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NERA
Northeastern Regional Association
September 27, 2001
Minutes
W. Ronnie Coffman, Chair
MAJOR DECISIONS
THE JOB JAR
(Work Assignments for the Executive Director)
List of URLs mentioned in the Minutes:
Minutes of the NERA Meeting on June 26, 2001, in College Park, MD:
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/NERA/workshop/NERAMinutesJune.html
Report and Recommendations of the NE Multistate Activities Committee, Sept. 24, 2001:
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/NERA/workshop/MACReportSept2001.htm
Northeast Region Selected Regional Priorities for Multistate, Integrated Research and Extension Projects:
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/NERA/workshop/NEPriorities.htm
Notes of the NERA Executive Committee Meeting, Sept. 27, 2001:
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/NERA/workshop/ExCommMinutesSept2001.htm
THE JOB JAR (Work Assignments for the Executive Director from the last NERA Meeting,
June 26, 2001)
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/NERA/workshop/JobJarSept2001.html
National Information Management and Support System (NIMSS)
http://www.lgu.umd.edu/
NERA Revised Rules of Operation
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/NERA/RulesofOperationSept2001.htm
Northeast Supplementary Guidelines
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/nera/nesupguidelines.html
Implementing the Northeast Region’s Joint Priorities
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/NERA/workshop/Implementation.htm
Call to order and introductions - Ronnie Coffman
The Chair called the meeting to order at 11:00am. Each participant was requested to make a brief introduction. Cathy Roheim Wessels (RI) and Paul Kindstedt (VT) were attending the NERA meeting for the first time.
Consideration of Previous Minutes - R. Coffman
The minutes of the NERA meeting held on June 27, 2001, in State College, PA, was approved as posted at url---
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/NERA/workshop/NERAMinutesJune2001.html
Interim Actions by the Chair - R. Coffman Actions Taken by Chair (June to Sept., 2001):
NERA Executive Committee Report - R. Coffman
Chair Coffman reported briefly on the discussions at the Executive Committee meeting held in the morning. The notes are posted at url---
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/NERA/workshop/ExCommMinutesSept2001.htm
Chair Coffman noted additional topics to be discussed---
J. Nye led the discussion on the Ag. Science Exhibition in the Hill on March 5, 2002. He noted that this is a good opportunity to showcase our regional multistate projects. He suggested highlighting 1 or 2 regional projects. Projects that will clearly demonstrate how research and extension interface, how we use formula fund and how it leverages partnership from other states and institutions. NERA will provide the support needed to pull the exhibit together. J. Nye will work on getting NERA invited to submit an exhibit. Ideally, states with influential representatives should be participants to the project, i.e., VT, PA and WV. It is also important that the exhibit will have a "hook" to attract audience. The regional exhibit should be able to attract the attention of the staffers and representatives. Initially, the Plum Pox project was put forward as a good project for the exhibit.
D. MacKenzie reported that there is a suggestion made to ESCOP to migrate the remaining AESOP account of approximately $200,000 to initiate an activity to improve communication and public awareness for research funded using the Formula Funds. The NERA members present unanimously endorsed this plan.
OED Job Jar Report (from last meeting) - D. MacKenzie
OED Job Jar can be found at url---
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/NERA/workshop/JobJarSept2001.html
D. MacKenzie was happy to report that all tasks were completed except the activity with M. Voiland (NYC) involving the drafting of a strategy paper for CARET. He is waiting for the outcome of NEED and NERA discussions on how to implement the 5 NE priorities endorsed at the summer meeting in Pennsylvania.
NRSP proposal - T. Helms
Southern Executive Director, Tom Helms, joined the meeting to explain the NRSP proposal for an Information Analysis project to be implemented by the Social Science Center at Mississippi State University.
The directors felt that they could not support this proposal at this time. Again, the concern raised is the need to review the NRSP portfolio, sunset those that are no longer relevant under Multistate Research funding, and then start new initiatives. This project being proposed is also being done in other state universities such as Cornell. The directors would consider a fee-for-service arrangement. Another suggestion is the possibility of NRSP-1 sub-contracting the services of the Social Science Research Center.
Revised Rules of Operation - R. Coffman
A motion was made to accept the revised Rules of Operation to reflect the changes agreed upon at the summer meeting. The motion was seconded and passed.
D. MacKenzie will contact the NEA-01 group and other department heads to start forming the new committees. These new committees will provide NERA a pool of peer reviewers for specific areas of research.
Consideration of NE MAC Report - R. Seem
R. Seem higlighted some of the items in the report.
The Center proposals will allow the station directors to take credit for integrated activities for research contributing to the activities of the regional centers. The centers will be structured as NECs, and travel expenses for those attending the Coordinating Committee meetings can be charged to NE-59.
R. Seem explained that MAC is still not able to get an Extension director as a member. He will wait until the winter meeting, and then the committee will decide who will represent Extension.
On the Northeastern Supplementary Guidelines, MAC had reviewed and had revised the original draft. The Supplementary Guidelines will be posted on the NERA web for comments. Comments will be collected and then finalized for adoption at the winter meeting.
