NACAA Futuring Committee Report 2006 · NACAA Futuring Committee Report, 2006 Page 2 The survey...

NACAA Futuring Committee Report

Presented to

NACAA President, Officers, and Board of Directors

From

NACAA Futuring Committee

John Begeman Arizona Cooperative Extension

Keith Mickler University of Georgia Cooperative Extension Service

Brad Brummond North Dakota State University Extension Service

Pedro Perdomo Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension

Michael R. Bush, Ph.D. Washington State Extension

Mary Sobba University of Missouri Extension

Cynthia L. Gregg Virginia Cooperative Extension

Wendy Sorrell University of Vermont Extension

Daniel Kluchinski, Committee Chair Rutgers Cooperative Research and Extension

Ron Vick Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service

Virginia Knerr Montana State University Extension

Presented at

Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference Cincinnati, Ohio

July 2006

NACAA Futuring Committee Report, 2006 Page 1

NACAA Futuring Committee Report

INTRODUCTION NACAA Futuring Committee Charge: The NACAA Futuring Committee was formed by President Glenn Rogers in January 2005 as an ongoing effort to evaluate the organization’s future. The committee’s charge was to focus on how or what should NACAA do to address the following issues and concerns:

• Increasing younger membership and involvement • Attendance at the Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference

(AM/PIC) • Building relationships with the Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP)

and other professional associations • Different staffing patterns and effects on clientele • Helping members understand issues better • Is the NACAA mission changing? • Increased relationships with USDA–CSREES • Increasing your support for promotion and tenure back home • What role does NACAA play as a leader in the changing Extension System?

Committee Membership: Members of the NACAA Futuring Committee were selected by President Rogers with the assistance of the NACAA Officers, Regional Directors and State Presidents. The goal was to have a mix of professionals with various backgrounds and disciplines, regional representation, years of experience, and other aspects of diversity that represent our membership. Committee members and their contact information are listed in Appendix 1.

METHODOLOGY Committee Meetings: The committee’s work was conducted over a 16-month period from January 2005 through April 2006. During that time, the committee met through nine conference calls and one face-to-face meeting. In addition, various subcommittees were formed and met via additional conference calls to conduct in-depth discussions and data discovery on specific issues. Over the period, ideas were generated and deliberated, and a list of issues that required further input was determined. Surveys: The discussions became the basis for surveys conducted by the committee to gather data, opinions and views on various items that related to the charge of the committee. Five surveys were conducted. Four of the surveys were administered using the web-based survey tool Zoomerang (©1999-2006, MarketTools, Inc.); the surveyed groups were State Committee Chairs, National Committee Chairs and Regional Vice Chairs, State Association Officers (via the state president) and NACAA members. The fifth survey of Life Members (retirees) was administered by US Postal Service mail with the assistance of the National NACAA Office.


The survey launch dates, distribution numbers, reminder notifications, closing dates, number of completed surveys and percent response rate are listed below in Table 1.

Table 1. Summary of Surveys Administered by the NACAA Futuring Committee (December 2005–March 2006)

Survey Launch

Date Number Sent

Reminder notifications Date(s)

Closing Date

Number Completed

% Return Rate

State Committee Chairs 12/20/25 613 1/9/06, 1/16/06 1/20/06 226 37

National Committee Chairs and Regional Vice Chairs

12/16/05 77 12/19/05, 1/9/06, 1/16/06

1/20/06 52 68

State Association Officers 12/16/05 49 12/19/05, 1/9/06, 1/16/06

1/20/06 28 57

NACAA Members 12/16/05 3405 12/19/05, 1/9/06, 1/16/06

1/20/06 1221 36

NACAA Life Members 2/1/06 2738 none 3/8/06 879 32

The summary data for all five surveys are located in Appendices 2-6; the four web based survey results can also be viewed on-line at the following URLs:

Appendix 2 - NACAA Committee State Chairs Survey Results http://www.zoomerang.com/reports/public_report.zgi?ID=L22HKPENLZYR Appendix 3 - Committee Leadership (Council Chairs, National Chairs and Regional Vice Chairs) Survey Results http://www.zoomerang.com/reports/public_report.zgi?ID=L22HF5GRMTUH Appendix 4 - State Association Officers (via State President) Survey Results http://www.zoomerang.com/reports/public_report.zgi?ID=L22HFF27YGLS Appendix 5 - Member Survey Results http://www.zoomerang.com/reports/public_report.zgi?ID=L22HGPT7LU5Q Appendix 6 – Life Members Survey

Additional Input: The Futuring Committee not only considered their charge, but also the organizational mission and goal statements of NACAA to be sure that our recommendations were no solely focusing on contemporary issues but also the core mission of the organization. Our perceived role was to debate and discuss our organizations form and function to determine if they best suit the emerging needs of the membership and the organization.


NACAA Mission and Goals: The mission of NACAA, an organization of professional Extension educators, is to:

• Further the professional improvement of its members • Further communication and cooperation among all Extension educators • Provide for enhancement of the image of Extension • Provide for the development of personal growth opportunities for Extension

professionals. The goals of NACAA are:

• Promote the Extension educator as a credible, research based educational resource.

• Enhance their leadership skills. • Increase participation in NACAA programs and activities, including the Annual

Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference, and professional improvement programs as access to academic credit and educational resources.

• Strengthen the involvement in NACAA of early career agents, women and minorities.

• Enhance NACAA’s visibility with CSREES-USDA and the Land Grant Universities.1

In addition, data from several State Officers Workshops held during the last two AM/PICs were reviewed and considered as additional input (Appendix 7, 8). All of the input and data were compiled to generate the body of this report, presented as issues, concerns and recommendation for consideration by NACAA leadership. A report draft was presented to the NACAA Board for their review and comment at their Spring Board meeting in April 2006; the committee chair attended via conference call to review the report and recommendations. The final report will be presented in July 2006 at the NACAA Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio.

DISCUSSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS This section of the report is organized under subheadings for the nine issues outlined in the committee’s original charge. These summaries focus on issues of relevance and items of concern that should be addressed, opportunities for solutions, and ideas for NACAA to pursue in the short and long term. In some cases the scope of our charge was expanded by suggestions from members or from our own committee and subcommittee discussions. The sixty-two recommendations of the committee are bulleted and numbered throughout the text. Increasing (younger) membership and involvement 1 NACAA Policy Handbook, Chapter 3-1. July, 2005.


