the opportunity to better serve current and new audiences by using these new tools to provide information and educational programming. For example, we can serve people by more effectively using asynchronous learning technologies such as Blackboard and archived webcasts, and taking advantage of resources such as YouTube, Facebook, digital publications, and smart phone apps. Ultimately, we want to deliver Extension programming to a larger proportion of Hoosiers. To do so, we need to use new and emerging technologies more effectively and broaden the number of users who find value in Purdue Extension. We will engage existing clientele and stakeholders, new clientele who are (or wish to be) regular users of new communications technologies, and Purdue Extension educators. Users will engage with Purdue Extension for information, programs, and resources using new communication tools and approaches best suited to their needs and preferences. Technology will allow us to provide more timely and relevant information to users before they need it. The bottom line is we expect this strategy to engage more people in Purdue Extension programs and resources. We will: 1. Provide expertise and training to Purdue Extension faculty and staff in digital communications, social media, and marketing. 2. Form an educational technology users group to explore new communication technologies and select those that will serve our audiences most effectively. In addition, this group will help improve our technical capacity so Purdue Extension professionals can deliver reliable, consistent programming. 3. Develop pilot programs featuring educational technologies that will be supported with strategic investments in equipment, software, and training. Innovative Purdue Extension programs will use new communication tools to teach and inform. New audiences and clientele will access Extension resources via new communication tools.

12 Initiative 10 Enhance our effectiveness by focusing Purdue Extension professional expertise. Traditionally, Extension Educators have been asked to provide research-based information on a wide variety of topics and issues we have been asked to be all things to all people. Increasingly, access to a broad range of information on the Web has diminished the need for this generalist approach. Furthermore, our clientele face increasingly complex issues. To provide outstanding value to our clientele, we must provide higher-quality, more detailed information and educational programming. Purdue Extension currently has a unique set of human resources with expertise in a variety of areas including production agriculture, community development, entrepreneurship, youth development, consumer and family sciences, and natural resource management. Aligning Extension professionals expertise with relevant, high-priority issue areas will allow us to efficiently use resources and maximize the impact and results of our programs. Our goal is to enhance the quality of our offerings by asking Extension professionals to focus their primary programming on relevant, high-priority issues in their areas of expertise. To assure a rapid response, we will design a mechanism to refer clientele to our experts, regardless of their location. We will engage Purdue Extension professionals and key programming partners. Purdue Extension professionals will use their education and expertise more effectively by targeting their programming. In addition, we will conduct more localized, applied research and demonstration projects to determine the efficacy of new or emerging technologies or management strategies. Voids in specific areas of expertise should be filled with targeted hires. We will create a mechanism so clientele can quickly and accurately access our experts or expert resources, regardless of their location. We expect stakeholders to benefit from our enhanced capacity to quickly and proactively address high-priority subject matter needs. We will: 1. Encourage Purdue Extension professionals to identify and develop subject matter expertise. 2. Form subject matter or issue-oriented teams to provide focused professional development and targeted Purdue Extension programming. These teams will leverage deeper collaborations within and outside of Purdue Extension. 3. Create a referral system so clientele can quickly and accurately access subject matter experts. Extension Educators will conduct focused educational programs over a wider geography. Extension Educators will participate in subject matter expertise teams and specialized programming. Educators will participate in targeted training programs. Regional or statewide Extension programs will be developed by focused Extension professionals collaborating on high-priority issues.