Southern Administrative Heads and CARET

Joint Summer Meeting

Clemson, SC

July 30 – August 1, 2021

Meeting Brochure

Minutes

Participants:

Saturday, July 31
Joint S-AHS/CARET Session – Keith Belli, S-AHS Chair-Elect

1. Carrie Castille – NIFA Updates
   1. Vision for NIFA for the future
      1. Over next 6 months – aspire to become leading agency for agriculture
         • Received input from stakeholders
         • Most unique aspect – partnership with LGU
         • Extension in every community across the nation
         • Stakeholder support and partnership
         • Seeking innovative funding opportunities
         • Climate smart agriculture & Forestry – internal working group lead by Megan O’Rourke
           • Coordinating work already going on – plant breeding, water conservation, irrigation research and Extension, Artificial intelligence
         • Nutrition Security – Suzanne Stluka taking lead – all of NIFA approach to address – EFNEP, BFREP, food storage and transport; ag supply chain; EXCITE program with CDC on vaccination
         • Building a strong world economy
         • Building a diverse staff with equity in access and opportunities
           • Michael Matthews point person for working with minority serving institutions
           • Fully staffed for DEI
         • Staffing up is progressing with 200 on board currently, opening 50 more positions; recruiting intensively to complete work force
         • Chavondra Jacobs-Young has been nominated as Under Secretary of REE
      2. Q&A
         • How to get Congress to recognize the carbon benefits of forests? Forestry will be central to NIFA’s effort in this area and we’ll have opportunities for support in AFRI
2. Hunt Shipman, Cornerstone – Appropriations Update – Presentation
1. Appropriations
• Y2021 funds have gone out efficiently, now looking at FY2022
• Recent years pattern: uncertainty well into the new fiscal year, not done until 3 – 6 months into fiscal year – forces agencies to do 12 months’ worth of work in 9 months
• House has completed work on Ag Appropriations for FY2022 – was combined on the floor into a large minibus with six other agencies
  • PBR was much greater than recent years, so BAC adjusted to match these higher numbers
  • Final action showed increases in all lines, large increases in Evans-Allen and 1890 Extension
• Senate marks up week of Aug. 2 – pro forma, moves quickly; action on infrastructure may keep Senate around long enough to move Ag budget out of committee
• Omnibus package expected “later in the fall” – will require Continuing Resolution before October 1
• Infrastructure bill
  • $1.2 – $1.5 trillion infrastructure package – bipartisan bill – does not include Ag Research Infrastructure
  • Includes roads, bridges, ports and added broadband
  • Not completed yet, and not certain it will be approved
  • Partisan infrastructure package, $3.5 trillion, will go through budget reconciliation package, and could include ARIA, the BAA infrastructure request for $11.5 billion
  • If bipartisan package doesn’t pass, will likely combine both into budget reconciliation process
• House has already adjourned for August; Senate scheduled to adjourn this week, but bipartisan infrastructure may delay their departure
• Debt ceiling is an issue for FY2022 budget – likely to get 2022 budget in December
• Nominee for Undersecretary for REE – Chavonda Jacobs-Young – named on Thursday, will likely be 4 – 6 weeks before she is confirmed; has been acting in this role
1. Q&A
   • What is timeframe for infrastructure deal? If Bipartisan deal gets approved in Senate, assumes it will be on President’s desk by early September; otherwise will be late September or mid-October
   • What is the dialogue around the ARIA? Had hoped to get it in bipartisan bill, but with the budget constraints, they weren’t surprised to see ARIA excluded since it’s not traditional; hope that Chairman Scott’s interest in 1890 infrastructure will open the discussion to be broader about all ag research infrastructure;
   • What do we need to be doing to keep ARIA front and center? Keep having conversations with members of Congress – have them prepared – Deans, CARET delegates; dilemma is the procedural hurdles (budget reconciliation), political nature of the issue – members of both parties say they’re supportive, but feel constricted from speaking to this due to partisan nature
3. Caron Gala – BAA Advocacy Update – Presentation and Advocacy Letter Example
   • Very dynamic environment, Cornerstone’s expertise has been extremely helpful in guiding our advocacy
   • Review of “The Team”
