Outcomes

Contents Executive Summary Situation Statement The OSU Innovations Introduction to the Study The questionnaire Study Findings Results by Theme Integration Scholarship Responsiveness Flexibility Resources Outcomes Outcome Levels Oregon Outcomes OSUES Outcomes Individual Outcomes Breakouts Discussion Recommendations

Outcomes for Oregon, the Extension Service, and Extension Professionals This section addresses three levels of possible impact or outcome from the OSU innovations—the state of Oregon, the OSUES organization, and individual OSUES professionals. There were two questionnaire items associated with each of these three levels. Altogether, the six outcome items in the questionnaire address these points. At the state level, Extension’s success at making a worthwhile contribution to the quality of life in Oregon, in general and for those who need help most; At the organizational level, financial well-being and overall organizational health; At the level of individual Extension professionals, professional satisfaction and job security. The OSU innovations addressed specific structural and operational features of OSU and OSU Extension. There are many other factors that affect the nature and quality of programs delivered to Extension clientele, and therefore to OSUES’s ability to address their needs. Furthermore, the time since the innovations – roughly six years – was a time of major change for two key sectors of the Oregon economy with which Extension has significant involvement, food production and forestry. Also, the innovations were stimulated in part by a state budget crisis in the early 1990s, whereas the state’s fiscal picture and Extension’s were moving in positive directions until after the questionnaire was administered in August 2001. previous page top of this page next page