Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions Cassel S. Gardner Report Presented to the CSL, July 2006

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions Historical Overview: The 1890 Institutions and water programs - where are they coming from?

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions The Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 –First Morrill Act (1862) reflected a growing demand for agricultural and technical education in the United States. –Second Morrill Act (1890) supplemented by direct appropriation the income from the land-grants. To receive the money, a state had to show that race or color was not an admissions criterion, or else designate a separate land-grant college for blacks. Thus was born in the then-segregated South a group of institutions known as the "1890 land-grants."

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions The Evans-Allen program supports agricultural research with funds equal to at least 15% of Hatch Act appropriations. Another program funds extension activities at the 1890 land-grants with an emphasis on reaching socially and economically disadvantaged people.

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions Prior to 2000 WQ programs in NCAT, FAMU, AAMU, VSU, Tuskegee & others? 1999 conference in Raleigh Featured a session on Underserved Communities. Planning sessions involved Alcorn (small business incubator), FAMU, 1997 Kansas City Strategic Plan had Goal 1. Deliver water quality and health-related education programs to under-served/minority communities.

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions Background Most 1890s have limited Extension FTEs in water programs Some had FTEs in research, particularly FAMU, AAMU, NCA&T, TCU, UAPB, Alcorn, Tuskegee, SCS Little collaboration with 1862s - barriers

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions Barriers to Collaboration From the 1862: –Perception that they dont show up. –Water not a priority. –Too busy running a statewide program. From 1890: –Perception that they have all the resources. –Federal money only allocated to 1862s for the State Program. –Other duties took precedence.

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions Southern Region Project Actions In 2000 the regional facilitation project awarded $25,000 to FAMU to promote 1890 participation. – PI Cass Gardner 2003 special project $35,000 to OSU for a Collaborative Conference to promote collaboration –Planning team: Teferi Tsegaye, Sam Dennis, Virgil Dupuis, G. B. Reddy, Co-chairs: Mike Smolen and Cass Gardner –Assistance from CSREES, NRCS, and EPA

Collaborative Conference July 2004, Atlanta, Georgia Collaborative Conference

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions 1890 Institutions17 participated Tennessee State University Fort Valley State University Alabama A&M University Tuskegee University University of Arkansas – at Pine Bluff Delaware State University Florida A&M University Kentucky State University Southern University Lincoln University Alcorn State University North Carolina A&T University Langston University South Carolina State University Virginia State University West Virginia University Prairie View A&M University

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions 1862 Institutions13 participated Auburn University University of Florida University of Georgia University of Kentucky Louisiana State University University of Maryland University of Missouri North Carolina State University Oklahoma State University University of Tennessee Texas A&M University Washington State University University of Arkansas – Little Rock

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions 1994 Institutions 7 represented Tohono OOdham Community College Haskell Indian Nations University Salish Kootenai College Fort Belknap College Dine College Ogalala Lakota College Northwest Indian College Organizations EPA USDA –NRCS –CSREES –FS –AIHEC

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions Today, the 1890 institutions are becoming more interested in Water Programs and despite limited resources, several have made significant inroads addressing local and national water issues The Regional Facilitation Project through Texas A&M in which seven 1890 institutions participated and the Collaborative Conference held in Atlanta July 2004, has significantly contributed to the increase in water quality activities among 1890 institutions

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions Examples of on-going water program projects include; –Degradation of pesticides used in control of fire ants & Japanese beetle in nursery crop production. – Sam Dennis and Jason Oliver – TSU. Funded by USDA,-CSREES –Biostimulation and enhancement of rhizo-degradation of perchlorate using animal waste in water and soil media – O. S. Mbuya, FAMU and V. A. Nzengung – UG. Funded by EPA –Validating a mesh-bag field method for soil erosion assessment. Y. Ping Hseih and Kennard Grant (grad student) – FAMU

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions –A novel multi-elemental scanning thermal analysis (MESTA) method for the identification and characterization of solid substances. Yuch-Ping Hsieh – FAMU –Modeling soil salinity distribution along an elevational gradient in tidal salt marshes in Atlantic and Gulf coastal regions - Hongqing Wang, Ping Hsieh and Mark A. Harwell FAMU –(funding source – Forest Service, CSREES and NOAA) –Management strategies to improve water quality on the Mississippi Gulf coast - Alton Johnson, Alcorn State University. Funded by NRCS –Nutrient management and water quality research projects. – several studies involving Arthur Allen et al including graduate students - University of Maryland eastern shore

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions Publication: Development of chemical index as a measure of in-stream water quality response to land-use and land cover changes. (Tsegaye et. al., 2006; Water Air and Soil Pollution), Alabama A&M Univ. Up –Coming Presentations: Soil and Water Conservation Society, 2006 International Conference – Targeting Technical Water-related Information for People with Low Literacy Skills (Robert Williamson; July 2006) NCA&T

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions National Science Teachers Association Conference 2006 – The Water Guardian: A Guide to Good Water Quality by (Robert Williamson; October 2006), NCA&T The American Society of Agronomy (ASA), Crop Science Society of America (CSSA), and Soil Science Society of America (SSSA) International Conference – The Water Guardian: Chopper Ride (Robert Williamson; November 2006), NCA&T

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions National Facilitation Project: This is the first stand alone grant received by an 1890 institution under the 406 water program The grant in the amount of $ 320, for 4 years, was funded through Tennessee State University, with Sam Dennis as the PI. A committee of 6 (4 from 1890 and 2 from 1862) was formed to run the grant In April, Sam sent out a mini-grant RFP to all 1890 institutions. Proposals maybe up to $10, for 1 year. July 21 was the closing date for submitting proposals.

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions Approximately $10, will be allocated to Alabama A&M University (Teferi Tsegaye), to establish a Water Program web site for the 1890 group Administrative inputs: Both the AEA (Association of Extension Administrators) and the ARD (Association of Research Directors) have pledged their support for water program activities at the 1890s

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions Both associations appointed representatives to be responsible for water program activities (1 from AEA & 2 from ARD) Watershed Academy: This workshop will take place at the Tennessee State University (TSU), Ellington Agricultural Center, Nashville, TN, on October The workshop will be facilitated by 1890 and 1862 personnel

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions Collaborative Outcome: –Funded facilitated grant –National facilitation proposal submitted by Winrock International, with Sam Dennis as the 1890 collaborator –Art Gold request to recruit students from 1890 institutions to the University of Rhode Islands Coastal Institute IGERT project – multi-disciplinary Ph.D program (potential for leadership in solving environmental problems and coastal ecosystems) –Sam Dennis working with Paul Vendrell (UG) on the Downwell Camera project –Alton Johnson (Alcorn) working with Jimmy Bonner (MS), preparing for the field tour for the September 2006 Southern Region Meeting

Water Program Activities at 1890 Institutions For Future: –More joint activities –All 1890s have active water programs –1890 personnel to be involved in more leadership roles