     • Administrative Head Section, and research, Extension, academic affairs, international sections, along with ED&A team
   • Current campaigns
     • Budget and Appropriations – Unified Ask
       • Priority programs within the three NIFA appropriations accounts
       • Nine programs related to R&E, plus advocacy for academic programs
     • Agricultural Research Infrastructure
       • Advocacy for $40b for ag research, innovation, and ag research infrastructure, includes at least $11.5b for Research Facilities (ARIA)
       • President took R&D/Innovation and brick and mortar facilities out of the bipartisan infrastructure package.
       • Senate leadership is open to ARIA and needs to hear from Senators that this is a priority NOW
     • Engagement with new administration
       • White House – Office of Science and Technology, Domestic Policy Council, Office of Rural Engagement
       • Office of Management and Budget
       • USDA, NIFA
       • Important: working on 3 budgets at any one time –
         • Request (FY2023)
         • Appropriations (FY2022)
         • Current Year (FY2021)
       • Context – NIFA capacity & Competitive appropriations in 1993 dollars down or flat since 1993 (slight increase in competitive)
       • Communications campaign under development – new Assistant VP for CM
       • Other agencies and programs of interest
         • NSF, DOE Energy, NIH Nutrition, CDC, EPA Water, NOAA Fisheries
   • Q&A –
     • Where did the $40b number for infrastructure come from?
       • Put together by the Ag Committee from many stakeholder request for increase support for ag research – partly to raise the ask in order to have a good negotiation amount
     • Communications campaign? More to come later – based on hiring of Andrea Putman as Asst. Vice President of FANR
     • As New Exec. Director of CARET – appreciates the relationship/partnership with CARET delegates – tremendous asset for BAA
     • Pivoting to the multi-year approach that Caron mentioned – want to work with CARET to get public comment submitted when Congress calls for it or USDA
     • FANR Staffing – Caroline Henney, ECOP; Wendy Fink, ACOP; Caron Gala, CARET; Andrea Putman, Comm & External Partnerships; Sandy Ruble, ECOP; Suzette Robinson, Exec. Assist.; Florencia Drumright, CARET support; Tara Westington, ACOP support; one more support person to assist Andrea and BOHS
4. Doug Steele – APLU Update – Presentation
   • APLU about to begin “voluntary” business travel – appreciates Zoom for now
   • Interesting times in DC; appreciation for Dr. Castille’s leadership and previous directors
   • Climate, DEI, public health & food security – adaptations illustrate importance of capacity funds;
   • Pivoting to the multi-year approach that Caron mentioned – want to work with CARET to get public comment submitted when Congress calls for it or USDA
   • FANR Staffing – Caroline Henney, ECOP; Wendy Fink, ACOP; Caron Gala, CARET; Andrea Putman, Comm & External Partnerships; Sandy Ruble, ECOP; Suzette Robinson, Exec. Assist.; Florencia Drumright, CARET support; Tara Westington, ACOP support; one more support person to assist Andrea and BOHS
   • Current priorities
     • FY2023 and beyond
       • Coordinating legislative calendar
       • Multiyear approach
       • Effective messaging (justification; identify gaps; promote strengths)
     • Communications & marketing
       • Strategic roadmap
       • Broader, unified voice
       • Multiple strategies (social media, targeted op eds, print)
     • Strategic Realignment
   • Advocacy RFP Advisory Committee
     • Southern members of the committee
     • 3 year contract with option of 2 year renewal
     • Will be releasing RFP in the next week
     • Goals and Objectives explicit
   • NAAAN – North American Agricultural Advisory Network – led out of Colorado State University
     • Established late in 2020 related to GFRAS
     • NAAAN is working on a North American platform
     • Conducting survey to better understand differences across the continent
   • Q&A
     • Appreciation for getting Caron appointed quickly, she has helped with immediate issues. Really is a team approach, and CARET delegates are key members “we’re here to support your agenda, not to set your agenda”
     • Communication effort – how will it be coordinated with other groups? Refers to Forbes-Tate strategy plan: bring internal communications together – coordinate – assists CARET to have an impact throughout the year – calendar is important; also need external groups to come forward – for capacity funds in particular; need advocacy messaging on value of what LGU do;