There are two major issues that must be addressed within any organization – increasing the number of new members while retaining current members, and increasing and maintaining the involvement of the members in the organization. A series of questions were posed in the surveys to gather information on the attractiveness, relevance, and importance of NACAA membership and associated benefits. NACAA Attractiveness and Relevance: State association officers were asked to respond to several statements related to membership issues (SAOQ1) 2. Only 43% agree or strongly agree that NACAA membership is attractive to newly hired employees, while surprisingly 30% indicated they disagree or strongly disagree; 21% were undecided. Seventy-two percent (72%) indicated their state association is having difficulty attracting new members, while only 29% agreed that they had difficulty retaining new members. Responses indicate that NACAA is relevant to new employees (68%), and early career workers (68%), but surprisingly a much larger percentage feel that NACAA is more relevant to mid career workers (92%) and late career workers (85%). This suggests that state associations are facing the issue of new employees not realizing or knowing the benefits of membership, or it may not be effectively communicated by NACAA or the state association. Of greater concern is that if state officers do not see NACAA as relevant to new employees, they may be sending an inappropriate message or not fully making the effort needed to attract new members. Of additional concern is that 75% agree that the potential pool of members is shrinking as the number of employees in their state is declining. These parameters raise questions about the future of the organization if NACAA cannot attract new members into the organization.

• Recommendation 1: Conduct a follow-up assessment with state association officers to determine the source of their opinions about the relevance of NACAA to potential members and new and early career members.

• Recommendation 2: Develop a membership campaign and membership drive

within state associations. The two NACAA promotional brochures should be used more often; they should also be reviewed and revised periodically to remain relevant and current. NACAA should consider development of a member welcome packet that includes NACAA and state association materials.

Why Members Join: Many issues can influence the opportunity and choice of a Cooperative Extension employee joining NACAA. NACAA must entice new members

2 Throughout the text, the following abbreviations are used to document the source of the data presented. Each of these surveys can be found in the appendices:

M= Members Survey CL=Committee Leadership (Council Chairs, Committee National Chairs, Committee Regional Vice Chairs) Survey CSC=Committee State Chair Survey SAO=State Association Officers Survey LM=Life Members Survey

Each survey code is followed by Q# to provide the question number from which the data were derived.


based on the benefits that membership offers. Members indicated (MQ12) the top five reasons why they initially joined NACAA are: (1) for networking opportunities; encouragement by someone (tie) (3) to gain new skills or knowledge, (4) to stay informed on developments in the field, and (5) because it was expected by peers. Therefore three of the top responses indicate a personal desire for professional and personal growth and development. Why Members Renew: Members indicated (MQ13) that their top five reasons for renewing and maintaining their membership to NACAA are: (1) for networking opportunities, (2) to stay informed of developments in the field, (3) to gain new skills or knowledge, (4) to gain professional recognition and visibility, and (5) because it was expected by peers. Therefore the reasons for joining and maintaining membership to NACAA are similar, with professional recognition a desire that likely develops over time as one’s career matures.

• Recommendation 3: Develop new and improved outreach materials (web, print, and video) that provide member testimonials about how NACAA benefited them, stressing these personal and professional benefits to new, potential or current members.

• Recommendation 4: NACAA must continue efforts to educate state Extension

Administration that NACAA is a premier professional improvement organization, offering significant opportunities and benefits to their Extension educators. Their encouragement and support of employee involvement in NACAA is critical to survival.

Dues: Membership dues were a significant topic of discussion and debate within NACAA several years ago. While many people voice concern about the cost of dues the value they receive from the organization, if involved, is significant. New members need to feel they are part of a larger organization and that their investment in dues is an investment in future professional improvement, recognition and leadership opportunities. Rather than readdress the issue, the Committee decided solely to ask the question of who pays the dues of the individual members. Fifty-three percent (53%) pay for their annual membership fee while 36% have their dues paid by the county or state, with the remaining 11% having dues paid from other sources (MQ17).

• Recommendation 5: To attract new members, NACAA or state associations should consider a new member dues discount or fully paying first year dues. Another alternative is for states to develop multiple levels of membership, i.e. one rate for new members, one higher for an early career (1-5 years) member, and a final uniform dues rate after 5 years; these step increases may be an incentive for a lower paid, earlier career agent to become involved with a smaller financial investment.

Membership Development: Members need to be sought, rather than expecting them to come to us. State associations are the cornerstone of the NACAA organization,


providing a daily opportunity for interaction with colleagues. However, state chapters do not often do what is necessary to keep people informed, active and involved; they must work harder to keep new and current members informed; a personal approach is essential. Although an officer training session is held during the AM/PIC and the regional Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP) meetings, it is only presented to those who attend the meeting. The existing “State Officer’s Toolbox” on the NACAA web site should be more widely advertised and circulated to state officers to assist them in better learning their role and function.

• Recommendation 6: The NACAA State Relations Committee should be proactive in working with state presidents and officers to provide support, guidance and assistance with membership development issues. The web-based orientation kit for new state officers should be provided to each current state officer, and at least once a year state associations reminded of its existence and use. Additionally, state officers should receive reminder e-mails as necessary regarding upcoming deadlines, and their roles and obligations to NACAA.

Benefits of Importance: Members’ satisfaction is paramount to their continued membership and involvement in the organization. NACAA offers a cadre of programs, products, services, resources and opportunities as benefits to members. When asked to rate the importance of the various members benefits, the top six items rated as moderately to very important were (MQ6): (1) The County Agent print magazine (86%); (2) public relations, legislative issues, and promotion of profession efforts (82%); (3) awards (81%); (4) scholarships (80%); (5) leadership opportunities (79%); (6) the Annual Meeting/Professional Improvement Conference (AM/PIC) Proceedings (74%) and the opportunity to attend the AM/PIC (74%) – tie. The NACAA Annual Report was rated as the least important benefit, with 43% indicating this was of little importance or unimportant. The opportunity to be a presenter at the AM/PIC (24%), the NACAA web site (22%) and e-County Agent (22%) were the other items most frequently listed as being of little importance or unimportant as a benefit of membership.

