Extension office directors to be reduced by 77

announced plans to reduce the number of extension directors to reduce costs.

Iowa State President Gregory Geoffroy announced the move during a meeting with the Iowa Board of Regents Thursday.

Geoffroy said the university wants to reduce the number of extension directors in the state from 97 to 20, and consolidate extension programs into three by the end of 2009.

?The current economic downturn forces us to change the way we do business,? ISU vice president for extension and outreach Jack Payne said. ?The extension leadership team has listened to the desires of Iowans, and the ideas of our staff and council members, to create a plan that will strengthen the organization for years to come.?

Under the plan, Jefferson County is to be grouped into an eight-county region with Lucas, Wayne, Monroe, Appanoose, Wapello, Davis and Van Buren counties. The county extension education director positions will be eliminated as part of the plan, and in their place regional positions will be created.

The state?s five area director positions also will be eliminated and their offices closed.

?There will still be a county extension office,? said Jefferson County?s education director Neric Smith, whose job will be eliminated as part of the restructuring.

At this point, he said extension offices are still finding out the details of the plan. He believes changes are to take effect July 1.

In addition to the changes in staffing, the restructuring plan includes a merger of the families and 4-H youth programs, and the Center for Industrial Research and Service and community and economic development programs.

For the complete article, see the Friday, May 1, 2009, Fairfield Ledger.