     • How do we engage industry groups? Holding one-off meetings with a more formal format, particularly around infrastructure and climate. Also need to strengthen support from livestock groups.
5. Louise Whitesides & Carolyn Williams – ARD and AEA Update
   • AEA – Carolyn Williams – Handout
     • Praise for the LGU network and system; initiative sponsored by CDC – $9.9 million for LGU to be involved in EXCITE, Extension Collaboration on Immunization Teaching & Extension
     • All got startup funding plus second round of funding for pilot projects to develop best practices; all 1890 universities are involved
     • 4-H tech changes project – focus on underserved communities – eight 1890 institutions involved – funding from Verizon, Microsoft, Land-of-lakes, Tractor Supply Foundation; 25,000 adults from rural communities to benefit from this – youth teach older community members to use technology, close digital divide
     • Reducing the impact of SARS and related disruptions to local food systems focusing on small minority-led farms, food processing and food retailing facilities; working with community based organizations in the 1890 network; train the trainer held in spring, 2021;
     • 1890 Extension Leadership Academy – began in 2018, FVSU + Extension Foundation – two cohorts of agents and specialists have completed the program; 3rd cohort starts in September, 2021
     • 1890 system wide conference planned for 2020 now set for 2022 at Renaissance Orlando Sea World Resort next year – July 30 – Aug. 4, 2022; expect 400-500 attendees; 1890aea.org/extensiontoday;
     • Monthly newsletter started last August to highlight programs and their impacts from the 1890 system
   • ARD – Louis Whitesides – Handout
     • National meeting – ARD Research Symposium – April 2 – 5, 2022 – rescheduled; 1,100 attending, with 800 of them graduate students – this is a key recruitment opportunity!
     • ARIA advocacy – fully supporting it – participated in dear colleagues letter
     • Leadership development program – also pushing FSLI and LEAD21 as well as the 1890 program
     • Moses Kairo, chair of ESS meeting; coming up in September
     • 1890 Scholarships program – 797 awarded so far
     • Alton Thompson – GW Carver award from Tuskegee; Al Parks from PVAM named AAEA fellow
6. SAAESD & ASRED Updates – Gary Thompson & Mike Philips
   • SAAESD – Gary Thompson – Presentation, Handout #1, Handout #2
     • New Executive Director of SAAESD began September, 2020; moved office from NCSU to UARK at Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences Annex; Cindy Morley is new program coordinator
     • Retirements : Robert Houtz (UK), David Ragsdale (TAMU), Keith Owens (OSU), Reuben Moore (MSU)
     • Transfers: Henry Fadamiro from Auburn to TAMU, Robert Godfrey from UVI to NIFA Division Director for Animal Systems
     • New COOs – Jamie Matthew (UK), Scott Senseman (OSU), Arthur Appel (?), one more
   • Strategic Roadmap – annual action plans instead of 5-year plan – 5 focus areas:
     • Collaborative discovery
     • Strategic alliances
     • Enhance reputation
     • Effective advocacy
     • Create impact
     • 4 Goals
       • Increase scope, diversity & relevance of our collective research
       • Strengthen collaborative research with regional relevance
       • Support and develop excellent human capital
       • Showcase our member successes, both internally and externally
   • Collaborative discovery example – matrix – lots of gaps – illustrates need for collaboration
     • Example AI initiative – conducted a survey, held a workshop at spring meeting (more than 70 faculty participants), put forward a NIFA conference grant, multi-state research project submitted in less than 3 months; aligned quickly with 1890 research directors
   • Effective advocacy – southern region communicators consortium – working group includes LSU, UARK, UFL, OSU, NCSU, with NIFA Liaison (Andy Thigpen)
     • Increase the clarity, consistency, and scale of messaging from our research programs
     • Speak with a coordinated voice on regional issues that complements, reinforces and elevates messages from our respective universities
     • Broaden the scope of our individual communications from member institutions to network and provide substantive and regular information to generate impact
   • Q&A –
     • We need to coordinate all the various communication efforts – SOAR, BAA, Southern Region, etc.
   • ASRED – Mike Phillips – Handout
     • Turnover – Ashley Stokes at UT, Mike at Alabama Coop Extension System; UFL looking for new Director;
     • Awards at national level – Lemme distinguished Extension Leadership Award, see packet
     • ECOP program committee number of issues focusing on