• Recommendation 7: NACAA should reconsider the publication of the Annual Report, or scale back the contents and associated effort to reduce workload. In addition, NACAA should develop new mechanisms for recording and reporting annual information (award recipients, hours of professional training offered, officer and director reports, etc.) that are more efficient and searchable i.e. database. These records should be used for historical documentation and data analyses for planning and promotional purposes.

• Recommendation 8: NACAA should increase the visibility or members’

knowledge of the opportunity to present at the AM/PIC, the NACAA web site, and e-County Agent. These should be shared through The County Agent print magazine since it is very popular, but through other venues as well.

• Recommendation 9: The NACAA web site should be used to share information and resources that relate to professional improvement, not just association information.


• Recommendation 10: Committees should be encouraged to develop web sites

similar to the one operated by the Early Career Development Committee that provide resources and information on topics relevant to the theme and objectives of the committee.

Satisfaction with Benefits: Seventy-one percent (71%) of members indicated NACAA adequately meets their professional improvement needs (MQ14). NACAA members indicated that they are moderately to very satisfied with the following program, products, services, resources and opportunities currently offered by NACAA (MQ7): (1) The County Agent print magazine (92%); (2) awards (86%); (3) scholarships (82%) and leadership opportunities (82%) – tie; (5) public relations, legislative issues, and promotion of profession efforts (78%); (6) NACAA web site appearance and navigation (76%) and the Annual Meeting/Professional Improvement Conference (AM/PIC) Proceedings (76%) – tie. Dissatisfaction with any of the listed programs, products, services, resources and opportunities did not exceed 8% for any one item, illustrating that the balance of responses were that members were not familiar with them. The highest lack of knowledge was indicated for the following member benefits: (1) being a presenter at the AM/PIC (49%); (2) the e-County Agent newsletter (28%); and the NACAA Annual Report (25%).

• Recommendation 11: NACAA must do more to articulate the availability of these services or reevaluate the value these endeavors have to membership.

Expansion of Benefits: Since it is important to keep members satisfied and to meet their changing needs and desires, NACAA must adopt, develop and offer new and expanded programs, products and services. Survey respondents indicated the following items are desirable to strongly desirable (MQ8 and 9) to them: (1) Journal publication featuring practical applications (78%); (2) Short courses, seminars or workshops separate from the AM/PIC (75%) and AM/PIC presentations available on the NACAA web site (75%) – tie; (4) Public relations training workshops at AM/PIC (74%) and roundtable discussions on topics and current issues at AM/PIC (74%) – tie; (6) Learning modules or training via the NACAA web site (72%) and searchable members database (72%) – tie.

• Recommendation 12: The opportunity to expand products and services beyond those currently offered is clearly necessary to maintain membership numbers and satisfaction. Additional recommendations related to many of these items suggested above appear in other sections of this report.

NACAA uniquely offers (MQ16) the following top identified items that other professional associations do not: (1) networking (90 responses); (2) family focus (75 responses); (3) an agent’s perspective; (4) tours (37 responses); and (5) recognition, development and awards (34 responses). Since networking was a top identified benefit, it should be important to expand this opportunity for networking year round. NACAA has begun to develop and make available a computer-based searchable member database.


Seventy-nine percent (79%) indicated this networking tool would be of interest to them (MQ18), 94% would include their contact and professional information so it is available to members (MQ19), and 83% would use it (MQ20). For those indicating an interest in using the database, they indicated the following uses (MQ21): (1) as a directory to contact and locate members (80%) and contact people with similar interests and expertise as an informational resource (80%) – tie; (3) to contact potential speakers for educational meetings (64%); (4) contact people with similar interests and expertise to develop multi-state, multi-regional or national collaborations (53%); and (5) contact people with similar interests and expertise to develop topic based programming (52%).

• Recommendation 13: The NACAA Member Database project should move forward and be widely announced to the membership. The database should be password protected for members use only. The Council Chairs should work with the Executive Director and Communications Coordinator to develop a set of objectives, goals and applications of this database.

• Recommendation 14: Additional opportunities should be realized when the

database is operational for use by the members. List-serves that would allow members to interact with colleagues from around the country on current or emerging issues should be considered.

Life Members: Life members are an important part of our overall NACAA association, providing a vital link to our history and to their experience and expertise. Therefore it is important that Life Members feel adequately involved through communication. Seventy-three (73%) percent of Life members indicated that communication between the national office and them was adequate, while 63% stated it was adequate between their state association and themselves (LMQ5, 6). When asked which they preferred to be their primary contact, 27% stated national, 40% state and 34% had no preference.

• Recommendation 15: Communication with Life Members must be maintained by both the NACAA national office and their state association, and should be increased by state associations.

New Partners, New Members: NACAA must look beyond their traditional audiences and should maintain and expand outreach to our sister 1890 and 1994 Institutions. The opportunities that we can provide should be shared, and NACAA would be strengthened by an increase in the diversity of members from all institutions that comprise the Land Grant Colleges and Universities. NACAA and state associations may need to open up barriers and work to create interest in NACAA. It may not only lead to new members, but increased strength and vitality of the organization.

• Recommendation 16: NACAA should encourage and enhance efforts to expand and increase participation of the 1890 and 1994 Institutions, and encourage state associations to assist where possible with these efforts.

Attendance at AM/PIC


The Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference (AM/PIC) is the association’s major event. In addition to meeting the requirements for an annual business meeting, the event offers significant professional development and recognition opportunities to the membership. Of concern is that over the past three years (2003-2005) only 18.5% of the total membership attended the AM/PIC. This percentage has been stagnant despite the increased professional improvement offerings at the meeting. There are many possible reasons or causes why people attend or do not attend. Members were asked whether or not future attendance would increase or be maintained. On average, 27% of the survey respondents indicated they had attended an AM/PIC in the past five years, while 40% had not (MQ28). Survey recipients were asked about the impact of event timing, location, registration cost, lodging costs, travel costs, family program fees, etc. on increasing or maintaining their future attendance. Time of Year: Forty-three percent (43%) of members responded they agree or strongly agree that their attendance at the AM/PIC would increase or be maintained if the conference dates were rotated between the summer months; 20% disagree or strongly disagree (MQ29-1). This response was similar with the Life Members, who indicated they too preferred (47%) a rotation of summer months to maintain their attendance (LMQ3-1). Thirty-seven percent (37%) of members responded they agree or strongly agree that their attendance would increase or be maintained if the conference dates were rotated throughout the entire year, while 33% disagree or strongly disagree (MQ29-2). Life Members were more concerned about the rotation of the AM/PIC affecting their attendance; only 24% agreed their attendance would be maintained or increase, while 44% indicated their attendance would decrease (LMQ3-2).

