Announcements
Next week’s seminar speaker on Wednesday, January 21, is John Brown, Professor Emeritus and former dept chair.
The title of his presentation is Hiking the Palouse, England & Wales. The AMS dial in # is 5706538.
We are closed this coming Monday, January 19th in observance of M.L. King Day.
Congratulations to Matt Jones who successfully completed his PhD Preliminary Exam on January 9, 2015.
EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs, in partnership with the Office of Compliance, has awarded Carol Black and Wendy Sue Wheeler of Washington State University the Pesticide Regulatory Education Program (PREP) grant. Through the grant, EPA expects to provide up to $535,000 annually for up to five years (fiscal years 2015 through 2019), subject to funding availability, satisfactory performance and other applicable considerations. The goal of the PREP program is to provide educational training to develop or enhance the abilities of states, tribes and territories to implement pesticide regulatory and enforcement programs or undertake new initiatives. The training includes pesticide program issues (e.g., water quality, pesticide product registration, applicator certification and training, worker safety), compliance and enforcement, and other support topics (e.g., risk communication, managerial and leadership training). The PREP training is intended for senior-level management with pesticide regulatory programs in states, tribes and U.S. territories working under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act Cooperative Agreement with EPA. PREP builds networks and collaborative working relationships among states, tribes, territories and EPA and other federal agencies to more effectively utilize limited resources. (1/6/15)
Jay Brunner was awarded $9000 from DuPont for his Support Concerning Disease Control on Tree Fruits program. (1/5/15)
Skylight Survey System Ended Dec. 31 – Users Should Download Their Data
Skylight Survey System has been retired, with open surveys ending on 12/31/14, as previously announced. WSU faculty and staff should download their historic survey data from Skylight for their own records, results as well as the questionnaires.
January 2015: Open access for all Skylight users to their surveys and data.
- Log in at skylight.wsu.edu
- Download data and survey questions, using the export survey function — see instructions.
- Information is available on ATL’s website.
- Need help? Email atl@wsu.edu or phone at 509-335-1355.
February-May 31, 2015
- Access to your Skylight surveys will be by request only. Email atl@wsu.edu to initiate request.
- Allow five to seven business days to process your request.
June 2015: Skylight decommissioned. No archive will be available after Skylight is decommissioned.
Surveys in 2015: WSU is putting a license in place for WSU faculty and staff to use Qualtrics for surveys.
Course Evaluations in 2015: WSU is moving into eXplorance Blue, as a university-wide course evaluation system, which colleges are coordinating with ATL over the next two years. For more information
Annual Sick Leave Cashout: Each January, employees with accrued sick leave balances may exchange sick leave for cash. Employees whose year-end sick leave balance exceeds 480 hours may convert sick leave hours earned in the previous calendar year, minus those used during the year, to monetary compensation. No sick leave hours may be converted which would reduce the calendar year-end balance below 480 hours. Monetary compensation for converted hours is paid at the rate of 25percent and is based on the employee’s current salary. All converted hours are deducted from the employee’s sick leave balance. Teaching and research faculty are not eligible. Civil Service employees and AP employees are eligible. Employees covered by collective bargaining agreements should refer to the appropriate agreement for eligibility information. Eligible employees should submit completed time/leave reports to their employing department. The processing deadline for payment is Jan. 23. Contact HRS at 335-4521 or Payroll Services at 335-9575. Additional details in Business Policies and Procedures illustrating how reports should be completed: http://public.wsu.edu/~forms/HTML/BPPM/60_Personnel/60.41_
Payment_for_Unused_Sick_Leave.htm
Employment
- Postdoctoral Research Associate – Invasive Pest Ecology, WSU-USDA Wapato, Wapato, WA
- Research Biologist/Entomologist – USDA-ARS, Hilo, HI
- Postdoctoral Research Associate, Entomology Department, Texas A&M, College Station, TX
- Research Assistant Professor – Entomology & Extension Specialist, Tuskegee Univ., Tuskegee, AL
- Director & Extension Specialist, Desert Research Extension Ctr & Vegetable Crops, Univ of California, Holtville, CA
Important dates to know
Wiley Expo abstracts due January 23, 2015. The Wiley Expo is February 20, 2015 in the CUB.
Showcase abstracts due January 26, 2016.
WSU/CAHNRS scholarship application deadline is January 31, 2014.
Grant information from the USDA-NIFA-SRGP-004796 Crop Pest Management Program Interregional Research Project IR-4 is attached. Deadline is Feb. 18, 2015.
Dave Crowder and Elias Bloom will be presenters at an Extension Webinar on March 10, 2014. For more info and to register go to: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/281474113