S-AHS Business Meeting – Keith Belli, Chair-elect

1. AHS Executive Committee meeting
   • Updates were given on NIFA and strategic realignment
   • One Ask discussions about this year’s process and transparency issues
   • CMC report out – Karla Trautman
     • Andrea Putman on board as new ANFR VP for Communications and External Partnerships
     • State communicators group – make sure we have the right contact for each institution
   • CARET Strategic Plan update
     • Interviewed stakeholders
     • Findings – four focuses
       • Coalition building
       • Communication
       • Accountability
       • Training – CARET and AHS members
2. APLU Climate Change Initiative – Gary Thompson – Presentation, Handout #1, Handout #2
   • Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance has been formed with many diverse groups represented
   • ESS conducted a survey about work going on at Experiment Stations about climate research going on
     • 80% response (62 out of 77)
     • 93% of SAES have a climate research portfolio (64% medium to large)
   • Asked about activity within14 climate research domains, more than 50% had activity in 6 of the domains
   • 86% have competitive grant funding that supports climate research
   • Gaps and opportunities
     • Social science & policy domains
       • Equity and impact on communities of color
       • Social change and impact communications
       • Human health and urban environments
       • Opportunity: accelerate social science progress in addressing climate change impacts
       • Gap: less than 50% of institutions have laboratories uniquely configured to address climate issues or have state of the art instrumentation
       • Opportunity: facilities and instrumentation are areas ripe for investment
         • Aligned with current BAA infrastructure advocacy
         • 13 federal agencies competitive grant funding
     • Ongoing system activities –
       • 2021 ESS meeting at Olympic Valley, CA, Sep. 27-30; session on ag research as solution to climate change, panel, tabletop discussions about strategies
       • Southern mini land-grant meeting will have a session on Climate change
     • National Extension Climate Initiative has developed an advocacy & Education toolkit for ECOP
     • Food & Ag Climate Alliance – working with AFBF, EDF, Food Industry Assoc., National Alliance of Forest Owners, NASDA, NCFC, NFU, TNC
       • 3 principles
       • 6 areas of focus
       • 6 Policy recommendations
       • Roles of LGU
         • Inventory existing resources to determine gaps in research, teaching curricula, data sets and ag producer engagement
         • Develop platforms that assist producers
         • Move quickly from small scale projects to replicating applied research to adoption
         • Establish goals and priorities for food and ag to address climate resiliency
         • Promote adaptability and resilience in food and ag
         • Integrate the behavioral changes necessary to adopt new practices and technologies
     • CFERR climate change/resiliency working group
       • Short term goal – conference
       • Outcomes – longer term collaboration
     • Q&A
       • Climate-smart ag varies dramatically across the geography of US agriculture; need DOE funding for centers in the south – overrepresented in the northern regions – need to push on more investment in the south for climate-smart ag
       • Any goals or metrics related to increased resources for climate-smart ag research & extension – Need to address at ESS national meeting – lack of coordination;
       • Are there any multi-state projects on climate change? Need to identify two or three? Discussion has started, but not produced results yet
   • Improving state match for 1890s – Louis Whitesides, VP for Land Grant programs at SCSU
     • 1890 law called on states to allocate funds equitably; SCSU was the largest institution in South Carolina at the time the law was passed; today, Clemson has 20,000 students, SCSU has 2,000 – due to differences in state investments in the institutions
     • 30% of USDA NIFA capacity funds are supposed to be for 1890’s – only achieved this recently;
     • 10 of 19 institutions do not meet their match requirement
     • Perception problems: competition for state funds between 1862 and 1890 institutions – seems absurd – in SC, $96 million budget for Clemson LG agencies, SCSU receives $8 million; Not about giving some of Clemson money to SCSU, but rather increasing funding for SCSU – his example of getting SCFB on board with plussing up SCSU funding, not at the expense of Clemson
     • Louis and Keith meet annually to share legislative agenda
     • Identify three key leaders who need to understand
       • Ag Commissioner for SC
       • SC Agribusiness Council
       • SC Farm Bureau
     • Currently at $1.3 million above the match requirement; Clemson is $3.5 million above match
       • 14 counties do not get Extension programming from either institution (of 76 counties total)
       • 1862 institutions need to advocate for 1890 equity
       • Next step in SC is at the county level – need Clemson to lead the discussion to engage county with SCSU Extension as well
     • Q&A
       • Do you coordinate on agent expertise and programs at county level? Louis: no but there’s no duplication of effort; e.g. 4-H – for Clemson is mainly Ag based, for SCSU is mainly urban, STEM and technology; collaborate on agriculture programming, mostly complementary
       • Need to have collaboration at the top level; bottom up won’t be sufficient
   • Institutional Updates – All – Handout
     • Updates details are in the handout.

