MANAGING Tough Times Iowa State University Extension Restructuring Gary Hall, Regional Extension Education Director Brenda Schmitt, Family Resource Management Program Specialist

MANAGING Tough Times Iowa State University Extension Restructure Reason for Restructure Process of Restructuring Challenges Faced Successful Aspects of Restructuring Lessons Learned

MANAGING Tough Times Rea$on for Re$tructuring Governor Cut Regent Universities in Iowa by 10% ISU Extension was cut by $4.15 million

MANAGING Tough Times ISU Extension Budget Cut(in millions) Off ‐ campus restructure: AEED & CEED Salary/Benefits & Operations $ 8.00 DFO & REED Salary/Benefits & Operations $ (2.70) Restructure savings $ 5.30 County Partnership Share to Counties $ (3.50) Total Off Campus budget cut $ 1.80

MANAGING Tough Times Program budget cuts: Communities $ 0.12 Youth $ 0.32 Agriculture & Natural Resources $ 0.64 Extension 21 $ 0.09 Families $ 0.44 Communications & External Relations $ 0.45 Administration $ 0.30 Total Campus budget cut $ 2.35 Total Off Campus budget cut$ 1.80 Total Budget Cut $ 4.15

MANAGING Tough Times Iowa Extension Background Extension Councils –Each county has a 9 member elected Council –Taxing authority via referendum –Volunteer service

MANAGING Tough Times Tad More Background Partnership Fee sent to ISU for CEED and support services 99 Counties in Iowa

MANAGING Tough Times Process for Restructuring Listening Sessions –Ideas from the Field to Jack Payne, Vice President for Extension and Outreach –Connect session Vice President’s Committee for Restructuring Elimination of 99 CEEDs and AEEDs

MANAGING Tough Times Interviews for 20 REEDs Listening Sessions with Public and Councils conducted by Vice President Partnership Fee eliminated and replaced with lower Support Services –Savings used by Council as they wish Departments Cut Amount Designated –Made their own decisions on cuts

MANAGING Tough Times Retirement Incentive Option (RIO) –Early Retirement of 83 Staff Campus and Field 5 years of health care for staff and spouse –Retire date of January 31, 2010 Stimulus Money from 8/1/09 to 1/31/10

MANAGING Tough Times The ‘Look’ of Extension Before Restructure 94 CEEDs, 5 AEEDs OA and CYC in each county Field Specialists in various county offices Annual Conference face to face After Restructure 20 REEDs, 1 DFO OA and CYC in each county Fewer Program Specialists Virtual Annual Conference Councils funding Program Coordinators, others

MANAGING Tough Times Regions Prior to Restructure

MANAGING Tough Times

Before Restructure 10 Council meetings/yr CEED evaluated staff CEED provided marketing and organization for programs After Restructure County and Regional Council meetings Councils responsible for staff management and evaluation County Point of Contact

MANAGING Tough Times Challenges Families Program Specialists (PS) –16 RIOs –Program Specialists have larger areas Transition with RIOs Travel $$ for PS reduced PS targeting built in audiences

MANAGING Tough Times Online classes growing New structure with no plan to follow (which may be a good thing) Uncertainty of Staff Evaluation Responsibility All policy, documents need updating Roles not clearly defined Many Task Forces –Orientation, Reporting, Evaluation, etc.

MANAGING Tough Times Grants –CEEDs were PI and match –Indirect costs and running grants by OAs All regions and counties are unique PS area doesn’t match regions Continuing budget cuts

MANAGING Tough Times Successes Exponential Increase in Creativity Few Boundaries Strength Base Approach –Specialization of Tasks –Press Releases, Web Updates Teamwork Increase Ability to Design a Position

MANAGING Tough Times More Successes More Cross Marketing of Programs Increase Use of Technology Focus on Sequential Learning –Dropped Single Topic Classes Councils More Engaged Discovering More Along the Way

MANAGING Tough Times Lessons Learned Transparency is Critical –Open Communications –Involve All Councils Staff Iowa Association of Extension Councils Timing

MANAGING Tough Times More Lessons Learned Attitude Affects Success –Early Adopters –On the Fence –Hell No Influence of Old Structure Underestimated Ask Again in 6 Months

MANAGING Tough Times Questions