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Extension announces reorganization plan
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COUNTY -- Iowa State University Extension will undergo a significant restructuring that will include elimination of county extension education directors statewide, including in Shelby County.
The restructuring is in response to cuts in funding at the state level, and although significant changes are expected, local officials said they're optimistic that no staffing changes will be made in Shelby County. That is except for the director's position, which has been held by Terry Torneten.
Torneten said he, like other directors statewide, is out of a job. "Everybody was prepared from throughout the legislative session that changes were coming," said Torneten. "We were told that an extension restructing was a possiblity. No (other) staffing changes are expected here in Shelby County."
Iowa State University Vice President for Extension and Outreach Jack Payne made the announcement Thursday. He said, "The current economic downturn forces us to change the way we do business. The Extension leadership team has listened to the desires of Iowans, and the ideas of our staff and council members, to create a plan that will strengthen the organization for years to come."
Payne and his team created the plan, knowing they would be given a permanent cut equal to 10.7 percent of the cut ISU received to its state appropriations. After the state budget was finalized Sunday, ISU Extension's reduction in FY10 state appropriations was listed at $4.15 million.
The Extension Restructuring Plan will consolidate Extension's field administration and encourage investment in program services -- moving Extension from a geographically based structure to an issue-based model. This model will reduce administrative costs, increase local control of county funds allocated for Extension services, and increase research and staff engagement across university disciplines in order to address complex issues important to Iowa.
Five Area Director positions and all five Area Offices will be closed. This was recommended by Extension staff and County Extension Councils during listening sessions and in online surveys conducted last month. The County Extension Education Director (CEED) positions are eliminated as part of the plan, and in their place regional positions will be created. County Extension Councils will have the ability to retain offices in every county.
"In the plan, the current Partnership Agreement between Iowa State University and the County Extension Councils is dissolved, and the partnership fee associated with it will no longer be paid to Iowa State University," Payne said. "This allows Extension Councils to retain county funds allocated for Extension services for investment in staff and programs. It gives counties the continued local Extension presence they've told us they want."
Through a reallocation of state funds, Extension will create 20 Iowa Extension Regions that balance population and available county tax funds in each region. A Regional Extension Education Director will oversee the operations of each region.
"Each region includes at least one major retail trade center where the Regional Extension Education Director will be housed in a county office," Payne explained. "In creating these regions, we have worked to honor current coalitions and linkages among counties."
Also being reduced are the budgets of Extension campus program and support units. Campus-based programs and units will absorb their allocated cuts through staff reduction and new program revenue generation. Approximately 25 campus Extension positions will be eliminated.
The restructuring plan also includes a merger of the Families and 4-H Youth programs, and the Center for Industrial Research and Service (CIRAS) and Community and Economic Development programs. The goal is to increase efficiencies and strengthen these units to better address the complex issues faced by families and youth, and business and communities. The merging of these programs will bring together the research of several disciplines and provide a more effective way to distribute the resources that will positively impact Iowans.
"Iowa State University and Extension Councils will work together to change our methods, but not our mission," Payne said. "This is an innovative and bold restructuring. It meets the financial realities we are facing, and creates a flexible organization that is positioned to maintain its leadership role as one of the best Extension systems in the nation."
Torneten said the full scope of the restructuring plan will come to light in the next few months, although no timetable has been set. In the meantime, the Shelby County office remains open with current programs and responsibilities, including preparation for the upcoming Shelby County Fair in July.
"Everything is in place for the Fair of 2009, which we expect to again be very successful," he said.
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©The Harlan Tribune 2009
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