We’re celebrating 150 years of The Ohio State University, formerly the Ohio Agricultural and Mechanical College, and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES). We invite CFAES Buckeyes Worldwide to participate in our sesquicentennial by sharing a photo of you with our sesquicentennial pennant during your daily activities or global travels. To do this, take a picture with your pennant and submit it here: go.osu.edu/cfaes_buckeyesworldwide. Include your name, your connection to CFAES or your CFAES major(s), your graduation year (if you’ve already graduated), and a short story about your time at CFAES and/or where you are now. Find us on social media and join in on the fun @CFAES_OSU, #CFAES150. Help us reach a goal of 150 pictures around the world during 2020!
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OSU Policy updates – information for CFAES Employees
With the arrival of Workday on July 1, 2020, Ohio State is updating dozens of its HR and Finance policies. Most of these changes will take effect in July 2020, but two policies were revised with an effective date of November 2019: the Expenditure Policy and Reward and Recognition Policy . I would encourage all employees to read them, and I am summarizing below some of the more significant provisions. Please keep in mind that the policies apply equally to all employees (faculty, staff, etc.), all forms of payment (PCards, purchase orders, checking account, etc.), and all types of funds (general, gift, earnings, grant, etc.).
Meals (Expenditure Policy p.5) The new policy has more strict and clear guidelines on which meals may be provided. Please read this section carefully before ordering any payment for food or drink. “Provision of food and beverages for gatherings of university employees on a daily, weekly, monthly, or similar recurring basis, or payment for meals associated with one-on-one meetings of university employees, is prohibited.” Business meals with non-university employees must have a business purpose and meet other requirements, and require additional documentation.
Alcohol (EP p. 4) All alcohol purchases must be charged to a gift fund or conference earning fund. Per person alcohol limit is now $25.00 (was previously $20.00/person).
Spouses, partners, children, and guests (EP, p. 3) Meal and entertainment expenses for these individuals should not be charged to university funds. Some minor exceptions allowed.
Acknowledgement/support of employees (EP p. 5) Limitations on expenditures for employees for events such as births, death, or illness. Generally limited to non-cash gifts up to $100.
Reward and Recognition This policy applies to both formally approved reward programs and ad hoc awards in response to specific accomplishments. Awards with monetary value are limited to one time per year. Cash or non-cash awards of $100 or more require approval from the Dean.
Additional scrutiny Besides those listed above, the University has identified expense types that warrant additional scrutiny, including recruitment-related expenses, professional memberships, telecommunication and “gift” expenditures. Be sure to understand the policy and consult your fiscal officer or the service center if needed.
Other important points:
• The definition of “business purpose” has been expanded to emphasize that it must include detailed justification, and, who, what, when and why. Lack of a clear business purpose is a major cause of payments being held up in processing.
• If a unit/department requests to have a more restrictive policy the business purpose and justification must be pre-approved by Business & Finance using the “policy waiver” process. Please consult Eric Bode for any such request.
• All cash awards, including gift cards, are taxable. Non-cash items are taxable if they cumulatively exceed $100 in a calendar year. New reporting requirements apply.
Contact Eric Bode (bode.42@osu.edu) with questions.
Change Ambassadors
Be Giving This Holiday Season!
To celebrate our CFAES sesquicentennial and this season of giving, we need your help to collect nonperishable food and toiletry items for our on-campus food pantry. We’re challenging CFAES units to collect these items and contribute to the cause.
Columbus: Boxes will be delivered to units and put in building entryways on Friday, November 8th. Items will be collected on Friday, November 22nd.
Wooster: To participate, all that we ask is for you to drop off your donations at SSS (located in Skou Hall on the ATI Campus) on the following dates and times:
- November 13-20 11:30AM-12:30PM
- November 14 11:30AM-5:00PM
- November 21 12:30PM-5:00PM and during Clubsgiving
- November 22 11:30AM-12:30PM and 2:00-4:00PM
Extension: We encourage our Extension offices to also participate by organizing a food drive to your local pantry. Submit a picture of your contributions and office members to williams.4263@osu.edu share with us how you participated. Some photos will be shared through social media.
