| JCEP Board President Jeff Holland explained the reasoning behind the decision, “Our Galaxy Polices and Guidelines require that ‘every five years the Joint Council of Extension Professionals sponsors and provides leadership for a Galaxy Conference for the entire Extension System. This conference invites participation from all JCEP member associations, ECOP and other partners critical to the Extension mission.’ After a successful Galaxy IV, we have listened diligently to our association members and the national Extension leadership. Based on the input from our association members, JCEP Board and partners, the JCEP Board voted to re-examine how we can best balance the need to have a national conversation within the Cooperative Extension System and the specific needs of our associations and their members. We remain committed to our core mission of being ‘a partnership of Extension professional associations: doing what each cannot do effectively alone, building leadership and collaboration, providing professional development and scholarship opportunities and advocating for excellence in the Extension Profession.’ Our hope is that by taking this time for our member associations and partners to critically examine our professional development activities, we will be able to continue to provide the highest value professional development opportunities for the entire Cooperative Extension System.” |
