Organizational Goals and Objectives
Delivery System for Urban Audiences
Goal 1: Resources will be identified and acquired to maximize program capacity for county urban/population center programs.
Statement of Support: Texas is a large, diverse, and dynamic state ranked the second most populated in the nation. With over 80% of the population of Texas located in 20 counties, it is imperative that Texas Cooperative Extension have relevant, targeted, highly visible impact programs in these urban counties and population centers. The Texas legislature has a large urban representation with key leadership roles. Legislators’ understanding of Extension is related to their exposure to quality educational programs, making urban programming a key factor in the future growth of Texas Cooperative Extension.
Objective 1: Coordinate program resources available to counties along with associate directors, associate department heads, program leaders, regional program directors, and Extension Education specialists to ensure that targeted, high-impact programs are effectively implemented and evaluated in the 20 counties of the Extension urban county initiative.
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Strategy |
Timeline/Measure(s) |
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Facilitate Urban Coordinating Committee activity to identify banner programs and the resources needed to fully implement and evaluate outcomes. |
2007–2012: Banner programs identified and resources to implement are secured.
2007: Outcomes available. New programs identified.
2008–2012: ONGOING. |
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Urban Coordinating Committee will be established. |
2007: Urban Coordinating Committee established.
2007–2012: Engage Urban Coordinating Committee in addressing urban issues. |
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Two issue-based banner programs will be implemented and evaluated. |
2007: Outcome data available on AgriLife.
2009: AgriLife data will be collected by 20 counties.
2007-2010: EnviroLife and Workforce Prep data will be collected |
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Banner program impact data will be collected and compiled for statewide urban interpretation. |
2007–2012: Continue distribution of compiled data annually.
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Will increase 2005 baseline external funding to support and enhance urban county program efforts. |
2007–2008: External funding increased by 20% from 2005 baseline $4,174,000 (this includes county funds and grants/contracts)
2008-09: A 10% increase in external funding will be secured for urban counties from 2005 baseline. |
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Extension will engage new partners/ collaborators in addressing high-priority TCFF program issues while continuing to maintain identity with the program. |
ONGOING.
2008: Add urban implementation strategy to municipality model for external funding. |
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Extension will engage new partners/ collaborators in addressing high-priority TCFF program issues while continuing to maintain identity with the program. |
2007: Establish an Urban Program Advisory Committee.
2007-Ongoing - The Urban Program Advisory Committee will meet twice a year to address urban issues, direction and interpretation strategies. Each urban county will be represented. |
Objective 2: Increase the number of Master Level Volunteer Programs in urban counties and the number of participants in each program as a major educational dissemination methodology.
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Strategy |
Timeline/Measure(s) |
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One Master Volunteer program will be developed and/or expanded by appropriate specialist(s)/agent(s). |
2007: A 2006 baseline of measured number of clientele will be established.
2007: An increase of 10% in the measured number of clientele reached by volunteers in 2006 will be attained in 2008.
2012: An increase of 10% in the measured number of clientele reached by volunteers in 2008 will be attained in 2010.
2008-2012 - The measured number of volunteers and volunteer hours will increase 10% from 2005 baseline of 33,861 by 2012. |
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Training on management of Master Volunteer programs will be offered to all urban agents. |
2007: Training scheduled to be conducted in August, 2007. |
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Three innovative training approaches will be designed to support the Master Volunteers using technology available through Extension. |
2007-2012: Innovative programs conducted. |
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Needed funds will be secured from local or grant funds to support a total of five Volunteer Management positions in the urban designated counties. |
2008: Funds secured.
2008-2012: Will continue to seek funding for additional positions as identified and as sources become available. |
Objective 3: Improve access of clientele to Extension programming.
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Strategy |
Timeline/Measure(s) |
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Increase effective use of mass media and technology focused on select, high-impact programs. |
ONGOING |
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Work with Agricultural Communications and Information Technology units and program teams to develop an implementation plan that directs efforts to best use media and technology resources to reach urban market clientele. |
2008: Identify on-line curriculum possibilities.
2008-2012: Three online curriculums available over Web site. |
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Install software in urban counties that more accurately record Web site usage for educational information. |
2008: Establish a 2006 baseline of pages downloaded and unique hits
2008–2012: Increase Web site usage for educational information by 10% as compared to 2006 data. |
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Continue professional relationships with other agencies who share mutual goals to contribute educational information to their clientele and vice versa. |
ONGOING. |
Table of Contents
Index of Organizational Goals and Objectives
Delivery System for Urban Audiences
Goal 2: Materials will be developed to effectively market/promote Texas Cooperative Extension in urban/suburban/population centers for program interpretation.
