STEWARDSHIP
University of Wisconsin-Extension takes stewardship of the public dollars entrusted to it very seriously
Experiencing impacts of diversity education
Dane County Supervisor Don Nelson (left) recently experienced a Hmong cultural immersion educational program offered by nutrition educator Kazoua Moua. The Dane County Cooperative Extension nutrition program uses translation equipment that supports faculty and staff in their work with diverse audiences. Wisconsin's 72 counties are an important UW-Extension partner, providing more than $20 million in funding to the Cooperative Extension division each year. Photo by Pamela SeelmanWhile it's important to conduct relevant, high-quality programs, UW-Extension takes the concept one step further, proving that programs have a positive economic, human, civic or environmental impact on learners, program participants, businesses and communities by measuring and reporting the outcome of those programs to the people who pay the bills.
UW-Extension's Program Impact Initiative began about 10 years ago to provide Wisconsin residents with accountability from both an institutional and program perspective. UW-Extension Vice Chancellor and Provost Marv Van Kekerix, who leads the initiative, says, "Many extension and outreach organizations across the country look to UW-Extension as a model for the emphasis it places on program impact assessment and enhancing the evaluation skills of faculty and staff, and for how effectively it communicates the value of its work on local, state and national levels."
To learn how UW-Extension uses public funds to improve the lives of Wisconsin's people, visit the Program Impact Initiative Web site: www.uwex.edu/impacts. — Mary Crave
For more information: Program Impacts Initiative Leader Mary Crave, crave@conted.uwex.edu, (608) 262-6677