National search planned for Cooperative Extension director

Submitted by Marmian Grimes
Phone: (907) 474-7902
01/30/07

University of Alaska Fairbanks Chancellor Steve Jones and Vice Chancellor for Rural, Community and Native Education Bernice Joseph have announced that UAF plans to launch a national search for a new director of its Cooperative Extension Service.

The move is in concert with a plan to strengthen Cooperative Extension and boost its statewide visibility and impact. Goals include increasing public awareness of the education and information services available at the nearly two dozen extension offices and publication distribution points throughout Alaska. In addition, UAF plans to reinforce the relationship between Cooperative Extension and other units in UAF so that it is recognized both as a source of reliable information and as a gateway to UAF.

"My objective is to emerge from this period of change with a CES empowered and enabled to meet our high expectations for service, education, scholarship and engagement,"? Jones said in a letter to the Cooperative Extension Service’s state advisory council. "The end result will be a stronger CES, poised to serve Alaska and Alaskans during our state’s next 50 years and beyond."?

Eric Madsen, dean of the UAF School of Education, will lead the Cooperative Extension director search committee. Until a new director can be hired, Pete Pinney, associate dean of academic affairs at UAF’s College of Rural and Community Development, will serve as interim director. Pinney will work with a specially formed task group to develop recommendations to enable CES, including its 4-H youth development programs, to fully realize its potential as an outreach arm of UAF across Alaska.

Tony Nakazawa, who has led Cooperative Extension Service since 1997, recently accepted a faculty position in UAF’s School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences.

"He will be stationed in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley, where his leadership will be instrumental in expanding SNRAS education and outreach programs, particularly in Southcentral Alaska,"? said Carol Lewis, SNRAS dean.

CONTACT: Pete Pinney, CES interim director, at (907) 474-7246 or via e-mail at ffppp@uaf.edu. Marmian Grimes, UAF public information officer, at (907) 474-7902 or via e-mail at marmian.grimes@uaf.edu.