Objective 1: Promote Texas Cooperative Extension to urban audiences.
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Strategy |
Timeline/Measure(s) |
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Develop and implement an ongoing interpretation strategy for key stakeholders/legislators. |
2007–2012: Implementation of urban legislative strategy including interpretation. |
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Work in partnership with program administrative team to ensure that urban faculty has the tools and resources needed to conduct an interpretation event. |
ONGOING. |
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Compile program highlights for each urban county in a "CapaCity" report used statewide. |
ANNUALLY. |
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Collect program information from urban initiative counties and compile into an organizational urban viewbook. |
2007: Brochure completed. |
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Present an "Extension in the City" Award to selected legislative supporter. |
2007-2012: Annually - award "Extension in the City". |
Table of Contents
Index of Organizational Goals and Objectives
Delivery System for Urban Audiences
Goal 3: Support for professional and/or competency development of urban agents and others will be enhanced.
Objective 1: Provide strategies for urban Extension faculty to participate in professional development opportunities that will build their program delivery capabilities.
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Strategy |
Timeline/Measure(s) |
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Financially support professional development opportunities for selected effective urban agents in coordination with associate directors as opportunities and associate director funds are available. |
ONGOING. |
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Regularly schedule interactive time for urban agents. |
ONGOING.
2007-2012: Centra trainings 3 times a year on selected topic.
2007-2012: Monthly e-newsletter for Urban Initiative Counties. Planned Population Center Conference - North Region; Metroplex networking conference-East, West, & South Region.
2008: Site visits to urban initiative counties. |
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Conduct regional training on topics/subject matter of interest/priority to urban agents. |
2008: Metroplex Urban Training conducted for the Dallas/Fort Worth area, including surrounding counties.
2008: I-35 Corridor Urban training involving Bexar/Travis and surrounding counties.
2008: North Region “Population Center” conference.
2008: South Region - Networking Conference |
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Include urban methodology in program area trainings for new agents. |
2007-2012: ONGOING
2008 - Develop a handout on urban methodology for new agents. |
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New county Extension directors (CED) and new district Extension administrators (DEA) without urban experience will participate in a planned urban orientation. |
As needed.
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Agent Internship in Urban Counties. Two to four selected agents who indicate interest in future urban county work will participate in three sessions of 3–5 days during a year as an urban county intern. This experience serves as a case study of barriers existing in recruiting agents in urban counties and will benefit the organization and the individual. County Programs will pay travel expenses of the agent during the internship period. |
2008–2012: Have professional development opportunity annually for two agents.
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Table of Contents
Index of Organizational Goals and Objectives
Delivery System for Urban Audiences
Goal 4: The Texas Cooperative Extension urban staff will be reflective of Texas demographics by the 2010 census.
Objective 1: Proactively attract potential employees to urban areas.
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Strategy |
Timeline/Measure(s) |
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Develop a strategy, with Human Resources, that includes active recruitment in universities/ colleges where there is a large minority population. |
2007–2012: Urban faculty participates in conferences and conventions that target minorities such as Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) or League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).
Ongoing emphasis to recruit diverse urban workforce.
ONGOING: Update reference material on minority colleges and universities. Contacts at Career Fair.
2008: A strategy for follow-up to students following initial contacts at Career Fair events and a form for recording individual's data for easing reference. The Resource Book on Minority Colleges will be kept current. |
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Develop recruitment tools that reflect the urban Extension program and its potential for employees. |
2008–2012: Urban recruiting tools developed and updated. |
Table of Contents
Index of Organizational Goals and Objectives
Delivery System for Urban Audiences
Goal 5: Explore the potential for expansion of urban-designated counties and assisting when needed in reaching established criteria.
Objective 1: Expand the urban initiative.
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Strategy |
Timeline/Measure(s) |
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Discuss potential with counties as requested. Cameron, Collin, Denton, Hidalgo, Montgomery, and Nueces are closest to meeting criteria. |
ONGOING. |
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Increase the number of urban designated counties by one. |
2009: One county added to urban initiative.
*Contingent upon funding.
2012: One additional county added to urban initiative.
*Contingent upon funding. |
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Increase urban staff to reflect a minimum of two agents per program area. This supports specialized agent designation for stronger programming. |
2010: Increase urban staff by three new positions, demonstrating an emphasis on urban program staffing enhancement by administration.
*Contingent upon funding. |
Table of Contents
Index of Organizational Goals and Objectives
________________________________
Contact:
Director
Texas Cooperative Extension
112 Jack K. Williams Administration Building
7101 TAMU
College Station, TX 77843-7101
Ph: 979-845-7967
Fax: 979-845-9542
September 2007