2010 County Programs Administrative Priorities

The role of a District Extension Administrator and County Extension Director is very complex and demanding. It is easy for middle managers to spend their time putting out fires and at the end of day not feeling that they are getting anything accomplished. One thing that can be done to ensure that we focus on administrative functions that will move Texas AgriLife Extension Service to a higher level is establishing and focusing on administrative priorities.

In Fort Davis on November 16-19, 2009 during our EXCEL Conference the following Administrative Priorities were identified;

• Improve Recruitment and Retention
• Reinforce Accountability and Interpretation
• Increase and Diversify Funding
• Increase Capacity to Allocate Resources to Maximize County Program Effectiveness
• Target Program Outreach and Expansion
• Increase Capacity to Monitor and Coordinate Programmatic Functions
• Strengthen Efforts Related to Emergency Preparedness and Education
• Support Greater Utilization of Technology
• Strengthening Branding and Marketing

These priorities provide District Extension Administrators and County Extension Directors with the foundation for the development of specific administrative initiatives that support or interface with statewide initiatives such the South Region's Extension Making a Difference Program Interpretation initiative, a future Recruiting a Diverse Workforce Initiative, etc.

The following administrative priorities represents core administrative functions to ensure Extension's capacity to implement educational programs at the county level;

• Improve Recruitment and Retention
• Reinforce Accountability and Interpretation
• Increase and Diversify Funding
• Increase Capacity to Allocate Resources to Maximize County Program Effectiveness

The following administrative priorities represents administrative functions to ensure program quality at the county level;

• Target Program Outreach and Expansion
• Increase Capacity to Monitor and Coordinate Programmatic Functions
• Strengthen Efforts Related to Emergency Preparedness and Education
• Support Greater Utilization of Technology

The Strengthen Branding and Marketing priority represents an on-going administrative function that is an integrated element of all the other eight priorities. Remember, these priorities provides middle managers with board goals that can serve as the foundations for initiatives that support or interface with statewide initiatives and that will enhance our effectiveness in 2010.