Please provide items that do not expire within the next six months. If you have any questions about the food drive please direct them to Sarah Williams(.4263).
Pantry Use: If you or someone you know is interested in utilizing the items of the pantry, they can stop by Ag Admin room 250 or Kottman Hall 210 between the hours of 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and ask for access to the pantry. If you have any questions about the food pantry please direct them to Emma Lynne Johnson(.7009).
Hosted by the CFAES Sesquicentennial Student Planning and Engagement Committee and the students and staff of the CFAES pantry.
Positioning Ohio as a Leader in Organics
There has never been a better time to engage in organic research. As consumer demand and organic acreage grows, producers need answers and innovation regarding production systems, pest management, nutrition, marketing, economics, genetics, and more. Recognizing these needs, the 2019 Farm Bill substantially increased funding for organic research.
Faculty, students, county educators, and staff members interested in organic research are encouraged to join us on Thursday, November 21, 8:30-noon, to learn more about research needs and resources available for addressing them. We will meet at the Wooster campus and encourage you to join us in person, but zoom attendance is also available. The program will include Invited speakers from the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association, USDA-NIFA, and other regional organic research partners.
Learn more at offer.osu.edu or register here.
CFAES Biometric Screening Day
The 2019 PHA and verified biometric screening deadline is December 31, 2019. To help meet this deadline, CFAES HR is hosting a Biometric Screening Day Friday, November 22nd in the auditorium of the Agricultural Administration Building. Completion prior to the deadline will ensure enrolled individuals earn the monthly premium credit – which is increasing $5 per month beginning 2020! Spaces are limited, see details to sign up below:
A verified biometric screening can be completed in one of three ways:
1. On-Campus Screening Event
On November 22nd, the OSU Health Plan’s RN Health Promotion Specialist(s) will be in our department to complete complimentary biometric screenings*. These values will automatically load to your YP4H/Virgin Pulse account on the “Stats” page and you will receive credit for completing a 2019 verified biometric screening. See below for screening registration details.
2. OSU or Central Ohio Primary Care (COPC) Provider Visit
Your values obtained during an annual exam with an OSU or Central Ohio Primary Care (COPC) provider are received by the OSU Health Plan (OSUHP). Once all values are received (height, weight, blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL and a blood sugar value: glucose or A1c), OSUHP will provide verification to Virgin Pulse that you have completed a biometric screening.
3. Non OSU or non COPC provider
If you see a provider outside of the OSU or COPC network, you may need to have your values submitted by your provider. Please have your provider complete and submit aProvider Fax Form to the OSU Health Plan to verify that you have completed a biometric screening with him or her.
Screening Registration Details:
If you would like to register for the upcoming biometric health screening event in our department, follow the steps below:
- Visit yp4h.osu.edu and click the “Schedule a Screening” button in the middle of the page.
- Log in with your Ohio State name.# and password.
- Highlight “Biometric Health Screening” and find the “appointment code” box.
- In the “Appointment Code” box type in AAB19 Do NOT copy and paste as this doesn’t always work to activate the code.
- Click “Find Appointments or Classes”- This will show only the appointments available for this screening event.
- Continue to schedule the appointment. If you experience any difficulty, please contact Customer Service at 292-4700 with your Appointment Code.
Once you obtain your required health values, complete the Personal Health & Well-being Assessment (PHA). The PHA is an online self-evaluation of your overall wellness and only takes about 15 minutes to complete. After completing the PHA, Virgin Pulse will offer specific programs to you and customize your YP4H experience based on your goals. Visit yp4h.osu.edu and log in to Virgin Pulse to complete your PHA.
By annually completing the PHA and a verified biometric screening, enrolled employees can reduce the cost of their medical contributions by $25 per month or by $40 per month if they and their enrolled spouse both complete the PHA with verified biometrics. Click here for more information about rewards.
Please remember that participating in Your Plan for Health (YP4H) is completely voluntary. We understand that your health history is very personal — protecting your information and keeping it private is of utmost importance to us. While participating in YP4H, the personal information that you provide, whether online or in person, is only available to you and those whom you authorize to access it. Beyond the team at the OSU Health Plan, your nurse, health coach, or your own PCP, no other Ohio State personnel will see or have access to your results.
