http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/ The newsletter of the School of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences en Copyright 2009 Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:02:00 -0500 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification A memo was issued by the State Budget Director’s office on Sept. 26 that instructed state agency heads to cut their budgets for the current fiscal year by 2 percent — a belt-tightening precaution stemming from concern that the current economic downturns will lead to a shortfall in tax revenues in the coming months. In response to this directive, Drs. M. Ray McKinnie and Jon Ort, chief administrators for Cooperative Extension at A&T and N.C. State, respectively, have decided to cancel the State Extension Conference that was planned for Raleigh in February of 2009.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/fiscal-constraints-put-kibosh.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/fiscal-constraints-put-kibosh.html Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:02:00 -0500 http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/gamma-sig-to-gather-the-ag-edi.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/gamma-sig-to-gather-the-ag-edi.html Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:01:00 -0500 A&T State University's Fall Convocation will get under way at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 9, at Harrison Auditorium. Greensboro Mayor Yvonne Johnson will be the featured speaker. Classes from 10 a.m. until noon are canceled so faculty and staff can join the friends and families of students at the ceremonies. Academic regalia is required for faculty members participating in the processional. http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/her-honor-to-honor-honors-conv.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/her-honor-to-honor-honors-conv.html Tue, 30 Sep 2008 17:00:00 -0500 meet ‘n’ greet barbecue on the lawn in front of Webb Hall on Friday, Oct. 10, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Current SAES faculty, staff and students are invited to stop by the reception to say hello to returnees and bid a fond farewell to some pork barbecue and side dishes. Although an SAES corporate partner is picking up the tab for the barbeque, donations to the SAES scholarship fund will be accepted.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/huddle-up-the-ag-edispatch.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/huddle-up-the-ag-edispatch.html Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:59:00 -0500 An SAES food scientist, Dr. Salam Ibrahim, has been notified of funding for a new research project that has its sites on a method for rapid detection of toxic contaminants in the cheese production process and recommendations for new quality control procedures for cheese processing that will address biosecurty concerns. The National Center for Food Protection and Defense (NCFPD) has awarded Ibrahim $141,000 to conduct research that will address a salient point in the nation’s food security system. The raw milk that is the starting point in cheese production is vulnerable to both intentional and accidental contamination with toxins. Ibrahim’s research will study the effects of contaminants on the coagulation process, to determine if there are neglected indicators that can be used to sound an alarm when milk has been adulterated with toxins.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/cheese-wiz-the-ag-edispatch.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/cheese-wiz-the-ag-edispatch.html Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:57:00 -0500 Through Dec. 22, USDA’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service (CSREES) will be accepting funding proposals for training and technical assistance for socially disadvantaged farmers for the 2009 fiscal year. The range of individual awards for $5 million in overall funding is $100,000 to $300,000. The program’s objectives are to provide educational and technical assistance that nurture land ownership and equitable participation in USDA programs among farmers without the social and economic networking skills that have become basic groundwork for agricultural enterprises. The program traditionally supports a wide range of assistance activities in farm management and financial management, marketing and sustainable production practices.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/big-infusion-to-smallfarm-fund.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/big-infusion-to-smallfarm-fund.html Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:54:00 -0500 North Carolina Summit on Youth and Families in Raleigh Nov. 19-20. With more than 50 speakers from education, government agencies and advocacy groups, the summit will give Extension and family and consumer science educators a two-day immersion into dozens of hot-button issues and current strategies for addressing them. The registration fee is $250 until Nov. 7, and from that date forward the walk-in registration fee of $325 will apply. Conference organizers are accepting nominations until Oct. 24, for the Annual North Carolina Awards for Excellence in Youth and Family Programming. Individuals, families and organizations that have contributed to programming activities benefiting youth or families in North Carolina in a substantial way are eligible.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/family-business-the-ag-edispat.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/family-business-the-ag-edispat.html Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:51:00 -0500 NC FLEX benefit program is now under way, and the cutoff date for changes in optional insurance programs is Nov. 3. Optional coverage includes dental and vision care plans, cancer insurance, life insurance, and a supplemental medical plan that broadens coverage for visits to doctors’ offices and inpatient hospital stays. (Faculty and staff opting for the supplemental medical plan must re-enroll during each annual enrollment period.) If you’re taking advantage of the NC FLEX options, take note that this is the one time of the year to drop or add coverage for a dependent. The NC FLEX Plan has a synopsis of what’s new.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/enrollment-under-way-for-optio.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/enrollment-under-way-for-optio.html Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:48:00 -0500
• Apostrophes do belong all by themselves at the end of plural nouns ending in s. ("The applicants' test scores reveal very little about the incoming class of freshmen.")