Several directors indicated that the Impact Statements prepared by the OED last year were useful. D. MacKenzie will therefore prepare 2001 Impact Statements that will again be posted on the NERA webpage. Ideally, the region should have just one report that the states can refer to. He will discuss this with G. Cooper and explore the possibility of CSREES accepting a regional report.
The directors expressed their appreciation for the accomplishment of the NIMSS project team. They underscored the limited budget the team had to accomplish such a feat. R. Mize was told to move ahead with the full transition from the NE Paperless System to NIMSS. NIMSS can be found at url--- http://www.lgu.umd.edu/
The Report and Recommendations of the Multistate Activities Committee is at url---
http://www.agnr.umd.edu/users/NERA/workshop/MACReportSept2001.htm
A motion was made to accept the MAC Report. It was seconded and passed.
Implementing the Northeast Region's Joint Priorities - W. Trumble
W. Trumble explained that the White Paper aims to explore options at ways we can implement the 5 NE priorities. The group responsible for drafting the paper recommends "earmark" as a possible source of funding.
C. Roheim noted that in the Extension Directors' meeting that she recently attended there was little support expressed from the group. It may be the lack of understanding on the process or the lack of clarity where this activity will lead.
D. MacKenzie will draft NEREC proposals for each of the 5 NE Priorities. This will ensure that a structure is in place when funding becomes available. Scientists working on research related to these priorities can also begin to coordinate among themselves. J. Nye added that Risk Management has a research component that we can possibly tap into. By getting the structures in place we can get into a pool that we would not have otherwise.
Comments and suggestions on the White Paper will be collected until November 15. They can be sent to W. Trumble or D. MacKenzie.
AESOP Review - W. Trumble
The other three regions were also discussing AESOP, its services and the benefits to the member-states. There is a lack of evidence that AESOP is working towards the system's advancement. It may be a leadership problem if AESOP's accomplishments are not shared efficiently with the members.
J. Nye noted that the expression of concern among the directors is valid and is seconded by other groups. The shortcoming however may not be all in AESOP's court. It is a fact that the message the System is asking AESOP to deliver is not "strong".
The discussion moved towards developing a strong message that AESOP could carry forward for the region. R. Coffman suggested developing a two-pager for each of the 5 priorities that AESOP and CARET can carry for the Northeast. However, it would be best to test one topic that may fit the budget initiatives. Land Use, or Smart Growth was considered a high priority in the Northeast. This can also be considered under "revitalizing communities". Funding administration similar to that of the NE-IPM will work best. A suggestion was made to identify a small group that will draft a program description with a political strategy. The Committee for Smart Initiative is composed of: D. MacKenzie, S. Goetz (Land Use), D. Decker (Wildlife Damage) and A. Adelaja. The group is expected to give a report at the winter meeting.
Future NERA Meetings - M. Mount
Two options were presented for the NERA winter meeting in 2002:
The meeting will be held either in Baltimore, MD or Washington, DC.
The directors chose to hold the meeting in Washington, DC, on March 6 and 7, 2002.
There was also discussion on limiting the association meetings to two (winter and summer). The Fall meeting will just be for the Executive Committee. M. Mount also reported that he is exploring possibilities with the OED on using videoconferencing in lieu of face-to-face meetings. D. MacKenzie will visit UMASS next month to check out the technology.
W. Vinson announced that planning for the 2002 Joint Session is underway. It will be held in Morgantown, WV.
Nominations Committee Report
The Multistate Activities Committee will be composed of:
The Multistate Priorities Committtee will be composed of:
A motion was made to accept the above nominations. The motion was seconded and passed.
Resolutions Committee Report - M. Mount
Incoming Chair, Mark Mount, read the resolution drafted and submitted earlier by J. Hunter:
WHEREAS, Dr. Ronnie Coffmann distinguished himself as Director of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station and as Associate Dean for Research for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell since 1993, and
WHEREAS, Dr. Coffmann has contributed in many ways to the Northeastern Regional Association of State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors (NERA), including serving as Chair of the Association, Chair of the Regional Research Committee, and Administrative Advisor for five Northeast Regional Research Projects, and
WHEREAS, Dr. Coffmann has served as Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of the Northeast Center for Rural Development and as a member of numerous Boards of national and international organizations devoted to improving agriculture,
Now, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Northeastern Regional Association of State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors meeting in Couer d’Alene on September 27, 2001, express sincere appreciation for Dr. Coffmann’s many contributions, and wish him great success in his new role as Chair of the Department of Plant Breeding and Director of the International Agriculture Program at Cornell University.
Signed on September 27, 2001, by Mark Mount, Chair, Northeastern Regional Association of State Agricultural Experiment Station Directors.
A motion was made to approve the above Resolution. The motion was seconded and passed. Chair Coffman presented the NERA bell to incoming Chair, M. Mount.
Chair Mount thanked R. Coffman for his leadership and commitment to NERA. He adjourned the meeting at 2:00pm.