Texas AgriLife Extension Service

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Program Area Committees
Chris Boleman ct-boleman_at_tamu.edu Angela
Burkham ab-burkham_at_tamu.edu
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Objectives

• Review Core Principles of Program Area Committees
• Discuss six tasks of PACs
• Review the Options of PACs
• Discuss Steps to Determine Appropriate Option

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What are the core principles of Program Area
Committees?
Objective 1
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Core Principles

• Texas Extension has a rich history of providing
  high quality, outreach educational programs by
  involving local residents in program decision
  making.
• Program Area Committees have helped Texas
  Extension in rapidly responding to critical needs
  and issues.
• Program Area Committees have been instrumental to
  ensure Texas Extension maintains relevance in our
  program areas.

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Core Principles

• Each County Extension Agents should have a
  minimum of one program area committee to help
  plan, implement, and evaluate educational
  programs.
• Proper utilization of volunteers through Program
  Area Committees helps the County Extension Agent
  be more effective in all educational efforts
  leading to greater impact.
• A group of individuals naturally generate more
  ideas and discussion than one person.

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What are the six tasks Program Area Committees do
as a part of County Programs?
Objective 2
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Tasks

• Assist the CEA with the planning programs.
• Assist the CEA with the implementation phase of
  programming.
• Assist the CEA with the evaluation phase of
  programming.

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Tasks

• Assist the CEA with the interpretation phase of
  programming.
• Assist the CEA with committee membership rotation
  to insure optimum representation and diversity.
• Utilize the best management practices for the
  management of external support funds.

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Helpful Tools for Tasks
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PAC Functions with Banner (Name) Programs

• The tasks of PACs is slightly different if a
  County Extension Agent is going to implement a
  Banner (Name) Program.
• This includes programs like
• Walk Across Texas,
• Do Well Be Well,
• Quality Counts, or
• Xeriscape

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Differences when using Banner (Name)

• 2) Assist the County Extension Agent with the
  implementation
• 3) Assist the County Extension Agent with the
  evaluation
• If a banner (name) program is being used,then the
  Specialist responsible for the program needs to
  be contacted.

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What are the options County Extension Agents
have with Program Area Committees?
Objective 3
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Three Primary Options

• Option A Traditional Program Area Committee
• Option B Program Area Committee with One or
  More Specific Task Forces or Coalitions
• Option C Program Area Committees in Counties
  with more than one County Extension Agent or
  faculty member focusing on the same base program
  area

ANR AND FCS COMMITTEES ARE SETUP THE SAME. THERE
ARE SLIGHT DIFFERENCES FOR CED AND SIGNIFICANT
DIFFERENCES WITH YOUTH BOARDS
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A Traditional Program Area Committee

• Program Area Committee meets face-to-face at
  least twice annually with the County Extension
  Agent who is responsible for that particular base
  program area.
• The Program Area Committee should consist of 8-15
  people (recommended) that work or have interest
  in the base program area.
• The Program Area Committee would support the
  County Extension Agent to plan, implement,
  evaluate, and interpret the major educational
  efforts for that particular year.

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When to Use Option A

• WHEN TO USE?
• If the Program Area Committee is functioning
  properly with this approach, then it should
  continue.
• Functioning properly means that it is fully
  addressing the six tasks previously outlined.
• An example where this may be working is in
  counties in very rural areas where issues may not
  be as diverse as they are in other counties.

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B Program Area Committee with One or More
Specific Task Forces / Coalitions

• Option B includes a Program Area Committee that
  meets face-to-face at least once annually.
• The Agriculture Natural Resources Program Area
  Committee should consist of 8-15 people.
• Their function would be more strategic in nature
• by helping the County Extension Agent determine
  what programs need to be implemented in the
  county yearly
• by reviewing yearly educational impacts and
• By helping decide if task forces / coalitions are
  needed to address priority issues.

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Task Forces / Coalitions

• Once the committee has helped decide on the
  program efforts for the coming year, then a
  smaller group of people would help address the
  program (range of 3-10 people). There are two
  types of smaller groups
• Task Force This educational planning group may
  be used when 1) the committee membership has
  strong professional and personal interests in the
  issue and 2) the outcome program will be
  addressed in one year or less.
• Coalitions This is an educational planning
  group that is comprised predominantly of
  professionals in the related topic or subject
  matter and typically meets for a longer time
  period than one year.

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When to Use Option B

• One of the major criticisms associated with
  Program Area Committees is that if the program
  efforts do not address members individual needs
  or interests, then they do not feel like they are
  adding value.
• Thus, a task force / coalition allows the County
  Extension Agent to work with a very specific
  small group that has a subject matter expertise
  in that specific effort.
• This option should be used when there is a
  Program Area Committee that is diverse and the
  specific program that the PAC decides to address
  is much more focused.

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C Multiple Faculty in Program AreaExamples
include NR, Marine, Horticulture, Fire Ant, IPM,
EA-ENP-Y, EA-ENP-A, EA-BLT, and CEA-FRM.

• The action here involves allowing the County
  Extension Agent to develop a more specific
  Program Area Committee based on their emphasis.
• For example, if one County Extension Agent
  focuses on row crop and livestock production,
  then the committee he/she develops should focus
  on these efforts.
• If there is a County Extension Agent in
  Horticulture, Marine, or Natural Resources, then
  their Program Area Committees should focus on
  these areas under the Agriculture Natural
  Resources Base Program Umbrella.

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C Multiple Faculty in Program Area

• With approval from DEAs, CEDs, and RPDs,
  Master Volunteer Associations like Master
  Naturalists and Master Gardeners can serve as
  task forces for educational programs in these
  subject matter areas.

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Community Economic Development

• Option A Traditional Program Area Committee
• Option B Program Area Committee with One or
  More Specific Task Forces or Coalitions
• Option C Leadership Advisory Board Serves as
  Community Economic Development Program Area
  Committee

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Objective 4

• What Steps Should be Taken to Select an
  Appropriate Option?

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Choosing An Option

• This decision should be made with input of
  co-workers, District Extension Administrator /
  County Extension Director, and Regional Program
  Directors.
• Reasons for the selected option needs to be
  justified.

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Communication Flexibility

• Most of the discussion focuses on face-to-face
  communication with committees.
• There are still minimum requirements for
  face-to-face meetings.
• However, it is a good idea to keep Program Area
  Committees updated using telephone conferencing /
  Internet / Email.

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Summary

• Program Area Committees and Youth Boards help us
  maintain relevance and adjust program priorities
  when needed.
• Proper utilization of these groups will enhance
  our programming efforts.
• Program Area Committees and Youth Boards are our
  connection to RELEVANCE.
• Failure to implement relevant programs will force
  clientele to go elsewhere.