Annual/Termination Reports:

[08/26/2009]

Report Information

Participants

Physically present: Rubén Martinez, Michigan State University (Ruben.Martinez@ssc.msu.edu);Jan Flora, Iowa State University (floraj@iastate.edu); Cornelia Flora, Iowa State University (cflora@iastate.edu); Ann Ziebarth, University of Minnesota (aziebart@unm.edu); Jeffrey Lewis, University of Wisconsin-Madison (jllewis2@wisc.edu); Christina Vasquez Case, University of Missouri-Kansas City (casecv@umkc.edu), Stephen Jeanetta, University of Missouri-Columbia (jeanettas@missouri.edu); Lisa Flores, University of Missouri-Columbia (floresly@missouri.edu); Alejandra Godiño, University of Missouri-Columbia (gudinoa@missouri.edu); Christiane Quinn, University of Missouri-Columbia (quinnc@missouri.edu); Adriela Fernandez, Purdue University (afernan@purdue.edu); Mercedes Saint Elin, University of Missouri-Kansas City (saintelinm@umkc.edu); Domingo Martinez, University of Missouri-Columbia (dmartinez@missouri.edu); Ben Mueller, University of Illinois-Champaign-Urbana and University of Illinois College of Medicine (bmueller@uiuc.edu); Kim Allen, University of Missouri-Columbia (allenki@missouri.edu); Miguel Carranza, University of Nebraska-Lincoln (mcarranza1@unl.edu); Corinne Valdivia, University of Missouri-Columbia (ValdiviaC@missouri.edu ; Carmen DeRusha, Purdue University (cderusha@purdue.edu} Claudia Prado-Meza, Iowa State University (cmprado@iastate.edu); Diego Thompson, Iowa State University (diego@iastate.edu); Keila Peña-Hernandez, University of Missouri-Columbia (kep989@missou.edu).
Persons on the Phone: Chuck Hibberd, Purdue University (hibberd@purdue.edu); Candace Pollock, Ohio State University (pollock.58@cfaes.osu.edu); Abelardo Rodriguez, University of Idaho (Abelardo@uidaho.edu); William Kandel (wkandel@ers.usda.gov) , USDA Economic Research Service; (Katherine Bruna, Iowa State University (krbruna@iastate.edu); Marcelo Siles; Northern Michigan University (msiles@nmu.edu); Julia Bello, University of Illinois-Champaign-Urbana (juliabb@illinois.edu)

Brief Summary of Minutes

12:40PM Meeting called to order by Co-chairs R. Martinez and J. Flora

I. Following introductions, Chuck Hibberd, Administrative Advisor to the NCERA, was invited to shed light on NCERAs and how they function. He defined NCERAs as formal projects in which people come together to focus on important issues in which they are interested. They are supported by Extension and Experiment Station associations and by CSREES. There are no restrictions on who can participate, and land grant institutions provide funds to their member participants. Participants from outside the region are welcome.

It is important to recruit participants by talking with directors to create awareness of the initiative and to access travel funding. It is never too early to be proactive in this regard.

Success depends on focusing on specific topics/projects on which the initiative is able to deliver outcomes; important to go for quick successes that set the stage for doing more things later.

In response to a question regarding a state representative on an NCERA, Dr. Hibberd stated that such a person is the lead contact person for the state, handles information and makes sure that it reaches other participants in her/his state, seeks new partners, and advocates for the NCERA with directors of extension and research in her/his institution.

Dr. Hibberd emphasized the importance of addressing Latino issues within the system. The key is to classify projects, prioritize activities, ensure accountability (avoid distractions), live up to commitments and deadlines, promote effective communications by devising and following clear lines of communication, develop new capacities, and ensure everyone is contributing. Lastly, integrate projects with education objective, recognizing that research, outreach and education need not be addressed equally within the NCERA. The education objective could be addressed through service learning, student engagement, and course enhancements, and could be addressed later in the project.

II. Following the discussion with Dr. Hibberd, the focus of the meeting turned to addressing the reviewers comments of the initial proposal so that it could be revised and submitted by June 1, 2009.
The following items were discussed and/or activities occurred:
" Neal Flora volunteered to ask MSU to get an ANGEL account set up for communications
" It was suggested that public health issues be incorporated in the initiative; Proposal objectives were revised to include students and give more emphasis to education. Each of the working groups spoke to revisions that could be made to their areas in the proposal. These were: Families and Education; Entrepreneurship; Building Immigrant-Friendly Communities; Strengthening Families; Building Diverse Organizations; Civil Engagement. Submission date for groups to submit revisions was changed from May 27 to May 25 to give Co-Chairs time to revise the proposal.
" Participants were encouraged to register on NIMSS by informing the Ag Experiment Office at their Land Grant Institution of their interest in getting registered with NCDC 217, to obtain and submit appropriate paperwork, and ultimately getting registered. Jan Flora agreed to send specific instructions on how to get on NIMSS to persons not yet registered.
" Some discussion occurred regarding communications; Domingo Martinez volunteered to do a listserv
" It was decided to hold the next meeting in East Lansing beginning the evening of Nov 4 and lasting through the day of Nov 5, 2009.
Action Items:
1. Set up Angel account. [Done. Thanks, Neal]
2. Chairs of working groups submit paragraph on outputs and outcomes for their group around May 26 [All groups provided documentation.]
3. Submit Revised proposal to NIMSS for NCERA by May 31 [Submitted May 30 by Ruben and Jan]
4. Send instructions to persons not yet on NIMSS on how to do so [PendingJan]
5. Set up listserv [PendingDomingo]

Accomplishments

Publications

Impact Statements

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