In 2015, Scott Reed, Lou Swanson, and Fred Schlutt summarized conversations that happened the previous September at a meeting of the Western Extension Directors Association. The conversations focused on how Cooperative Extension could be better link with missions and impact efforts across the university. They gave the summary a title—Timberline Manifesto—and other participants signed on to indicate their commitment to advancing the ideas.
Though positioned within universities, Cooperative Extension Services don't have a history of linking
effectively to other institutional missions. Extension's emergent role in engaging the entire university
provides an opportunity to demonstrate leadership by growing a culture of engaged scholarship and
involving matriculated students in Extension work. Other innovative connections can create or strengthen
robust relationships between sources and applications of knowledge. This commentary reflects the views
of 45 participants at an event designed to look forward toward Extension's second century. (Read more.)
Scott Reed and Lou Swanson, two of the authors of the Timberline Manifesto, lead Longview Engagement, and are participants in Venn Collaborative. They are currently developing a course for Venn Workshop on funding and sustaining university engagement efforts.