Sunday, August 1, 2021
Joint S-AHS/CARET Session – Oscar Taylor, S-CARET Chair

1. Business Meeting Reports – Oscar Taylor (CARET) & Keith Belli (AHS)
   • CARET
     • Our purpose
       • CARET delegates serve at the pleasure of deans and administrative heads – work is involved
       • Having the right CARET delegates is key
     • Other take a-ways
       • Larger roles with deeper pushes
       • CARET needs to evolve
       • Making comments during official comment periods – few submit anything, which gives greater power to those who do weigh in
       • Need faster response times
       • Effective messaging is key, too many gaps, too much lag time – follow up time can be non-existent; need a quick/immediate and simple note – thanks for meeting with me, thanks for their service, show appreciation for their commitment
       • Collaboration between 1890 and 1862 is improving – tough conversation, but it must take place; LGU are here to serve the people of their state – need to collaborate beyond the annual meetings
       • States that don’t have the match for 1890 funding – all but 3
       • Compliments to Clemson on their hosting the meeting
       • Next meeting is mini-land grant at TAMU, PVAM next May
   • S-AHS
     • Gary Thompson presentation on current work on climate change – vast majority of LGU are already working on this and receiving external funding for it
       • Some gaps – opportunities to expand – social science & policy
     • Louis Whitesides led discussion on achieving state match requirement for 1890 institutions
       • Emphasis is on growing the pie, not cutting the slices slimmer
     • Congratulations to Nick Place (UGA) – nominated to Secretary position – will vote in March
   • 1890’s Centers of Excellence
     • Center of Excellence for Global Food Security & Defense – Moses Kairo, UMES – Presentation
       • Started with 125th anniversary of 1890 LGU Act in 2015
       • Needed resources to initiate these, which were included in 2018 Farm Bill – six centers were authorized
       • 1890 University Center of Excellence for Global Food Security & Defense received $1.3 million in funding – UMES is host institution
       • Governance –
         • Core administration is UMES and 1890 Foundation
         • Executive Committee, Gov. Board, Tech. Adv. Committee
       • Three purposes
         • Implement projects designed to supply the country with a globally educated work force
         • Foster collaboration among 1890’s
         • Four regions identified internationally – W. Africa, E. Africa, Caribbean, Latin America
       • Operations – RFA – pilot projects – full projects
       • Center of Excellence for International ED
       • Context – one of three Centers of Excellence – focus on work force development
       • Six projects funded
       • Global food and nutritional security
     • Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness and Quality of Life – Renita Marshall, Southern University – Presentation
       • Introduction
         • African Americans (AA) remain least healthy ethnic group in the USA
         • Diet is a key contributor to disparities in many chronic diseases and conditions
         • AA communities trust 1890 institutions
         • 1890 institutions can play important roles in assisting – type 2 diabetes, stroke, heart disease, obesity
         • LA, NC, AL are among the top 10 most obese states in non-Hispanic black adults
         • Southern, Tuskegee, NCAT collaborating on this Center of Excellence
       • Southern is the lead institution, co-institutions include NCAT, Tuskegee; other 1890s can participate through sub-awards
