For Employees
Roles of Specialists and Agents in the 21st Century
Overall Theme: The mission of the NDSU Extension
Service is to create learning partnerships that help adults
and youth enhance their lives and communities.
General Statement: The roles of specialists and
agents are continuously evolving. While there are distinct
responsibilities tied to each of these roles, there also
is an increasing number of overlapping responsibilities.
Teamwork and communication are significant responsibilities
of everyone in this overlapping effort, and it is essential
to have dialogue between specialists and agents about their
program goals. Additionally, both specialists and agents
have responsibilities for addressing the growing diversity
of North Dakotans in ethnicity, culture and age. While it
is expected that specialists assume lead roles in developing
curricula, agents are key to the determination of appropriate
delivery modes because of their familiarity with constituents.
The information below describes both the distinct yet overlapping
responsibilities of NDSU Extension Service specialists and
agents
Overlapping
Roles |
Roles of
Specialists |
Roles of
Agents |
| issue
identification |
Work
across state, North Central Region, nation and internationally.
Utilize agents, producer groups, advisory councils,
etc., to help identify issues and communities of interest.
Engage with the industry the specialist serves. |
Work
within county and across area and state. Utilize producer
groups, advisory councils, etc., to help identify issues
and communities of interest. |
| program
scope |
Provide
statewide and North Central Region/national programs
that address the needs of adults, youth and communities.
Communication with county offices essential on local
efforts. |
Provide county, area and statewide programs
that address the needs of adults, youth and communities.
Communication with specialists essential on statewide
efforts. |
| partnerships |
Provide
leadership/support for agents, and partner with other
entities across the university, state, North Central
Region, nation and internationally. |
Build
partnerships with specialists, other educators and local
entities across county, area and state.
|
| grantsmanship |
Seek significant grants across subject
matter areas, disciplines and issues. Develop and deliver
grant-based programs to increasingly enhance educational
programming with soft/non-appropriated dollars. Communication
at the ground level with all staff to be involved is paramount.
Provide leadership for seeking grants if requested by
staff. |
Partner
to write, receive, develop and deliver grant-based programs
to enhance educational efforts. See this Website for
help: http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/policy/grants.htm.
|
| communication
|
Collaborate
and communicate with county staff prior to programming
in the county (let staff know when they�re going to
be in town) or writing county staff or other specialists
into grants if expecting them to do additional work. |
Collaborate and communicate with appropriate district
director, bordering county staff, specialists on statewide
efforts, and local county staff prior to program delivery
in another county. |
| research |
Lead,
interpret and evaluate implications of research, and
disseminate or provide easy access to relevant information
requested by county staff. |
Teach and disseminate research-based information
and be involved in applied research as appropriate. |
| subject
matter content |
Lead
and teach state-wide, in-depth, research-based educational
programs for train-the-trainer; mobilize teams around
more specialized content delivery for communities of
interest; and provide easy access to teaching materials
in multiple formats including Web-based, CD or other
appropriate methods. |
Provide
depth to educational programs (including teaching) and
subject matter competencies with increased focus on
teaching and delivery, and adding local value to educational
programs (communities of place). |
| public
policy |
Help
shape public policy using research-based information. |
Facilitate community discussions on the alternatives and
consequences of public policy decisions. |
| accountability |
Develop
and lead evaluation strategies to determine impact of
programs, and determine private value and public value
of programs. |
Determine appropriate measure of success/expected
outcome with specialists and, in some cases, assume leadership
for assessment impact studies. |
| program
delivery and marketing |
Market
program and Extension through news releases, radio and
television support, and Web-based impact information.
Notify county offices if a tag line is used to refer readers
to their local county office for more information and
provide offices with the information referenced. |
Report Extension program impacts to local
decision makers, agency/organization professionals, legislators
and others |
Adapted from University of Nebraska Cooperative Extension
- Lincoln by Karen L. Zotz, Assistant Director, Nutrition,
Youth and Family Science - September 2004, Revised February
2006 by Roger G. Haugen, Assistant Director, Ag and Natural
Resource
|
