Historical Note:

The Extension Information Office (which later became Extension Communications) and the Agricultural Experiment Station Information office (which later became Agricultural Experiment Station Communications) were separate units until 1983, when they were combined into a single unit in the College of Agricultural Sciences. This new unit was called Agricultural Communications. The name was changed in March of 1996 to Extension and Experiment Station Communications to reflect the move at OSU to make Extension a university-wide outreach activity. Extension and Experiment Station Communications is a department in the College of Agricultural Sciences. Unit Leaders of the combined unit have included Ken Kingsley, Department Head from April 1995 to the present, and as the interim department head from November 1991 to April 1995; Gwil Evans was department head from 1983 to 1991.

The Extension Service appointed the first editor of bulletins, C. J. McIntosh, soon after the receipt of federal funds in 1914. Other heads of Extension Information included Arnold Ebert, who was head from 1956 to 1972, and Gwil Evans, from 1972 to 1983. This unit has provided training for Extension staff in such areas as: newsletters, writing for newspapers, radio, photography, etc.

The first experiment station bulletin was written by Director Edgar Grimm and published in 1889. Between 1889 and 1899, the Station published 58 bulletins and circulars on a variety of topics, many in response to farmers' questions. The Experiment Station Editor position was created in 1947 with Arland R. Meade filling that position until 1948. Other heads of the Agricultural Experiment Station Information office included Dick Floyd (1970 until 1983), Robert G. Mason (1953-1970), Norville Gish (1950-1953) and Sam Bailey (1948-1950). The Agricultural Experiment Station communications unit has worked with researchers to distribute the results of research to other researchers (via technical bulletins, etc.), and to make the public aware of and value the impact of research on their lives via newspaper and television releases, and Oregon's Agricultural Progress magazine.

The communication units were located in Extension Hall (previously Snell Hall), then moved to one of the upper floors of Waldo Hall, and moved into the Kerr Administration Building when it opened in 1971.

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