• Recommendation 17: NACAA should insist that bidding states select dates that prevent having the AM/PIC held during the same week or month each year. NACAA should further explore whether or not the AM/PIC should be held beyond the summer months.

Program Length: Thirty-four percent (34%) of members agree or strongly agree, and 37% disagree or strongly disagree, that their attendance at the AM/PIC would increase or be maintained if the program length was shortened by one day, such as tours optional on the last day (MQ29-3). Similarly, 31% of Life Members agreed and 40% disagreed that their attendance would increase if the program was shortened.

• Recommendation 18: NACAA should not shorten the length of the AM/PIC unless future financial concerns or logistical parameters e.g. decreased AM/PIC attendance warrant it.

AM/PIC Costs and Expenses: For members, travel (58%) and lodging costs (58%) are the biggest financial concerns about the AM/PIC, while the registration cost is of lesser concern (19%). For Life Members, lodging is also of concern (50%), while travel costs (34%) (LMQ4-3, 4) and registration cost (23%) are of a lesser concern (LMQ4-2). The registration fee is considered by 61% of members (MQ30) and 62% of Life


Members (LMQ4-1) to be reasonable or a good value. Members were nearly equally split on whether their attendance would increase or be maintained if the AM/PIC was held on a college campus to reduce lodging costs (37% strongly agree or agree; 38% disagree or strongly disagree) (MQ26-8). Life Members were more apt to find such college campus accommodations appealing (48%) (LMQ3-5).

• Recommendation 19: NACAA should work with AM/PIC host states to find less expensive lodging options where possible.

• Recommendation 20: NACAA should continue to provide a reasonable AM/PIC

registration fee to members but one that does not place the organization at a financial disadvantage nor place an increasing financial responsibility or burden on the host state.

First Time Attendees: It is essential that members who have never attended and AM/PIC do so at some time in their career.

• Recommendation 21: In order to encourage such participation, the committee supports the continued registration fee waiver on first time attendees at the AM/PIC. However, the fee waiver should available regardless of the number of years the first-time attendee has been employed by Cooperative Extension.

The AM/PIC can be a confusing and overwhelming experience for first time attendees. The idea of an AM/PIC “buddy” was proposed to the membership. Survey respondents whom have not attended an AM/PIC were nearly split on the helpfulness of a fellow attendee showing them around: 52% said it would be helpful and 48% said it would not be (MQ22). For those who had attended an AM/PIC, 58% indicated they would be willing to help a first time attendee meet fellow agents and get to programs of interest at the AM/PIC (MQ23). Regardless of AM/PIC attendance history, 69% felt the mentors should be from the same state as the first time attendee (MQ24).

• Recommendation 22: The First Timers (formally Squanto) Committee, in concert with the State Relations Committee or other appropriate committee should pursue the creation and management of an AM/PIC buddy program.

Life Members Program: The Life Member program at the AM/PIC provides the members and their spouses an opportunity for social interaction and professional improvement. Sixty-two percent (62%) of Life Members indicated the program offered to them at the AM/PIC is excellent and requires no significant changes (LMQ4-5). Suggestions of what new or improved programs and activities included meetings with younger agents to discuss programs and issues; more tours; and presentations on health care, estate planning and other topics related to retirees.3

3 The response levels to open ended questions on the Life Members survey were low, therefore only common themes and ideas are presented in the text. Unlike the other surveys, lists of all responses to open-ended questions are not presented for the Life Members survey (Appendix 6).


• Recommendation 23: Life Member programming at the AM/PIC should follow historical program content and opportunities for social interaction and professional improvement. However, new or improved opportunities for Life Members to interact with members should be considered.

Family Involvement at AM/PIC: Many members also see the AM/PIC as an opportunity for their family to accompany them and take part in both social and educational opportunities offered. However, there are opposing viewpoints about family involvement; some see it as necessary or desirable for their participation at the meeting, while others feel that the focus of the event should be on professional improvement for the members. In our survey, family participation was strongly supported. Sixty-two percent (62%) of members disagree that their attendance at the AM/PIC would increase or be maintained if the family emphasis was removed, while only 13% responded their attendance would increase or be maintained (MQ29-4). Life Members were even stronger in defending the family component of the AM/PIC with 72% disagreeing their attendance would increase if this was removed (LMQ3-4). While a majority of members strongly support the family programs offered, others have concern that NACAA resources would be better utilized supporting member benefits. Thirty-seven percent (37%) of members indicated their attendance at the AM/PIC would increase or be maintained if more time, money and energy was spent on member professional improvement opportunities rather than on spouses and Sons and Daughter programs; 31% disagree or strongly disagree; and 32% were undecided (MQ26-10). Life Members were more likely (49%) to reduce participation in the AM/PIC under this scenario (LMQ3-7).

• Recommendation 24: NACAA should continue to include a family emphasis at the AM/PIC; however the cost should not place the organization at a financial disadvantage nor place an increasing financial responsibility on the host state.

The associated charges for spouse’s programs and Sons and Daughters activities are another issue to be considered. Fifty percent (50%) agree or strongly agree that their attendance at the AM/PIC would increase or be maintained if a reduced registration rate was charged for spouses with children who are too young to participate in the Sons and Daughters Program (MQ29-5). Forty-nine percent (49%) would increase or maintain attendance if spouses and children would be charged ‘a la carte’ for activities (MQ29-6).

• Recommendation 25: NACAA should investigate alternative fee schedules that provide flexibility to the meeting participants while covering all expenses related to the activities being provided for fee.

• Recommendation 26: NACAA and host states must develop spouse programs that are of interest to female and male spouses, rather than single-sex centered programs and activities.


Childcare Provisions at the AM/PIC: Forty-six percent (46%) indicated their attendance at the AM/PIC would decrease if childcare options were not provided at the AM/PIC, while 47% were undecided (MQ29-7).

• Recommendation 27: NACAA should investigate the liability issues of providing market-value childcare or informing members of local childcare services, paid fully by the member, which the host state arranges.