• Apostrophes do belong all by themselves at the end of most possessive nouns ending with s, z or x. ("Dr. Franz' laboratory.")

• Apostrophes do not belong between the last digit in a decade referred to by the numbers and s. ("The 1990s were a time of transition for American agriculture.")

• Apostrophes do belong before the first digit if you shorten a reference to a decade to two digits. ("The '90s were also a time of transition for America's rural communities.)

• Apostrophes do not belong on both nouns when there is joint possession. ("Jack and Jill's bucket was used to tap into the aquifer.")

• Apostrophes do belong on both nouns if they independently possess the same thing. ("The dean's and the department chair's laptops will both be used in the presentations at Webb Hall.")

• If something is referred to in an all-capital acronym, or abbreviation, apostrophes do not belong before the s when pluralizing. ("The daycare center has three Macintosh G5s that children are using to learn their ABCs.")

• Apostrophes do belong between lower-case letters and the s that pluralizes them in some expressions. ("Department chairs are asking faculty to cross all the t's and dot all the i's on their reports, and to watch their p's and q's when the accreditation team visits.")

• Apostrophes do belong at the very end when plural nouns are formed by adding "es" to singular nouns ending in s, z, ch, sh, and x. ("The downtown area has nine churches more than a century old, and the landscape architect's design for the new park frames several of the old churches' steeples with evergreens.")

• Although grammarians (and style manuals) aren't in universal agreement on this one, possessive nouns that are buildings, furniture or other objects do not need the ''s construction.

• It's easy to see the logic behind that dictum when it s a "table leg." However, if it's the "Webb Hall auditorium," then it's tempting, and not necessarily incorrect, to make that "Webb Hall's Auditorium." Similarly, when a noun is more adjectival than possessive, the apostrophe is often unnecessary. ("The graduate student manual has an appendix with property removal forms.")

