Cooperative Extension
Budget
Justification
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
April 5, 2002
- last updated
Budget justification resources are designed
to help department heads respond rapidly to requests for information needed
to support local extension funding. If you receive questions not listed
below, please email them to the resource management email address, associate.dean@ces.uwex.edu
and we'll make every effort to develop a rapid response.
Counties who have developed resource materials that they are willing to share, should email them to associate.dean@ces.uwex.edu and we will post them here.
Index of Frequently Asked Questions - By category
Benefit to County | Function/Role | Personnel Appointments & County Contracts | Other
Agent Contribution to County
What does an Agricultural Agent contribute to your county?
What does a Community Resource Development Agent contribute to your county?
What do Family Living colleagues contribute to your county?
What does a 4-H Youth Development Agent contribute to your county?
Benefit to County
What is the value added to the county budget from the Extension program?
What does the UW-Extension contribute to the partnership
Function/Role
What are appropriate roles for county extension faculty and staff who work with county fairs?
Personnel Appointments & County Contracts
Can faculty/staff choose to reduce their appointments to save resources?
What happens to me if the county discontinues support for my position?
What’s the difference between a county 133 contract and a county traditional contract?
Can a county pay less than 40% of salaries and fringe benefits for extension positions?
Can a county "shut down" an extension office and eliminate all employees?
What is the average ratio of extension faculty and staff (non-grant funded) to support staff?
Other
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Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Can faculty/staff choose to reduce their appointments to save resources?
From time to time, faculty and staff choose to reduce their appointments for a number of reasons. Before any decision is made to take a serious measure like reducing appointments, faculty and staff should consult with their district director. Finding the funds to restore the positions is often very difficult.
What happens to me if the county discontinues support for my position?
Counties can do this. The way they do it and its impact depends on if you are on a 133 or a traditional contract.
133 contracts - If you are employed through a 133 contract, UWEX is responsible for your total percent of employment. The county can discontinue their funding support for you with 60 days notice to UWEX. If this would happen, your assignment in that county would end after the 60 day notice period but your UWEX employment (and your salary and benefits) will continue. The time it continues depends on the type of university appointment you have.
Traditional Contract - If you are employed through a traditional contract, UWEX is responsible for the percent of your employment that is the university’s share (usually 60%). University tenure or other university personnel rules have no bearing upon the county. The county is legally required to follow its own personnel rules to discontinue its share of your employment. If this should happen, your assignment in that county would end after the 60 day notice period but your UWEX share of employment (and your UWEX salary and benefits) will continue. The time it continues depends on the type of university appointment you have.
More information can be found at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/admin/pdffiles/bfaqjgh1.pdf
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What’s the difference between a county 133 contract and a county traditional contract?
133 County Contract (discussion assumes a full-time county-based position)
A county-based faculty/staff member on a 133 contract is a 100% state employee.
The county reimburses the university 40% of the faculty/staff member’s salary and fringes. A faculty/staff member on a county 133 contract is eligible for all state fringe benefits and none of the county’s benefits.
County Traditional Contract (discussion assumes a full-time county-based position)
A county-based faculty/staff member on a traditional contract has two separate employers – the university (.60 FTE) and the county (.40 FTE). The university is responsible for 60% of the salary/fringes and the county is separately responsible for the remaining 40%. Faculty, academic staff and other university personnel rules apply to the university’s 60% of the appointment. County personnel rules apply to the county’s 40% share.
The faculty/staff member is eligible for a combination of state and county benefits. Major benefits would be handled as follows: vacation – county; sick leave – 40% county & 60% state; State Group Life Insurance – based on the state 60%; other state benefits not affected by the split between county and state.
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Can a county pay less than 40% of salaries and fringe benefits for extension positions?
In 1989, The Wisconsin Association of County Extension Committees (WACEC)
set the amount of contribution paid by counties. Making a change to the
agreed upon allocation would require the approval of a resolution passed by
the full membership of the state WACEC organization and UW-Extension.
Can a county "shut down" an extension office and eliminate all employees?
Yes. Employees who are funded on traditional contracts are 40% employed by the county in which they work. If a county decided to discontinue those positions, normal county personnel policy would be followed for these 40% positions. Tenured faculty would maintain 60% appointments with UWEX. When a county uses 133 contracts t to acquire educational program services from the university, a county can exercise its option to discontinue the contract with a 60 day notice.
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What are appropriate roles for county extension faculty and staff who work with county fairs?
UW-Extension faculty and staff have demonstrated their strong support for county fairs. This is appropriate because county fairs can offer numerous educational opportunities for participants and the general public. Fairs add a special dimension and focus to a number of educational programs involving individuals of all ages and local organizations.
In some counties, Extension agents have been asked to coordinate and/or direct part or all of the county fair operation. This is outside of the educational role of extension faculty and staff. Local extension staff can help by finding ways to increase and strengthen the involvement of local citizens in planning and conducting county fairs which in turn will help county fairs achieve their goals as major educational, cultural, economic and social events.
Extension faculty and staff work closely with county fairs, whether the county fair is an official county event, or sponsored by a private organization. Extension administration, individual agents themselves, and county partners work together to ensure that services provided to county fairs are directly related to specific educational goals. Clerical staff needs to be employed by county fair organizations specifically to assist with fair responsibilities so that ongoing Extension programs can be maintained without disruption.
County Extension faculty and
staff should focus on educational roles at county fairs. Examples of
these roles can be found at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/admin/fairoles.pdf
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What is the average ratio of extension faculty and staff (non-grant funded) to support staff?
The ratio is 3 to 2.
What does an Agricultural Agent contribute to your county?
Visit http://www.uwex.edu/ces/admin/pdffiles/agroles.pdf for response this question.
What does a Community Resource Development Agent contribute to your county?
Visit http://www.uwex.edu/ces/admin/pdffiles/crdroles.pdf for response this question.
What do Family Living Colleagues contribute to your county?
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Stronger Families, Better Communities
What does a 4-H Youth Development Agent contribute to you county?
Visit http://www.uwex.edu/ces/admin/pdffiles/4hroles.pdf for response this question.
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What is
the value added to the county budget from the Extension program?
Visit http://www.uwex.edu/ces/admin/pdffiles/valuecty1.pdf for response this question.
What does the UW-Extension contribute to the partnership?
- Employee salary 60%
- Fringe benefits 60%
- ETN and satellite network
- Teleconference system, DVD, monitor
- Campus based specialists and access to UW system resources
- Expenses for selected training and administrative meetings
- Computer and technology training and support
- Professional development programs
- Penalty mail
- Employee Assistance
- Hiring and recruitment services
- New staff orientation program
- Grants and contract coordination
- Publication, videos, software
Some
of the above
documents are in Adobe Acrobat® format.
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2002 Board of Regents of the University
of Wisconsin System, doing business as the Division of Cooperative Extension
of the University of Wisconsin-Extension. All rights reserved.
If you require this information in an alternative format because of
a disability, email Rick Mills, rick.mills@ces.uwex.edu
or call 608-263-4985 or 1-800-974-6644-TTY.