Contents
List of Tables xiii
Foreword by Michael V. Martin xv
Preface xvii
Acknowledgements xxi
PART I: THE CRISIS AND A SOLUTION 1
1. Extension's Money and Mission Crisis 3
The Money Crisis
The Mission Crisis
Extension Program Participation
Doing More With Less
2. Regional Specialization: A Solution? 15
Why Specialization?
Trends Affecting Specialization
Advantages of Extension Educator Specialization
Disadvantages of Specialization
History of Extension Field Specialization
Specialization Requires Regionalization
Conclusions
PART II: THE MINNESOTA RESPONSE 45
3. Minnesota's Regional/County Model 47
Questions, Questions, Questions
New Minnesota Regional/County Model
Regional/County vs. County Cluster Models
Benefits of the Minnesota Model
Risks of the Minnesota Model
The Design Process for New Model
Summary and Future Research
4. External Relations 71
The Case for an External Relations Strategy
Roles and Responsibilities to Make it Happen
Stakeholders: Who They Were and Why They Mattered
Managing External Relations through Internal Relations
Media Relations: A Means to an End
Timelines, Transparency, Tactics, and Tools
Summary and Future Research
5. Specialized Extension Educators 95
Definition of Specialization
Survey of Regional Extension Educators
Defining Features of Minnesota Regional Educators
Conclusions and Future Research
6. Benefits and Costs for Counties 119
Benefits for County Governments
Costs to Counties
Changes in Extension Positions
Number and Variety of Local Positions
Promoting Local Positions
Speed Bumps with Local Positions
Conclusions and Future Research
7. Extension Program Business Plans 139
Program Business Plans: What Happened?
Why Program "Business" Plans?
Implementation Challenges
Case Studies on Program Business Plans
Survey Results on Business Plans
Conclusions and Future Research
8. Regional Support Systems 167
Distance Education Systems
Telephone Answering Lines
Online Program Registration
Selling Publications and Products
Needs Assessment and Market Research
Tracking Program Participation
Grants for New Program Initiatives
Training for Specialized Regional Educators
Conclusions and Future Research
9. Scholarship and Promotion Policies 193
Core Values and Promotion
Scholarship in Extension
Revising Minnesota's Promotion System
Minnesota's Promotion Policy
Conclusions and Future Research
PART III: PRELIMINARY RESULTS 217
10. Program Quality Results 219
Definitions of Quality
Regional Program Quality Indicators
The "Best Program" Quality Definition
Initial Results for Minnesota
Outputs, Outcomes and Impacts
Specialization's Impact on Evaluation
Conclusions and Future Research
11. Scholarship Results 251
Educator/Faculty Scholarship Collaboration
Changes in Regional Educators' Scholarship
Conclusions and Future Research
12. Access to Extension 269
Access to Extension Staff as Civic Leaders
Geographic Access to Specialists
Access to Extension Programs
Access to Information
Access by Diverse Audiences
Conclusions and Future Research
13. Public Support Results 281
Media Coverage and Legislative Hearings
National Trends in Funding
Public Funding of Minnesota Extension
Alternative Revenues in Minnesota Model
Regionalization's Impact on Future Restructuring
Conclusions and Future Research
14. And In My State? 297
Is the Minnesota Model Working?
Would this Work in My State?
Next Steps?
A Final Word of Optimism
Appendix A. Cooperative Extension Service Overview 309
Appendix B. Labels for Minnesota Extension Positions/Structures 314
Appendix C. Leadership for Minnesota Regional/County Model 317
Appendix D. Program Business Plan Outline 327
Appendix E. Business Plan for Retail Analysis & Development 330
Glossary 363
References 371
Index 393
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