When your Verified Biometric Screening has been processed, it will be reflected as complete in your “REWARDS” tab with a green checkmark and date. You need a complete PHA and verified biometric screening to earn Premium Credit.
When you see both green checkmarks you have earned your Premium Credit. Log in to Virgin Pulse and select “REWARDS” to view your status.
*If you believe all of your values have been obtained by your provider and it is not being reflected in your Virgin Pulse account, please contact the Ohio State Health Plan for assistance yp4h.clinicalservices@osumc.edu
**As a reminder, you are only eligible for one on campus screening per calendar year. If you are unsure of when your last screening took place, please log in to https://linktohealth.osu.edu and click on the “Biometric Health Data” tab to view your history.
Kind Regards,
CFAES Human Resources
Email: cfaeshr@osu.edu
Website: https://hr.cfaes.ohio-state.edu
Retirement of TechSmith Relay – Instructions on Using Mediasite and Carmen Zoom
We understand lecture capture is an important service so we want to share with you about the retirement of TechSmith Relay and the transition to ODEE-supported Mediasite and CarmenZoom.
Retirement of TechSmith Relay
- TechSmith Relay will be retired after the end of the semester on Friday December 13, 2019.
- The videos created with TechSmith Relay will continue to be available on the web at https://presenter.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/ for one year until Friday December 11, 2020.
- Moving TechSmith Relay content – Contact the IT Service Desk if you have sets of videos that need to be kept longer than 1 year and we will develop a plan to migrate them to Mediasite.
- Lecture capture and sharing can now be accomplished with Mediasite and CarmenZoom.
Instruction on Using Mediasite & CarmenZoom
- Recording (Mediasite presentation) – http://go.osu.edu/cfaes-mediasite
- Mediasite – general help site – https://resourcecenter.odee.osu.edu/mediasite
- CarmenZoom – general help site – https://resourcecenter.odee.osu.edu/carmenzoom
Please contact Matt DeVore (.38) or Mike Chakerian (.1) with questions or concerns.
Skype for Business Training
Training for the new Skype for Business will familiarize users with the environment and basic functions of the Skype for Business software. In this 90 minute training you will learn:
- The Skype environment
- Placing and answering calls
- Managing voicemail
- Instant messaging
- Online meetings
- Device options
- Skype for Business mobile
The training is available to any OSU affiliate but it is recommended you do not attend the training until your department has been migrated to the new Skype for Business system.
This training will be held at Mount Hall on West Campus and via zoom. Limited parking is available in front of Mount Hall. Parking is available in the WC Parking lot across the bridge. Enter through the front door of Mount Hall and up the stairs to check in with the front desk. Zoom information will be sent to users that register for the class.
The next available session is November 6th at 10:30am and users can register for this class via BuckeyeLearn: go.osu.edu/buckeyelearn
Search for the label “Skype for Business Demonstration.” and request the class. Please contact Dietrich Eubank (.29) with questions.
Converging on Wicked Systems Problems
Join host Cathann A. Kress, Vice President for Agricultural Administration and Dean of the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES), for the “Converging on Wicked Systems Problems” lecture. It will be held November 18, 2019 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. at the Bob Evans Auditorium, Nationwide and Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center with a reception following the lecture. Through presentations and panelists, we will explore the application of transdisciplinary research and systems approaches to solve grand challenges in our food, water, and energy systems. The lecture is part of the 75th Anniversary Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources (BANR) Lecture Series. Presentations and panel discussion will feature Rolf Nordstrom, President and CEO of the Great Plains Institute; Greg Soehnlen, President and CEO of Superior Dairy, Inc.; and Lois Wright Morton, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, Iowa State University, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Register before November 12 at go.osu.edu/BANRLecture.
Sponsored by The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences and the Sustainability Institute at Ohio State.