Promotion of the AM/PIC: NACAA, in concert with state officers, must continue to annually promote the unique aspects of this event, including the variety of educational and recognition opportunities offered the opportunity for leadership, and the “family” orientation of the conference. The County Agent registration issue may not be adequate to entice members into attending, and word of mouth from fellow members (particularly those who have not attended for several years) may not spark excitement or interest.

• Recommendation 28: NACAA should conduct an advertising campaign for the AM/PIC to members beyond the registration issues of The County Agent magazine. Promotional pieces that can be sent cost-effectively through e-mail about the AM/PIC venue, educational offerings, professional improvement classes, pre- and post-conference workshops, etc. should be developed. Details on specific speakers, training sessions, etc. should be included rather than the “generic” program usually provided with registration materials.

Building Relationships with JCEP and other Professional Associations NACAA’s relationship with our sister associations through representation on and involvement with JCEP is important. Current collaborative efforts such as the Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) Conference, JCEP Regional Meetings, and Galaxy Conference should continue in the future. • Recommendation 29: NACAA must work together to advocate for Cooperative

Extension and the needs of our members. In addition, educational materials and opportunities that address common needs and issues should be jointly developed with our sister associations.

NACAA should also look beyond our traditional partners and expand outreach to other professional associations. When asked what other national or international professional or scientific associations they belonged to, members indicated (MQ10) traditional sister associations, such as Epsilon Sigma Phi (38%) and National Association of Extension 4-H Agents, as well as commodity and discipline based organizations such as American Society of Agronomy (10%), American Forage and Grassland Council (8%), American Society of Animal Science (8%), and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (7%).

• Recommendation 30: New and relevant collaborations with Extension and non-Extension associations or professional societies should be pursued.


Although seventy-one percent (71%) of members indicate NACAA adequately meets their professional improvement needs (MQ14), other professional societies and organizations offer items that NACAA does not. Such items (MQ15) identified as important to members were: (1) More in-depth information subject matter/scientific (114 responses); science based publications/refereed journals (68 responses); networking with others with similar interests (21 responses); and (4) regional or local workshops and meetings (19).

• Recommendation 31: NACAA should assess our current portfolio of goods and services and consider expanding with additional items that are desirable and being found by members from other sources. NACAA however should not “reinvent the wheel” and duplicate what may be done better by others.

Members were somewhat indifferent about what effect holding joint meetings with other professional societies would have on their attendance at the AM/PIC. Thirty-nine percent (39%) stated their attendance at the AM/PIC would decrease, 33% indicated their attendance would increase or be maintained, and 30% were undecided (MQ29-9). Life Members were clearly less interested in holding joint meetings with other professional societies; with 63% disagreeing this would enhance their attendance (LMQ3-6).

• Recommendation 32: NACAA should reach out to other professional societies and organizations, particularly if they have Extension divisions, to seek advice and input on forming collaborative partnerships. This may include jointly held meetings, co-sponsored workshops, etc. held in concert with or separate from the AM/PIC, and on a regional or national level.

Different staffing patterns and effects on clientele Throughout the country, shifting financial resources and changing organizational structures are influencing the state staffing patterns of agricultural agents. Traditional models of county agents serving single counties are being replaced with area or regional agents, programmatic teams and other functional groups. Soft money (grant) hires often are positions that are temporary in nature and are often not provided professional improvement dollars. In addition, the differences between requirements for level of education, specialization, and expectations of job performance and requirements (promotion and tenure) are increasing. NACAA can have little impact on such decisions made by state Extension administration. What NACAA can do is strive to remain relevant to Extension personnel by providing the resources and training they need to meet the demands of their work situation and their clientele.

• Recommendation 33: The Extension Development Council should develop educational workshops or programs that deal with issues and topics that are being faced by members.


• Recommendation 34: The Membership Database or some other mechanism should be used to develop list-serves or blogs to allow members to dialogue about issues or situations they are facing throughout the calendar year, not just at the AM/PIC.

Helping members understand issues better Broadly defined, helping members understand issues better includes helping them learn and utilize skills to do their job back at home. This is currently and primarily accomplished through the training and workshop opportunities provided at the AM/PIC. The level of satisfaction with these efforts is high. Fifty-three percent (53%) of members agree or strongly agree that the national committees are providing useful programming at the AM/PIC, while only 8% disagree or strongly disagree (MQ31-3). A strong majority of committee leadership (90%) (CLQ2-4) and state association officers (86%) (SAOQ2-5) agree that the national committees are providing useful programming, while 72% of committee state chairs do (CSCQ2-4). Despite this satisfaction with current offerings, NACAA must adopt, develop and offer new and expanded programs, products and services. Survey respondents indicated the following items are desirable to strongly desirable (MQ8 and 9) to them: (1) Journal publication featuring practical applications (78%); (2) Short courses, seminars or workshops separate from the AM/PIC (75%) and AM/PIC presentations available on the NACAA web site (75%) – tie; (4) Public relations training workshops at AM/PIC (74%) and roundtable discussions on topics and current issues at AM/PIC (74%) – tie; (6) Learning modules or training via the NACAA web site (72%) and searchable members database (72%) – tie. NACAA refereed journal: The idea of NACAA creating a refereed journal to increase opportunities to publish, get recognition, and share ideas with members is supported by the members. Survey respondents indicated a journal publication featuring practical applications as one of the most desirable services that NACAA could provide.

• Recommendation 35: The Futuring Committee recommends that NACAA must investigate the mechanisms that need to be put in place and the associated costs. These include how a review committee would be structured, how to retain consistent quality, publication schedule (quarterly, once a year?), supervision and management.

• Recommendation 36: NACAA should utilize its historic investment in and

representation on the Journal of Extension (JOE) board, and encourage more members to publish in this well-known and high quality journal. An effort to increase submissions to JOE might suit NACAA better with our sister associations than developing a separate journal that may not be necessary.

