Spring Break
OSU combines outreach programs
Oregon State looks to streamline influence beyond Corvallis limits
Glenn Semrad
Issue date: 4/20/07 Section: News
OSU has announced a merger between its two major outreach programs, Extension Service and Extended Campus.
The OSU Extension Service focuses mainly on informal education, whereas the Extended Campus deals primarily with offering official college credit courses beyond Corvallis, said Sabah Randhawa, OSU provost and executive vice president.
"The primary driver behind the merger is strategic in nature," Randhawa said.
The OSU Extension Service comprises five major outreach programs: 4-H, family and community development, forestry, agriculture and sea grant.
"The last thing we want to do is impact things that are really working well," Randhawa said.
Scott Reed is now the dean and director of both Extension Services and the Extended Campus programs.
Deborah Maddy has recently been appointed assistant director of OSU Extension Service.
OSU is Oregon's only land grant university, which means that it is not only responsible for providing education, but extending the learning into society and applying it to the problems therein, Randhawa said.
Dave King is the department chair of extension and experiment Station Communications which is responsible for development and training of extension faculty.
"I think it's a natural idea that's happening at universities all over the nation," King said.
The OSU agriculture extension offers informal education in everything from land management to food processing, said Bill Braunworth, agriculture extension program director.
"My hope is that the merger will help traditional agriculture programs reach out to broader audiences," Braunworth said.
The merger is generally seen as an opportunity for improvement.
"It's too early to tell," said Jim Johnson, forestry extension program director. "I'm cautiously optimistic that it will be a positive thing."
Any time you have a new organizational structure you want to give it time to see how it's going to develop, Johnson said.
The forestry extension program's primary goal is try to improve the knowledge base of Oregonians concerning their forest lands, Johnson said.
Johnson hopes that the alignment of OSU Extension Services and Extended Campus will result in a lower cost of continued professional education.
The primary cost of continued education comes from missing work, travel expenses, and lodging.
The OSU Extension Service focuses mainly on informal education, whereas the Extended Campus deals primarily with offering official college credit courses beyond Corvallis, said Sabah Randhawa, OSU provost and executive vice president.
"The primary driver behind the merger is strategic in nature," Randhawa said.
The OSU Extension Service comprises five major outreach programs: 4-H, family and community development, forestry, agriculture and sea grant.
"The last thing we want to do is impact things that are really working well," Randhawa said.
Scott Reed is now the dean and director of both Extension Services and the Extended Campus programs.
Deborah Maddy has recently been appointed assistant director of OSU Extension Service.
OSU is Oregon's only land grant university, which means that it is not only responsible for providing education, but extending the learning into society and applying it to the problems therein, Randhawa said.
Dave King is the department chair of extension and experiment Station Communications which is responsible for development and training of extension faculty.
"I think it's a natural idea that's happening at universities all over the nation," King said.
The OSU agriculture extension offers informal education in everything from land management to food processing, said Bill Braunworth, agriculture extension program director.
"My hope is that the merger will help traditional agriculture programs reach out to broader audiences," Braunworth said.
The merger is generally seen as an opportunity for improvement.
"It's too early to tell," said Jim Johnson, forestry extension program director. "I'm cautiously optimistic that it will be a positive thing."
Any time you have a new organizational structure you want to give it time to see how it's going to develop, Johnson said.
The forestry extension program's primary goal is try to improve the knowledge base of Oregonians concerning their forest lands, Johnson said.
Johnson hopes that the alignment of OSU Extension Services and Extended Campus will result in a lower cost of continued professional education.
The primary cost of continued education comes from missing work, travel expenses, and lodging.
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