Designing Your Formal Digital Learning Portfolio: Webinar Series
New this fall to our Lunch and Learn Series, Purdue Extension, Ohio State Extension and the CFAES eTeam are partnering together to jointly offer topics and ideas to improve your online credit and non-credit offerings. We invite you to join these sessions to network with colleagues within and beyond your institutional walls. Join from the comfort of your own office, home office or even your phone! All sessions will be recorded, so even if you are unable to join live, do register so that you can receive the recording link.
eBooks: Adding Interactivity to Text-based Content and Repackaging for Added Mileage
Monday, September 30th at noon EST
Deana Namuth-Covert (OSU) and Amy Kohmetscher (OSU)
Do you have some great extension factsheets or academic course text that has been a good resource for your audience/students, yet you have this nagging feeling that learners are not grasping the take home points very well? Or maybe you would like to repackage materials into an engaging self-learning medium? In this session we will look at two case studies where digital books were created for two undergraduate agronomy courses using the tool “Pressbooks”, in part utilizing other extension resource content along with added instructor content. We will give you the opportunity to explore these two digital book examples and will highlight key interactive elements which are also ADA accessible. We will wrap up by showing you the instructor side of the tool, where the books are created. Click here to register for webinar.
Engaging Online Audiences
Monday, October 28th at noon EST
Danae Wolfe (OSU) and Ryan Wynkoop (Purdue)
There are many reasons to use audience engagement tools in Extension and academic programming. Whether you want to gather instant feedback during a presentation or check participants’ knowledge before and after the event, there are several tools you can use to simplify the process and make the learning event more meaningful. This presentation will take you beyond simple polling and discuss how an audience engagement tool can be used to teach and develop relationships with participants before, during, and after an event. Click here to register for webinar.
What Exactly is an Online “Course” or “Module?”
Friday, November 8th at noon EST
Amy Kohmetscher (OSU) and Ryan Wynkoop (Purdue)
It is easy to think about a “course” only in terms of a semester long learning event we all remember from our own student days. With educational technologies we can now repurpose learning content to meet a wider variety of educational needs that our students and clientele have. We will look at examples from both Purdue and Ohio State University where a face to face extension workshop was converted to an online academic credit course, as well as the opposite where a credit course was converted to online non-credit modules for workforce development. In this session we will also give you the opportunity to login to an example of an online class to sit in the “student seat” and experience the environment from your audience’s perspective. Click here to register for webinar.
Accessibility in Extension and Higher Education
Monday, November 18th at noon EST
Megan Fogel (OSU) and Laura Akgerman (OSU)
First half of program: Accessibility of Digital Content
As public institutions, we have a responsibility to create and disseminate content that is accessible to all audiences. Creating accessible content means reducing barriers to content consumption and comprehension. Examples include ensuring that screen readers can easily read written text aloud, assigning alternate text to graphics so they may be appropriately described, and including captions with video content. This portion of the webinar will cover the basics of creating accessible digital content and cover our legal obligations in offering content that is accessible to all audiences.
Second half of program: Accessibility of Physical Spaces
Extension hosts events and trainings all year long, indoors, outdoors, at university venues, and in public and private spaces – field days, workshops, farmer’s markets, county fairs, AgriTourism and more. When planning Extension events, it is important to consider how to make your event accessible to people with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that requires businesses and events to be accessible to everyone, of all abilities. Having accessible entrances, facilities and programs not only benefits the those who have a disability, it also makes businesses and events welcoming to everyone. Providing access is more than getting people through the gate, it also includes advertising, parking, programming, restrooms and more. Click here to register for webinar.
Questions or comments?
Contact Danae Wolfe
Planning and Writing Successful Proposals Workshop
Tuesday, October 29, 2019 | 8:30am-4:30pm (lunch provided)
The Ohio State University | Nationwide & Ohio Farm Bureau 4-H Center
2201 Fred Taylor Drive | Columbus, Ohio 43210
Presenter: M.S. (Peg) AtKisson, PhD, Founder (BIO) AtKisson Training Group
This workshop contains a number of different approaches to the material, including lecture format, “in-classroom / flipped classroom,” quizzes, and participant-lead instruction. Our presenter focuses on both the why and the how, turning conceptual ideas about the elements of successful proposals into concrete strategies.
Participants have two handouts. One contains most of the PowerPoint slides. The other contains text for “Study Hall” portions of the day, some example texts to follow during the discussion, graphics of the recommended timeline, theoretical framework for the proposal, and a suggested outline for the Overview page.
