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Virginia Cooperative Extension Restructuring

Restructuring Update

January 28, 2011  

Dear Colleagues,

As many of you know, the discussions involving Virginia Cooperative Extension restructuring are being met with significant opposition from various stakeholders. The restructuring process has been an attempt to develop an organizational structure that meets the needs of Extension clientele within an environment of diminishing resources.  However, it is clear that various stakeholders want to be much more engaged in the planning process. In fact, this contentious situation is leading some stakeholders and employees to question Virginia Tech's commitment to Extension.  

Therefore, in consultation with Dr. Steger, the decision has been made to immediately suspend the work of the VCE restructuring implementation teams, so that we can step back and begin a process in which internal and external stakeholders can be more engaged. We will be asking our partners to be further engaged in this process and assist us in our mandate from the General Assembly to restructure Extension.

I recognize and I am very appreciative of the efforts that many of you have devoted to this issue, and I am confident that your ideas and past efforts will be very useful in developing a process to move us forward. Our goal is to develop an Extension system that meets the present and future needs of all Virginians while recognizing the reality of reduced state support.  We are committed to a collaborative process that engages our many stakeholder groups as we accomplish this task.  

Sincerely,
Alan Grant
Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Interim Director of Virginia Cooperative Extension