       • Emphasis is on three legs of the mission – research, teaching, Extension
         • Research
           • Objective: conduct innovative research in areas of food, nutrition, health and well-being
           • Expected products and results
             • Metabolomics – analyze important microbial metabolites
             • Built metabolomics core facility at NCAT to study diet and health disparities and share across 1890 institutions
         • Teaching
           • Expose students to the best educational and leadership opportunities within the field of nutrition, health, wellness and quality of life
           • Recruit 9 students (3 per institutions) as Center Scholars
           • Virtual symposium series on diet-related health disparities to the 1890 community
           • Present at 1890 research symposium in 2022
         • Extension
           • Create platform and opportunity to work to further strengthen the existing nutrition education programs at each institution
             • Sisters together: move more, eat better – testing feasibility of this program at Southern
             • Make Fruits and Vegetables available to all – testing feasibility at Tuskegee
             • Evaluating mobile educational technology unit
             • Speedway to health – NCAT program
       • 1890 Universities Foundation
         • Pilot project program for faculty at all 1890 institutions – 5 projects to be funded, $250k available this round – proposals due Sept. 7
       • Advisory board
         • 9 members – medical societies, faculty/scientist from medical and biomedical institutions, community members, private companies
       • Team members Dr. Fatemeh Malekian, Project Director from Southern University Brittany Howard, Project Coordinator
       • LLENA Learning to Love Eating Nutritionally Always Health Solutions, Inc. (LLENA/Artificial Intelligence)
       • Q&A
         • Timeline for scholarships?– awarded May 2021, for 1 year; recruiting participants now – seminar series begins in September
         • Are you working with EFNEP? Yes
         • Are you focusing on children, women, and/or men? Focus is on women – higher level of obesity
     • Center of Excellence for Student Success and Workforce Development – Ralph Noble, FVSU – Presentation
       • Initial title was Center Motivate and Educate for Achievement (MEA Center)
       • Center for Student Success and Workforce Development evolved from MEA
       • Host institution is NCAT
       • Leaky pipeline analogy – begin working with students in grades 6 – 12 to plug some holes
       • Stakeholders, advisory board, supports minority students, 1890 programming
       • MEA Center – funded by USDA/NIFA
       • Diversify the FANH sciences and STEM workforce pipeline for Food, Agriculture, Natural Resources, Human Sciences
       • Collaboration within the 1890 LGU system
       • Objectives:
         • Recruit, retain, mentor and graduate underrepresented students
         • Workforce development
         • Stem engagement
         • Experiential learning
       • Collaborative structure
         • Seven co-lead institutions UAPB, NCAT, Lincoln, Tuskegee, FAMU, VSU, UMES
         • Funded projects
           • Obj. 1 – focus on transfer students – Alabama A&M and WVSU
           • Obj. 2 – customized internship program in food sciences – Tuskegee, UMES
           • Obj. 3 – building community of future employees – FAMU, VSU
           • Obj. 4 – FarmMore – Tuskegee
       • Website is at http://mea.ag.ncat.edu/
       • Encouraging internships and externships – especially ties in with focus on experiential learning, expansion of women in FANH and STEM career