Some of the topics include:
- What goes in a grant proposal
- Integrating your work and your grant proposal
- Choosing a grant type and Idea Development
- Actual timeline for planning and writing your proposal
- Talking with program officer
- Review of your proposal
- The front page – how to draft a solid, compelling Overview
- Selling the Significance/Impact
- Describing the plan, literature, preliminary work, title & abstract, team, environment, and the costs
- Writing and formatting – how style impacts the communication of substance
Master Plan Open Forums
You are invited to attend an open forum discussion about CFAES facilities, with a specific focus on the future of our Columbus Mid-West Campus (including Waterman Lab) and Wooster Campus.
Our college along with the Office of Planning, Architecture and Real Estate (PARE) will be working together to develop a CFAES Master Plan during the 2019-2020 academic year. Input from you is essential to ensure the plan represents the many individuals who make up the college.
Two open forums will be held:
- WOOSTER – Thursday, September 5, 12:00-1:00 pm in the Shisler Center Ballroom – Discussion will focus on Wooster Campus
- COLUMBUS – Tuesday, October 8, 12:00-1:00 pm in the Agricultural Administration Auditorium – Discussion with focus on Midwest Campus (including Waterman)
Lunch will be provided at each session.
Please use the following link to RSVP: https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_afPr870tRFEASsl
More information about the CFAES Master Plan:
The CFAES Master Plan will establish a college-wide vision that aligns the college’s three campuses, Columbus, Wooster, and Statewide, with our mission and priorities. It will map out facilities investments that are immediate as well as future priorities. In addition to the college-wide vision, the plan will focus in-depth on Waterman, Columbus Mid-West Campus, and the Wooster Campus.
The college and the Office of Planning, Architecture and Real Estate (PARE) will work together to develop this plan. We will be supported by a planning and design team – Ayers Saint Gross and Erdy McHenry – along with a team of other consultants with specialized expertise.
The plan will include a data-driven space needs assessment for the Columbus and Wooster campus only. This will provide an important foundation for the CFAES Master Plan: it will identify areas where we can use our facilities more effectively and suggest areas where new facilities are needed. We are currently gathering extensive data about CFAES employees, students, courses, research, and space to inform this study.
Professional Development Summer Series 2019: Lunch and Learns sponsored by Staff Advisory Council
This summer, bring your lunch and join the CFAES Staff Advisory Council (SAC) for our Summer Professional Development series. Each event is free and open to all CFAES employees. The events will be broadcast via Zoom and also recorded. Please register below if you plan to attend. The 2019 series focuses on CliftonStrengths®, and each session can stand-alone, so you are able to choose sessions that fit your schedule. If you’ve attended a session before, you will discover content different from the original workshop.
Where: 211 Agricultural Administration (Columbus), 126 RESEARCH SERVICES (WOOSTER), 160 Endedavor center, (PIKETON), AND Zoom
Register: go.osu.edu/SAC_CliftonStrengths
1: Why should I care about my Strengths?
Tuesday, July 16, 12:00-1:00pm
Many of you have been through Beth’s Strengths Finder workshops and know your Top 5 CliftonStrengths. This session starts with a quick refresher on the research and philosophy of the Strengths movement then moves into exploring your Top 5 at a deeper level and what that means for you. Be sure to have your personalized Strengths Insight Report during the session as you will refer to it often. Outcomes for this session are:
- Review CliftonStrengths philosophy
- Identify what makes you unique from any other person in the entire university
2: Successfully using your Strengths at work
Friday, August 2, 12:00-1:00pm
Your Strengths are an important part of what contributions you bring to your job. This session will help you discover how your Strengths influence your job performance and will provide you with tips to more effectively utilize your Strengths and avoid blind spots. Outcomes for this session are:
- Identify the Strengths you use to perform your job duties
- Discover blind spots to your performance
- Determine how to use your Strengths to enhance your performance
3: How your Strengths boost your the team
Monday, August 12, 12:00-1:00pm
Strengths of individual team members mesh to boost the team’s success. If everyone has the same or similar Strengths, chances are the team would falter. This session will explore how you can work with colleagues with differing Strengths to build a strong and successful team. Outcomes for this session are:
- Review a sample Talent Map
- Discuss best practices
Beth Flynn will be facilitating from the Columbus campus. She is a member of the Ohio State University Leadership Center team and a Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths coach. Beth holds a master’s degree in Community and Human Resource Development from The Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the College of Mount St. Joseph in Cincinnati, Ohio. Beth’s Top 5 Strengths are Woo, Positivity, Communication, Strategic and Includer.
