BACK TO THE FUTURE FOR COOPERATIVE EXTENSION

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 14, 2000

Fairbanks, Alaska – The University of Alaska Fairbanks public service unit known as Alaska Cooperative Extension since the early 1990s, is inserting "Service" back into its official name. The unit will return to its original name and be called Cooperative Extension Service (CES), effective Oct. 1, 2000.

"CES has had an important place in Alaska's history with the first district office being established in Palmer in the 1930s to extend research-based information from the University of Alaska in Fairbanks to the early colonists of the Mat-Su Valley," said UAF Chancellor Marshall Lind. "Extension is unique in its philosophy of taking the university to Alaskans, wherever they live."

Extension services are located throughout the nation and are part of an educational delivery system supported through partnerships between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and state land-grant universities. Alaska's CES is headquartered at UAF and provides informal educational programs in land resources and community development, home economics, 4-H and youth development, to name a few, through local extension offices statewide.

According to Chancellor Lind, the move to rename Alaska's Cooperative Extension Service supports UAF's recently revised mission statement, which highlights the institution's tripartite land grant university mission of teaching, research and service.

CES is a unit of UAF's College of Rural Alaska, whose Executive Dean Ralph Gabrielli said, "returning to the original and long-familiar name will strike a chord of positive recollection among extension's friends throughout the state." He also said the action would recommit support to UAF's Cooperative Extension Service faculty and staff. "I have every expectation that they will continue the good work they have been doing in providing service to Alaskans in their communities. I applaud their efforts and recognize their many contributions."

Rich Seifert, a professor of engineering extension at CES since 1995, and a UAF employee since 1973, welcomes the move.

"I am very glad, that after our year long discussion on the topic of this name change, we have finally made the decision and added "Service" back into our name. Service is what we do. Providing service to Alaskans is CES's most important mission."

The university's role of public service in Alaska is provided by units such as CES and the Marine Advisory Program. According to Alaska CES Director Tony Nakazawa, Alaskans continue to support his agency's outreach efforts.

"We are especially appreciative of the support we received from across Alaska in this year's state budget process, which will allow CES to fill vacant extension agent positions in Anchorage, Bethel, Fairbanks and Palmer. While we still have important positions vacant due to fiscal constraints, the support for extension has enabled us to continue rebuilding the Cooperative Extension Service," Nakazawa said.

CES programs are located in 11 communities throughout the state, and deliver university research benefits through four primary program areas: Land Resources, 4-H and Youth Development, Community Development and Home Economics. Within each program area are topics ranging from food and nutrition to Alaska gardening; water quality to arctic construction.

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CONTACT: UAF College of Rural Alaska Executive Dean Ralph Gabrielli, 907-474-7143, or UAF CES Director Tony Nakazawa, 907-474-7246.

DPD/9-14-00/01-015