History of WRPLC
In 1994, In response to a request from the Western Extension Directors (WED), a proposal for a
Western Regional Program Leadership Committee was submitted to WED by the western
members of the Program Leadership Committee (PLC) of ECOP (Judy McKenna-Colorado,
Billy Dictson-New Mexico, Scott Reed-Oregon, and Bill Hambleton-California). The proposal
was approved in concept and accepted by the Western Extension Directors on February 25, 1995.
The purpose of WRPLC established at that time was to:
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Provide greater program coordination and regional direction between and among states.
Encourage cross-state and multi-discipline programming.
Provide linkage with ECOP-Program Leadership Committee (Chair of WRPLC to serve
on National PLC by appointment of WED).
Provide two-way (state and federal) communication in all areas of program leadership
and development.
Provide information flow and discuss recommendations with Directors.
Develop joint state grant applications and opportunities for other funding.
Coordinate the delivery and integration of base programs and national initiatives.
Present integrated program issues to Western Directors.
Provide a forum for program groups to coordinate planning efforts.
Specific responsibilities of WRPLC included:
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Provide representative framework for communication with Western Extension and
program leadership in all areas of program delivery
Provide leadership for development of Western Regional multi-program area proposals
that address existing or emerging issues through communications with program
committees and/or establishment of ad hoc groups.
Monitor the need for Regional and National Programming in the Western Region to
include:
o The establishment of regional task forces or committees.
o Recommendations to WED based on review of multi-program area proposals for
regional activities.
o Recommendations for regional activities originating in the program committees.
o Communication with Western Directors.
Assist in coordination of Extension base program support and implementation.
Membership in WRPLC was to be one program person per state or territory with representation
from the base program areas, if possible, plus the PLC members from the Western States and one
Director as Administrative Liaison.
Specific operational guidelines included:
 Receive and review Program Committee reports and prepare coordinated programming
recommendations for Western Directors.
 Distribute information related to Regional multi-program area activities to all state
program committee representatives and Western Directors.
 Assemble periodic assessments of program issues and refer to appropriate groups.
 Stimulate seeking of additional resources for high priority initiatives.
While program leadership at the national level has changed, and PLC no longer exists, WRPLC
has continued to represent the program interests of Extension in the Western Region.
In 1998, WRPLC surveyed Extension administrators in the western states on their view of
Extension in the future; including new revenue streams, partnerships, structure and culture,
delivery methods, and changes in the west which would affect programming. At that time,
WRPLC confirmed its roles in communication, collaboration, and cross-programming.
In 2000 WRPLC participated in a strategic planning process which identified a vision for
Extension on which to build future program efforts. That vision included:
 Support from multiple funding sources
 Full university buy-in to the outreach mission
 Integration of functions; credit and non-credit offerings blended in seamless delivery
 Rediscovery of the public commitment to the ‘common good’
 State-wide understanding of local passions
In 2002, through a visioning process, WRPLC agreed on an updated mission/purpose:
“The WRPLC engages in cutting edge, future-focused discussions and projects, shared
models, experiences, and resource materials relevant to the future vibrancy of
Cooperative Extension in the Western Region. The intended outcome of these
discussions is to stimulate and coordinate responses to pressing issues. The WRPLC
engages in a limited number of high-priority, coordinated projects that serve to combine
and deploy resources that advance Extension programs throughout the region.”
Since 2002, WRPLC has been actively engaged in discussion, planning, implementation, and
evaluation around the following topics:
 Western Extension Leadership Development Program (WELD)
 The LOGIC Model and program planning-supported joint training
 Online reporting system/Federal reporting
 Homeland Security/Bio-Security/Agro-Security (white paper)
 RREA
 Flexibility in staffing
 Recruitment and retention of staff
 Cost recovery in Extension
 Emerging diseases
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Characteristics of an multi-state program
eXtension
4-H Impact Evaluation
Workforce issues
Partnerships with NACO and Western Association of Governors
Excellence in Extension – a model for use at the State level (master gardeners)
Diversity best practices
Peer review of publications
Energy programming in the west (consortium concept paper)
A western model of Urban Extension (white paper)
JB 07/08