WELCOME! to the University of Idaho's Change Agent State's Website.....

The purpose of this site is to promote inclusiveness at the University of Idaho and throughout the state. 

The Change Agent States project, initiated by Cooperative Extension, is a catalytic step in transforming the Land-Grant system.  CAS is a consortium of land-grant institutions dedicated to supporting greater cultural diversity by bringing the needed technical skills and training to each of the member states. Through this collaborative approach, the consortium is developing successful models and strategies that can be applied throughout the system nationally.

The purpose of the CAS is to build the capacity of the National Land Grant System to function inclusively and effectively in a multicultural world; setting standards and implementing a vision for healthy, thriving, and productive communities in a diverse world.

Values:

• Commitment to diversity in all staff, volunteers, and audiences; including full participation in programs, policy formulation, and decision-making.

• Ability to lead and model diversity throughout the organization and to lead society toward pluralism.

• Commitment to individual and organizational efforts to build respect, dignity, fairness, caring equality, and self-esteem.

• Recognition of the rights of all individuals to mutual respect; acceptance of others without biases based on differences of any kind.

• Commitment to equitable treatment and elimination of discrimination in all its forms at all organizational levels and throughout all programs.

• Recognition and promotion of the diversity of ideas and human potential.

Project Goals:

• Build the capacity of the land grant system to function inclusively and effectively in a multicultural world;

• Set standards and implement a vision for supporting healthy, thriving, culturally diverse communities through Extension, research and academic programs.

Project Objectives:

• Establish a mechanism to support ongoing, sustainable change in Cooperative Extension and its research and academic partners in the land-grant system;

• Develop effective state leadership for addressing diversity issues;

• Improve the diversity profile at county and state levels;

• Foster a system that values differences;

• Manage diversity skill development;

• Establish strategic diversity management.