The ExtensionDirector is skeptical. Look, he says, the entire university is decentralized. And that comes straight fromthe legislature. Theywant a university systemthat responds to all of the local needs of the political structure. And, this really flies in the face of the entire academic culture here, not to mention eroding the authority of my own county Extension Directors. I get your problem; I think your solution is overkill. Bev responds. First of all, it is true that the university is administrativelydecentralizedbut, it is not academicallydecentralized, at least in terms of quality and knowledge. There are core academic standards. Admissions knows exactlywhat is happening with students. The Provost knows exactlywhat is happening with academic content. There is centralizationof course offerings. There are centralized accreditation standards. There are central standards for deciding faculty tenure, even if the tenure itself is at the distributed campus. The proposed plan is no different for 4-H. It is simply an adaptationof those approaches to the 4-H quality and management process. And as to your agents, this just takes one headache off their plates. It is one less thing to worry about, and my guess is that will be appreciated. The changes in farming in the state are going to require more and more of their time. Howmuch time have you also spent understanding that, the ExtensionDirector responds? Quite a bit, Bev says, before I came I did a good bit of reading and talked to a number of friends at the USDA, including the Assistant Secretary. And since I have been here, very intently. I think I understand; no, I know I understand. I amsuggesting this not just for 4-H, but because the changes in demographics that will affect 4-H are going to be challenges, andas I read the data, the changes in agriculture are going to demand the time and attention – and, I would say, innovation – in Extension itself. Strengthening that role in a changing industry will need to be job #1 for you and your agents, not overseeing youth programming and fairs. The ExtensionDirector sits back and thinks to himself. Well, we hired her. She is a rock star in the national 4-H system. She knocked the ball out of the park, admittedly in someplace like Tampa, but still. Her pedigree is impeccable. Her references were not only glowing, they were actually jealous that we snaggedher. He turns to Bev, OK, let’s give it a try. But I think we need to brief the President and Provost because this could ruffle some feathers, and the one thing they do not want is controversy. Bev responds, so I have tried and cannot seemto get a meeting. The ExtensionDirector picks up the phone and calls the President’s office. Marla, could you put me through to Jim? Two days later they are in the LGUBoard room. The ExtensionDirector introduces Bev to the President and the Provost and gives her background and bona fides. Bev makes the presentation, thenadds a personal plea. This LGU is the lifeblood of higher education in the state. We have four times more young people going on to university in state than leave to go to school elsewhere. This university is the reasonwe have a skilled workforce here that settles down and stays here. We are the anchor, the very heartbeat of higher education here. We have a wonderful story to tell. But we cannot tell it if we do not ourselves know at the center what is happening at the peripheries. We cannot tell a storyof growth if we do not know it.
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