UW-Extension's Uncertain Future, Part 1
Friday, January 29th, 2016 -- 12:50 PM
-County UW-Extension offices are beginning the first steps of reorganizing due to the $250 million budget cut to the UW-System approved by the Wisconsin Legislature.The Regional Director of the UW-Extension's Northwest Regional Office came to Clark County on Thursday to speak with Extension employees and some board members of the County's Extension Committee about the proposed changes. Because of the cuts to the system, the Cooperative Extension Program is facing a $3.6 million budget deficit. The Regional Directors asked for input from all counties in regards to what County Boards and Extension employees would like to see happen with their Extension Programs. The general consensus was that they would like to retain people and services, but the Cooperative Extension Program has no choice, but to consider the opposite.
So, instead of telling all departments to cut 8.3%, which is what the deficit equals for each department, and trying to maintain the quality programs and employees they have; their proposal is suggesting that instead of being a single county entity, a UW-Extension office will be comprised of several counties. In Clark County's case, the proposal would put them with the counties of Marathon, Wood, Portage and Waupaca. Furthermore, Clark County would still have a UW-Extension Office, but the organization of employees would be different.
Instead of having, for example, one CNRED Agent for each of the 5 counties, there would be one CNRED Agent that would work with all 5 counties. A further break down would include an Area Leader that would work with all 5 counties, an area educator that would work in the multiple counties with different programs, a local educator who would handle programs in one specific county and an operations coordinator who would act as a liaison between the local and area educator.
None of this is set in stone at this point and there are still many questions to be answered and many things to figure out. At this point, the optimistic timeline is that a decision on the reorganization will take place soon and they will begin putting committees together soon after. They hope to begin implementation by July of 2016 and most personnel changes are expected to begin by last this year or early next. Right now, many Extension employees, including Clark County's, wonder about their futures and the other aspects this proposal brings.
Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.