Myra Wilson, Director of Alber Enterprise Center, will be co-facilitating from the Wooster campus. She has been a Strengths practitioner since 2003 when she first took the assessment and embraced the philosophy that changed how she lives and works. Myra earned her master’s in Agricultural Communication, Education and Leadership from The Ohio State University and a bachelor’s degree in Business/Organization Communications from Otterbein University. Myra’s Top 5 Strengths are Maximizer, Achiever, Adaptability, Futuristic and Positivity.
Off Duty Pay
Effective July 1, 2019 all Off Duty Pay requests must be submitted on the attached Off Duty Pay Request form and accompanied by an Off Duty Pay calculator. Please note, there is no need to submit the ODP Request form if your ODP request for Summer 2019 has already been submitted and approved.
During the past year, an ODP Taskforce has met to develop a college procedure that would be supplemental to the University’s Off Duty Pay (ODP) policy. The developed procedure provides guidance to faculty and staff on what may or may not be allowable as ODP and will increase consistency across our departments. Currently, we do have consistent use of the ODP calculator and ODP calendar, but this process speaks to the upfront requirements and approvals.
The procedure and documents have been vetted by a focus group of faculty, HR professionals and Fiscal/finance officers. In addition, feedback has been requested from all Chairs and Directors as well as the Vice President’s Cabinet.
These documents can also be found on the CFAES HR website: CFAES Off Duty Pay 1.) A copy of the Off Duty Pay Standard Operating Procedure 2.) Off-Duty Pay Request form 3.) Off-Duty Pay Calendar 4.) Off-Duty Pay Calculator 5.) Off-Duty Pay FAQs for this process.
Please direct any questions to either Angie LeMaster (Lemaster.124@osu.edu) or Elayne Siegfried (cfaeshr@osu.edu).
Insights on relationship-rich center experiences in learning and teaching to be highlighted at the 2019 CFAES Teaching and Learning Symposium (Aug 13)
Noted higher education author and researcher Peter Felten, Elon University, will serve as the keynote presenter at the 2019 CFAES Teaching & Learning Symposium: Teaching Today’s Learners. Dr. Felten has an impressive record of publications focused on the learning experiences in higher education to his credit, including: The Undergraduate Experience: Focusing Institutions on What Matters Most (Jossey-Bass, 2016); Transforming Students: Fulfilling the Promise of Higher Education (Johns Hopkins University Press, 2014); Engaging Students as Partners in Learning and Teaching (Jossey-Bass, 2014); and the co-edited book Intersectionality in Action (Stylus, 2016).
At the Teaching Today’s Learner Symposium Peter will be presenting Relationships matter: Moving relationship-rich experiences to the center of learning and teaching. He will be sharing his insights and findings on how decades of rigorous research documents corroborate the value and power of relationship-rich learning in higher education. These experiences can occur in many formats and locations, including active learning exercises in a lecture hall, team-based work in a community setting, and mentored research in a laboratory. Relational pedagogies contribute to everything from enhanced disciplinary learning to a clarified sense of purpose, and these positive outcomes have long-term professional, civic, and personal significance for graduates. Yet too often we do not focus our teaching and other work with students on relationship-rich learning experiences. In this interactive session, we will explore the possibility of centering our teaching practices on the power of student-student, faculty-student, and community-student relationships to motivate and deepen learning.
Join your CFAES colleagues at the 2019 Teaching & Learning Symposium on August 13th to hear and reflect upon Peter’s assessment on this impactful topic. If you have yet to do so, register for the symposium today at:http://go.osu.edu/CFAES_2019-TLSymposium