From: Amy Timmerman atimmerman2@unl.edu Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 4:07 PM To: Jessica Groskopf jjohnson@unl.edu; NCEA Exec nceaexec@lists.unl.edu Subject: RE: NCEA Award Nomination and Nominee Guidelines

Team,

I will provide some insight on the Support Staff Award since I was chair of the Award Committee when this was developed.

The Support Staff Award was originally designed to recognize our office managers and office assistants for all the great work they do. Their outstanding effort in all reality makes us look good. So, these individuals would be the ones attending Front Door Forum not NCEA. Personally, for my office managers I would not recommend them to be members of NCEA because overall it would not be of benefit for them. I highly encourage them to attend Front Door Forum because this is more valuable to them overall. Plus, that would require our office to be closed because we are all attending the same meeting which would not make my county supervisors very happy.

I know that Linda Temple, Angie Rushman and Mike Bergland-Reis were our exception to the rule of "office/support staff" being members of NCEA. But I believe we all can agree that they work at a totally different level then any of our other office support staff.

So, the recipient does not have to be a NCEA member.

But I do believe there needs to an individual in that office that is an NCEA member and be part of the application process. Even if the non-NCEA member is the one who suggested the recommendation.

That's my two cents.

Thanks,

Amy

[cid:image003.png@01DC42AD.1B8C7EC0] Amy Timmerman Cropping & Water Extension Educator Holt and Boyd Counties Engagement Zone 2 128 N 6th Street Suite 100 O'Neill, NE 68763 Phone: 402.336.2760 Cell: 402.430.5187

From: Jessica Groskopf <jjohnson@unl.edumailto:jjohnson@unl.edu> Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 4:30 PM To: NCEA Exec <nceaexec@lists.unl.edumailto:nceaexec@lists.unl.edu> Subject: [NCEAexec] FW: NCEA Award Nomination and Nominee Guidelines

Can you all provide feedback on Ashley's questions below.

My knee jerk reaction is that at least the recipient needs to be and NCEA member. I look forward to your prompt response.

[cid:image004.gif@01DC42AD.1B8C7EC0] Jessica Groskopf Exten Educator Director, Nebraska Women in Agriculture University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Rsch & Ext Center 3086321247tel:3086321247 | jgroskopf2@unl.edumailto:jgroskopf2@unl.edu | wia@unl.edumailto:wia@unl.edu Need to meet with me? Book a meeting here: https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://calendly.com/hellojessicag__;!!PvXuogZ4s... https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/calendly.com/hellojessicag__;!!PvXuogZ4sRB2p-tU!H7ysh0f8fFcZeLGbwLVLTtZ7awH0I2xVzTczk3bjL5cqigbpN6PcOqKKof5xood5U_Fw1RUreVrY4CXvU_6vfQ$

From: Ashley Fenning <astevens4@nebraska.edumailto:astevens4@nebraska.edu> Sent: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 1:47 PM To: Jessica Groskopf <jgroskopf2@nebraska.edumailto:jgroskopf2@nebraska.edu> Subject: NCEA Award Nomination and Nominee Guidelines

Hi Jessica,

I received this questions: A co-worker who is not a member of NCEA submitted a NCEA Award application for another colleague who is also not an NCEA member (come to find out it is for the Outstanding Support Staff Award). They are wondering if that is ok or if a NCEA member needs to submit the NCEA award application.

So I started rabbit hole thinking and I think we approved to allow support staff to be members of NCEA. Is that correct? I couldn't find it in the bylaws, it says, Any Extension Specialist, Educator or Managerial-Professional Staff Person (4-H Assistant, Extension Technologist, Program Assistant, 4-H Aide or the equivalent)receiving a salary from Cooperative Extension. (Including but not limited to all funding sources such as county, state and grant funds)

So, my questions for you:

* Do nominators need to be NCEA members? * Do recipients need to be NCEA members? (I know outside partner in education wouldn't be members or possibly Excellence in extension advocacy, but what about support staff?)

Please let me know your thoughts and suggestions, or if I need to ask others, I would appreciate your feedback.

Thanks!

[University of Nebraska &ndash; Lincoln] Ashley Fenning Exten Instructor Food, Nutrition and Health University of Nebraska-Lincoln NE Ext Engagement Zone 1 514 Main St Bridgeport, NE 69336 3082621022tel:3082621022