Extending AM/PIC Information Beyond the AM/PIC Participants: The wealth of information presented at the AM/PIC should be shared utilizing existing and new


mechanisms with the general membership, not just with the approximately 20% who attend the AM/PIC. Several western states have a conference that allows NACAA members to attend and present papers; this could this be replicated in other regions. This and other NACAA sponsored venues would greatly enhance the offerings by NACAA for professional improvement during other times of the year and on a local basis (reducing travel costs). Regional award winners might be able to present at these regional meetings and could go on to the national meeting. These concepts are supported by members who also indicated (MQ31-4) that the national committees should be developing programs beyond the AM/PIC such as workshops held during the year, web-based educational materials and study tours, etc. (58% agree or strongly agree). Therefore the opportunity to expand offerings beyond those currently offered is clearly necessary to maintain membership numbers and satisfaction. Of note is that this will not necessarily come at the expense of the AM/PIC; only 14% of members indicated that such opportunities throughout the calendar year would reduce their attendance at the AM/PIC (MQ31-5). State association officers support this development of non-AM/PIC focused programming (71%) while national committee leadership (62%) and committee state chairs (53%) do as well but to a lesser extent (Q2). With only a fraction of all members attending the AM/PIC annually, other avenues must be explored. There are several ways that NACAA might be able to assist beyond the current efforts. Few organized efforts by NACAA have led to the development of educational training modules other than the “Working with Legislators” CD-ROM. Significant growth should occur so NACAA takes a greater role in not only educating our members but becoming known and respected as a source of information on issues affecting our members and their clientele.

• Recommendation 37: NACAA must expand educational opportunities for members by developing in-depth synchronous and asynchronous training opportunities beyond the AM/PIC.

• Recommendation 38: Redirect the focus of the organization from being mostly

AM/PIC-centric. Develop multi-state, regional or national educational meetings on issues, sponsored by NACAA alone or in cooperation with other professional organizations, USDA, etc., that focus on regional or national issues, including topics beyond those that primarily focus on traditional production agriculture.

• Recommendation 39: Expand or fine-tune the role of the various national

committees; they should not solely focus on AM/PIC workshops or review of award applications. Their year-round duties should be expanded to develop and offer instructional materials that can be shared with members through the state committee chairs, via the NACAA web site or other electronic, media based methods. These should include talks and awards winners presented at the AM/PIC. NACAA should work to develop other CD-ROM training materials.


NACAA must use other technologies to get information to our members in more convenient and less expensive ways.

• Recommendation 40: Encourage NACAA corporate sponsors to provide

training materials on their products or services. This would increase the potential number of people seeing and utilizing the materials and might lead to increased financial sponsorship of the organization.

• Recommendation 41: Encourage members, using the membership database

and coordinated by the national committees, a series of list serves, blogs or other technologies to discuss issues and topics amongst Extension peers and other professionals.

Is the NACAA mission changing? The current mission of NACAA, according to the organization’s policy manual, is to further the professional improvement of its members; further communication and cooperation among all Extension educators; provide for enhancement of the image of Extension; and provide for the development of personal growth opportunities for Extension professionals. The mission of NACAA is not changing; rather the methods used to carry out this mission must be evaluated and adapted over time to ensure that NACAA remains effective and relevant. Relevance should focus not only on where we fit the Extension system and with sister Extension organizations, but also to the members of the organization. Without the support and buy-in from our members, we cannot effectively develop, maintain and utilize our full strength in meeting the mission and goals of NACAA. People join the organization for many reasons. Members who are faculty or involved in tenure/promotion may be looking for recognition and publication opportunities. Some members may be seeking in-service type training or professional improvement opportunities. Early career agents may have different expectations and needs compared to mid- or later-career agents. Despite these differences the mission of the organization must remain consistent as it is the primary reason for our existence and should provide us with guidance and focus on what we need to do to meet our members’ expectations. The organizational dynamics therefore must change to meet the different needs and expectation of the members and provide the best likelihood for involvement, satisfaction and relevance. Sixty-seven percent (67%) of members indicated that NACAA is their primary professional association, while 33% did not (MQ11). It appears that NACAA provides a worthwhile and valuable service to their members. However, only 13% of respondents indicated they did not belong to any other national or international professional or scientific association (MQ10). NACAA must recognize that there are competing organizations for NACAA members. However, NACAA fills a unique niche and that


uniqueness must be communicated and built upon to remain viable and relevant. Seventy-one (71%) indicated that NACAA adequately needs their professional improvement needs, while 29% said it did not (MQ14).

• Recommendation 42: NACAA cannot be everything to everyone, but NACAA should be the best at delivering what is needed to fulfill our mission to those who have joined the organization. In addition, it is important to recognize that the diversity of our workforce – in assignments, responsibilities and work function, as well as demographics including race, religion, etc. – is changing. NACAA must meet the needs of this workforce and do so in a way that is fair, inclusive and welcoming.

Name: Due to an ever increasing diversity of job titles within the Cooperative Extension system, the association’s name continues to be a point of discussion within our organization. Sixty-three percent (63%) of the members, 64% of state association officers, and 68% of life members agreed or strongly agreed that the name “National Association of County Agricultural Agents” accurately reflects the makeup of our current membership (MQ33, SAOQ5, and LMQ1). Forty-eight percent (48%) of members disagree or strongly disagree that a new name should be considered, while state association officers nearly split their response (SAOQ6); 54% “yes” and 46% “no”. Life members similarly responded with 42 and 45% “no” responses to two similarly worded questions (LMQ1b, LMQ4-6). Numerous suggestions for a new name for the organization were made and can be found in the Appendices 2 through 5.

• Recommendation 43: NACAA should maintain the current name of the organization and focus energies on what we do to meet the educational and professional improvement needs of our members, rather than what we are called.

Organizational Structure and Function: NACAA is a large and complex organization and in order for members to take full advantage of the offerings and opportunities, they must have a good understanding of the committee structure, function and programs that are offered. There has been a learning curve for members to gain understanding of the current committee structure since it was developed and implemented. Forty-nine percent (49%) of members strongly agree or agree they understand the NACAA Council and committee structure; 26% disagree or strongly disagree (MQ31-2). Surprisingly, 75% of state association officers (SOAQ2-2) indicated the NACAA committee structure is complex and confusing to members, while only 48% of state chairs (CSCQ3-1) and 41% of committee leadership (CLQ3-1) agreed or strongly agreed that it was.

• Recommendation 44: NACAA must do a better job to educate the members and state association leadership of the committee structure and the roles and responsibilities that each council and committee has in the organization. The AM/PIC awards applications could be grouped by council in the application issue of The County Agent; a description of the role or responsibilities of each council and committee should be included in promotional materials, on the web site, etc. to increase familiarity and comfort with the structure.


