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Vol. 41 No. 41
One of the largest crowds in years attended Wednesday’s activities at Ag
Progress Days at Rockspring. In the photo above many spectators gather
PSU President Spanier Unveils New Direction For Extension
EVERETT NEWSWANGER
Managing Editor
ROCKSPRING (Centre Co.)
While emphasizing a strong and
continuing commitment to produc
tion agriculture, Penn State Uni
versity President Graham Spanier
Wednesday detailed his new direc
tives to strengthen Penn State’s
extension service through coopera
tion with other University outreach
initiatives.
Speaking to a capacity crowd in
the special events building at the
Ag Progress Days government
luncheon, Spanier said the citizens
of the commonwealth have much
to gain from faculty expertise and
learning resources in such colleges
as health and human development,
medicine, engineering, science,
business administration, and
education.
Cooperative extension can also
make use of the resources of Penn
State’s Division of Distance and
Continuing Education.
“Production' agriculture has
been the heart of Penn State’s
extension service and will continue
to be,” Spanier said. “At the same
time there are important opportuni
ties for extension to take advantage
of the expertise in other areas of the
University to reach out broadly to
the citizens of the state.”
In his year-long review of exten
sion, Spanier consulted many
internal and external constituent
groups. And from this review, he
has concluded that the current reg
ional structure of cooperative
extension needs to become a more
Four Sections
streamlined organization. And
programs need to be re-established
in production agriculture; children,
youth and family programs,
including 4-H; community and rur
al development, and environmen
tal and natural resources. In addi
tion, he said work loads and assign
ments of faculty extension
specialists also need to be
reviewed.
To bring other disciplines into
the extension service system, the
role of the University’s senior
officer for outreach will be rede
fined with the creation of a new
title of Vice President for Outreach
and Cooperative Extension. The
new position will create a partner
ship of academic deans and other
university administrators, faculty
and staff to facilitate a shared vis
ion for all outreach programs and
activities university-wide. The
Vice President of Outreach and
Cooperative Extension and the
Dean of the College of Agricultural
Sciences will together oversee the
Penn State Cooperative Extension
Service, report directly to Presi
dent Spanier, and will appoint the
director of extension.
Unlike at present in which the
dean of the ag college also heads
cooperative extension, Spanier’s
plan calls for a separate director of
cooperative extension. Spanier
believes a separate director will
give a stronger focal point of lead
ership and a greater visibility for
extension. This new director will
be an associate dean and will work
closely with the Dean of the Col-
Lancaster Farming, Saturday, August 17, 1996
lege of Agricultural Sciences and
the Vice President of Outreach and
Cooperative Extension.
Extension will remain closely
tied to the agricultural college, but
Supreme champion of the Kutztown Swine breed show was the Hampshire shown
by John Strawbrldge, 12, left. Daryl Grumblne, show Judge from Myerstown, right,
said that the Hampshire hog shown by John for grand champion of the breed was “far
superior” to what he’d seen that day. See story page A 34.
around the combining field demonstration. This was the first year for this
event. Photo by Everett Newswanger, managing editor.
the director will create programs
and relations among faculty and
extension staff in all departments
of the College of Agricultural Sci
ences and with the other Colleges
$27.50 Per Year
in the University.
The titles of assistant and associ
ate deans responsible for continu
ing and distance education in each
(Turn to Page A 36)
60* Per Copy