Lincoln, Neb. —A spring snowstorm couldn’t stop Dr. Charlie Stoltenow, dean and director of Nebraska Extension, from visiting several extensions and faculty April 4-7.
On Wednesday, April 5, Stoltenow visited with the faculty and staff at the Panhandle Research Extension and Education Center in Scottsbluff.
“This is part of an ongoing effort I have to get out and visit our counties,” Stoltenow said. “So, we have 93 counties and 83 offices, and on this swing, I’ll get almost all completed. I’ll have reached 79 or 80 of our county offices.”
Stoltenow emphasized the importance of visiting all the county offices.
“The county system, the county, is so important to Nebraska Extension, and that’s what sets Nebraska Extension apart from other extensions in the country,” he said.
Stoltenow met with the faculty to update them on the extension and to hear about concerns in each area. One of the concerns dealt with the budget.
“I told them we have had some budget contractions, and there could be a little more, but it should be manageable,” he said.
Nebraska Extension is waiting for more information, including the Nebraska Unicameral and the request for a tuition increase, in front of the regents.
“Until those two bodies make their decisions, it's more of a wait-and-see. Then we’ll make our decisions,” Stoltenow said.
The faculty also discussed the need for more student housing on the PREEC campus and travel expenses and reimbursements.
Stoltenow was accompanied by Jentry Barrett, Nebraska Extension Campus Engagement Zone 12 Coordinator.
The two visited extension in the Panhandle with stops in Oshkosh, Kimball, Chappell, and Ogallala before heading back east with more stops scheduled.