• The most common apostrophe-related tragedy is the difference between "its" and "it's." The former is a possessive pronoun. ("The llama stuck its head in the car window as soon as it saw the food on the dash.") The latter is a contraction for "it is." (It's about time we put up a sign warning visitors to roll up their car windows when llamas approach.")]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/apostrophic-advisories-the-ag.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/apostrophic-advisories-the-ag.html Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:42:00 -0500 Congratulations are in order for the faculty and staff at the Child Development Laboratory. The facility was awarded a perfect score of 15 points by the North Carolina Division of Child Development the highest score possible for an environmental assessment of developmentally appropriate learning for young children and their families that was conducted in late July. The score reflects staff credentials as well as the learning environment for pre-schoolers enrolled at the Child Development Laboratory.
The Child Development Laboratory has facilities for demonstrations, observation and participatory experiences for students studying to become early childhood teachers and administrators, and child development specialists. The North Carolina Division of Child Development gives the facility a 5-star rating, the agency's top rating for an early childhood center's program standards, staff education and compliance history.
]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/child-development-laboratory-a.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/child-development-laboratory-a.html Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:33:00 -0500 The call for proposals for workshops and training programs for the 2009 State Extension Conference (in Raleigh Feb. 23-25) has been issued, and the deadline for submissions is Friday, Oct. 3. The committee evaluating proposals will be giving special consideration to training that will help Extension educators move forward in community building. The list of suggested topics for professional development training also includes engaging underserved communities, lifelong learning, addressing cultural pluralism, new delivery methods for educational programming, and innovative communications strategies. Training program proposals will be evaluated for topic relevancy as well as their breadth of appeal to Extension educators. Proposal submissions should be steered through Cooperative Extension's Web-based Learning Management System, which requires a Unity ID for access. (Begin with "Submit an Event" on the main menu, and you'll next arrive at a form that has "Extension Conference" as an option for "Type.") For those who aren't regular visitors to the Learning Management System, there's a fact sheet with step-by-step guidance for State Extension Conference training proposals.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/answer-the-call-the-ag-edispat.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/answer-the-call-the-ag-edispat.html Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:28:00 -0500 The Cooperative Extension Program at A&T is accepting applications for an agribusiness and marketing specialist who will join the state-level staff at Coltrane Hall. Cooperative Extension also accepting applications for two openings on the Extension field staff. The field staff openings are in Wilson County, for a 4-H & Youth Development agent, and in Halifax County, for an agriculture Extension agent.
  Oct. 10 is the application deadline for the agribusiness and marketing specialist position. Responsibilities include providing leadership in design, development, and implementation of agribusiness marketing programs. The selection committee is looking for applicants with experience providing technical support direct marketing. Applicants should have at least a master's degree in agricultural marketing, business administration or a closely related field, and preference will be given to those with doctorates.
Oct. 22 is the application deadline for the Halifax and Wilson county openings. Applicants for the Halifax County opening for an agriculture agent should a have a bachelor's degree in agricultural education or related area, and preference will be given to applicants with master's degrees. Applicants for the youth development position in Wilson County should have bachelor's degree in child development, family and consumer sciences, or a related area. Applicants for both positions should have prior experience with Cooperative Extension or another agency providing educational outreaches.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/extension-openings-the-ag-edis.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/extension-openings-the-ag-edis.html Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:24:00 -0500 North Carolina Summit on Youth and Families in Raleigh Nov. 19-20. With more than 50 speakers from education, government agencies and advocacy groups, the summit will give Extension and family and consumer science educators a two-day immersion into dozens of hot-button issues and current strategies for addressing them.
  The early-bird registration free - for those received before by Friday, Sept. 26 _ is $175. After that cutoff the registration fee is $250 until Nov. 7, and from Nov. 7 on the walk-in registration fee of $325 will apply.
  Conference organizers are also accepting nominations until 5 p.m. on Oct. 24, for the Annual North Carolina Awards for Excellence in Youth and Family Programming. Individuals, families and organizations that have contributing to programming activities benefitting youth or families in North Carolina in a substantial way are eligible.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/family-matters-the-ag-edispatc.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/family-matters-the-ag-edispatc.html Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:22:00 -0500 American Distance Education Consortium (ADEC) has funding support for scholars from Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and other minority-serving institutions that will provide up to $1,000 per individual to cover travel, lodging and conference fees for the Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning in Orlando, Nov. 5-7. The five conference tracks this year are learning effectiveness; student services and learner support; technology and emerging learning environments; faculty development and support; professional development and workforce training; and leadership, values and society.
  The overarching goal of the ADEC funding program is to nurture additional participation from minority-serving institutions in the world of online learning _ the scope and scale in online programs and courses offered by minority serving institutions _ through support for strengthening individual and institutional involvement. Applications for the Sloan Conference scholarships must be returned to the ADEC office by 8 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 22. Those selected will be notified during the first week of October.]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/adec-has-funding-for-hbcu-scho.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/adec-has-funding-for-hbcu-scho.html Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:13:00 -0500 accept is a verb that means "receive"
except is a preposition that means "apart from"
(Invitations are accepted; except when a scheduling conflict makes it impossible for you to attend.)
alumna is singular for a reference to a female graduate
alumnus is singular for male graduate.
alumni is plural for references to male graduates, and groups that are composed of both males and female
alumnae: Plural when referring to only female graduates.
alum is an informal abbreviation for alumnus or alumna
all together means in a group (The dean wants his associate deans and department heads all together for a photo.)
altogether means "in total" (There was an increase of $4.3 million in donations altogether.)
compliment is a "remark of praise"
complement is "something that completes"
(The banquet was a perfect complement for informal gatherings earlier in day, and the organizers were showered with compliments on the gala.)
continuously means "without interruption"
continually means "repeatedly"
(Dean Thompson has continuously kicked off the academic year with a faculty staff meeting, and at the meetings he and the associate deans have continually stressed the importance of student retention.)
emeritus is an honorary title for retired male professors
emerita is an honorary title for retired female professors
historic means "an event of importance"
historical describes something that merely happened in the past
off campus is correct when referring to a meeting or event that is not going to be on campus
off-campus is correct when you are make an adjective to describe something like "off-campus activities" or "an off-campus" reception
stationary means "not moving" stationery refers to writing paper
]]> http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/homecoming-perils-the-ag-edisp.html http://www.ag.ncat.edu/agedispatch/2008/09/homecoming-perils-the-ag-edisp.html Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:05:00 -0500