The efficiency, effectiveness, and manageability of the committee structure influences how well we can operate the organization and carry out its mission. The Futuring Committee has a number of questions and concerns. Given historical membership trends, does NACAA have too many committees? Can state chapters fill the state chair positions? Are there any committees that don’t require a state committee chair? Is communication adequate so information is shared from the national to state level and back? Can committees be combined if they have similar areas of focus? Are you lacking committees that focus on issues of importance to members, such as urban programming, that are not currently being met? Numerous survey questions focused on these issues. While 86% of the Committee Leadership believes that the NACAA Council and committee structure functions well (CLQ2-1), only 61% of committee state chairs (CSQ2-1) and 57% of state officers (SAOQ2-1) agree or strongly agree. Furthermore, while 80% of the Committee Leadership believes that the NACAA Council and committee structure is effective in meeting the needs of members, only 60% of committee state chairs and 43% of state officers agree. All agree that communication between national chairs/regional vice chairs and state chairs needs to be improved (73% Committee leadership, 64% state chairs, 64% state association officers).

• Recommendation 45: The disparity in levels of satisfaction noted above point out the need for greater interaction and involvement of state officers and members on these committees.

Survey recipients were asked to what level they agreed or disagreed with several statements related to committees. When asked if the number of national committees should be reduced, there was a strong trend among all surveyed groups they are undecided on this issue (38-44%); while the state association officers indicated the greatest agreement (36% agree or strongly agree) with the idea of reducing the number. A significant number (86%) of state association officers agreed that committees with similar or related disciplines should be combined, while committee leadership (53%) and committee state chairs (59%) agreed to a lesser extent. A majority of state association officers indicated that they had difficulty filling all of the state chair positions (64%). The problem may be that state associations cannot find interested members to fill state chair positions, or the lack of the adequate numbers of members to do so. When asked if national committee chair and regional committee vice chair positions should be filled “out of region” if no suitable candidate was found, 58% of national committee leadership responded no, while 61% of committee state chairs responded yes. All groups were nearly similar (57-61%) in their thinking that the number of national committees should not be expanded. When asked if committees should be added to cover other relevant issues or disciplines that are not being served currently, both groups responded “no” (both 66%), and responded “no” as well (66%, 67%) to whether or not committee should be combined or dropped on the national level to streamline the


current structure. When asked if committees covering more than one discipline should be divided to form more focused areas, all groups were largely undecided (37-43%) with most suggesting that this not be done. NACAA must deal with these issues. In some cases there are too many committees for states to deal with: there are not enough numbers to fill the slots or people who do not wish to serve are named as state committee chair. Younger members may feel intimidated to serve due to the local system of naming state chairs. Many state chairs are not motivated to be proactive. Many regional vice chairs do not communicate with state chairs adequately. Someone serving in a role they do not want or do not feel involved in will do substandard work. Ineffective state, regional and national committee members lead to an ineffective association.

• Recommendation 46: NACAA must revisit the current committee structure and determine if a large and complex system of national, regional and state chairs are needed. NACAA must clearly define committee missions and objectives, and reevaluate the current activities and programming effectiveness in meeting these goals. This would also increase understanding of their roles in these leadership positions and establish a performance standard that is expected to be met.

• Recommendation 47: NACAA should determine the financial cost of the “new”

committee structure and project whether or not the organization can financially sustain it. It is essential to make the committee structure more effective and more cost-efficient.

• Recommendation 48: NACAA policy currently limits the number of consecutive

terms on a given committee. NACAA should adopt a policy that prohibits a retiring national chair or vice chair from serving on any other committee for a period of two or more years (not including upward movement to a council chair position or chairmanship of the current committee a vice chair is serving on). These experienced vice chairs and chairs should be asked to seek nominations to fill their vacancies from the state chairs they have worked with, and allow new talent to move up the ranks.

In addition to these issues related to the need to make changes to more effectively meet the organization’s mission, there are other concerns about current structure, how to deal with changing state association dynamics, and equity and inclusiveness. These may be perceived or real, but need to be dealt with by NACAA. Regions: The current inequity of members in the four regions has created real or perceived equity and representation issues. Forty-three percent (43%) of those members surveyed agree or strongly agree that the four current regions should be restructured so that votes and members numbers in each region are more equal, while 25% disagree or strongly disagree (MQ31-1).


• Recommendation 49: NACAA must develop mechanisms or institutional changes that reduce the real or perceived concerns about block voting or other region-centered actions. These efforts should focus on increasing communication through joint regional meetings, time for discussion at the AM/PIC prior to the voting delegate session, etc.

• Recommendation 50: NACAA should explore a realignment of states into

regional groups that provide a more equal distribution of member numbers. State Association Mergers: As some state associations face declining member numbers and abilities to function, they are considering the idea of merging with a neighboring state rather than disband. This issue must be addressed to maintain the viability of state organizations.

• Recommendation 51: The NACAA Futuring Committee is open to the merger of

state associations only when it appears necessary (low state membership numbers, inability to remain viable, etc.). NACAA should develop a mechanism by which states can seek such as request. It is suggested that this be a 2 year transition (year one to propose merger, 2nd year to do the transition). The merger should be between states within the same region.

Increased Relationships with USDA – CSREES

What role does NACAA play as a leader in the changing Extension System? These two charges were combined as they are closely related and a plan of action requires the two concepts to be integrally related. NACAA must clearly define their relationship with USDA-CSREES as a separate organization and in concert with our sister organizations via JCEP. NACAA may be able to be proactive in making the concerns, issues and needs of agricultural and natural resources Extension workers and programs known, not only to USDA-CSREES administration, but also to those who influence our financial support at the federal level. Specifically the role must extend beyond the current efforts that may be made through JCEP, or through the contacts made by the Executive Board one time a year during the PILD Conference. The relationship also should build on existing efforts that are made by University administrators on our general behalf but usually without our input or involvement. Individual Land Grant Universities and Colleges often provide their individual needs first and the needs of the overall system secondarily. The interests of our members and the programmatic areas and clientele we serve must also be represented adequately.

• Recommendation 52: NACAA should proactively serve as a source of information to USDA-CSREES Administration on the needs of agricultural Extension agents within the larger system.

• Recommendation 53: NACAA should develop closer working relationships with USDA-CSREES Program Leaders; only through these relationships will we gain a mutual understanding of our needs and establish common ground where we might provide assistance or develop collaborative programming efforts.


• Recommendation 54: To gain support for USDA-CSREES budgets and

Extension funding, NACAA should educate congressional members on the local level. NACAA must train and encourage members to contact local offices of federal legislators and how to develop relationships with these decision makers and their staffers.

• Recommendation 55: NACAA and state associations should seek, where

possible, a greater active role in assisting NASULGC and state Extension organizations to make contact with federal legislators.

• Recommendation 56: NACAA should develop materials, which compliment

those of NASULGC and their lobbying group, that deliver budget requests and other pertinent messages of need, accomplishment, activity and impact of the agricultural Extension workers across the United States. These efforts should be coordinated by NACAA and sent to Congressional members to effectively lobby for agriculture related Extension needs.

Increasing Your Support for Promotion and Tenure Back Home As stated under the sections “Increasing younger membership and involvement” and “Helping members understand issues better”, NACAA must continue to offer a wide array of professional improvement and recognition opportunities for members. NACAA can best support members in the promotion and tenure process at home, as well providing opportunities for self and professional improvement, by being a premier professional improvement organization. NACAA must continue to be a useful venue for members to enhance their skills, improve their professionalism, belong to a community of scholars, share expertise, be acknowledged for their work and abilities, and develop a reputation that will assist them in their promotion, review or tenure. Sixty percent (60%) of member survey respondents indicated that their membership to NACAA and the various opportunities, provided benefits toward promotion, tenure or advancement in their job (MQ26). To this end, respondents rated the following opportunities and programs as moderately important, important or very important (MQ27): (1) awards programs and related recognition (90%); (2) leadership and service opportunities (85%); (3) publication of abstracts in the AM/PIC Proceedings (80%); (4) publication of articles in The County Agent (78%); (5) AM/PIC poster session (77%), and; (6) oral presentation opportunities at the AM/PIC (73%). As indicated above, the award and AM/PIC presentation programs are of particular value to members. Overall members feel that the current method to provide information about awards and presentation opportunities are not complex and confusing (48%) while nearly a quarter (24%) of respondents do (MQ31-6). Committee Leadership (53%) and committee state chairs (49%) also do not think the method is confusing, while approximately one-third of both groups responding did.


• Recommendation 57: The NACAA Councils should review the existing award announcements and application procedures to enhance understanding and participation.

• Recommendation 58: NACAA should consider allowing some awards where

the applicants can be nominated by peers. These awards could include notifying those that were nominated to submit further details for consideration of the award. Agents may feel their work is not worthy or of sufficient quality, and therefore do not apply.

Forty-four percent (44%) of members indicated that they will apply for more awards and presentation opportunities (in the future); while only 18% indicated they would not. Fifty percent (50%) indicated that the requirement to attend the AM/PIC if they win an award would not reduce the likelihood they would apply for such an award program, while 27% stated it would (MQ31-8).

• Recommendation 59: In order to assist in our own future planning efforts and offer information to support members, NACAA should track participation numbers for all awards, pre-post conference seminars, etc. A centralized database would allow quick access to historical records for use in assisting members (who in your state won what?), alerting state administrators, to analyze data trends of participation to assist in determining what we do with various award programs in the future. In addition, if award winners knew that their entry was selected from “x” number of applicants, this might present a prestigious number for reporting.

To improve the professional improvement opportunities offered to members by the NACAA committees, committee leadership (council chairs, national chairs and regional vice chairs) responded (CLQ7) what is needed is better communication i.e. find out what is wanted by members (29%). In addition, they indicated the need for development of new venues e.g. non-AM/PIC regional meetings, blogs, discussion groups (13%), and better use of technology (5%) such as distance learning opportunities. Committee state chairs indicated similar themes. They also suggested that committee chairs and members undergo leadership training and/or better define committee objectives, goals and responsibilities to develop relevant programming (12%), and suggested that the AM/PIC content could be revised to better match improvement opportunities to member needs or area of expertise (10%) (CSCQ7). When asked (CLQ8) how to increase the level of participation in award programs, pre-AM/PIC seminars, or educational sessions at the AM/PIC, committee leadership offered suggestions on improved communication to increase awareness, that committees should reevaluate programs and educational offerings to make sure they are relevant, and make changes to the AM/PIC e.g. change program emphasis, themes, assist with cost, etc. Committee state chairs (SCSQ8) responded there is a need for improved communication among members and committee chairs but in others it is communication to members about the opportunities offered by the committees themselves (26%). Sixteen percent (16%) suggest extending opportunities/promotions/presentation


documentation beyond the AM/PIC meeting (including hosting regional educational meetings and workshops). A number of respondents suggest committee chairs undergo leadership training and/or better define committee objectives, goals and responsibilities (12%), while others suggest that the content AM/PIC could be revised to better match improvement opportunities to member needs, or area of expertise (10%). Other suggestions included better timing or costs associated with AM/PIC would improve membership involvement in professional improvement (6%).

• Recommendation 60: NACAA should conduct an in-depth survey to gather data from members of what topics, issues, and themes or needs they have and develop relevant programming. Without relevant and high quality programming, members will go elsewhere to find what they want or need.

• Recommendation 61: NACAA must look to develop new outreach methods and

venues such as meetings and workshops, and technology and media based outlets for interaction and learning. Members submitting award-winning entries could be asked to develop web-based presentations or training materials, enhancing the use of their scholarly work while creating educational materials to train or be used by others.

Mentoring: The relationship that develops between a mentor and protégé can be a mutual beneficial professional and personal experience. A mentoring program could be implemented to help new members on both a state and national level. If the mentors and protégé were from the same discipline or area of expertise, it would help in getting to know people in the same field. It would be helpful for new people to have mentors to explain how the organization functions and what opportunities there are, and to introduce them to peers working in other states. The member survey respondents were nearly split on whether or not NACAA should offer a year-round, multi-year professional mentoring program (MQ25).

• Recommendation 62: The Early Career Development Committee should explore the development of a mentoring program or informational resources on mentoring for use by state associations.

CONCLUSIONS The recommendations made in this report are only the start of a dialogue that must occur and continue within NACAA to make sure that we remain a relevant and purposeful organization. It is the responsibility of every member of the organization to make sure that this happens. Only through engagement, discussion and consensus building will NACAA remain a premier professional improvement organization.

NACAA Futuring Committee Report 2006 · NACAA Futuring Committee Report, 2006 Page 2 The survey...

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