PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Southern Southern Regional Guidelines for Allocation of Regional Professional Development Funds -- Revised January 2011

• County-based educators and WNEP coordinators may request funding support for professional development through the Southern Regional office.
  • WNEP educators, as well as other grant-funded staff, typically have training funds available to them through their grant program budget.  If grant funds are unavailable, or insufficient for a particular training, funds may be requested from the Southern Regional office, and will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis

• Maximums: up to $500 per year / up to $1,000 over a three year period, based on the state fiscal year (July 1 – June 30).  
  • If funds are available at the end of the fiscal year, additional funds may be made available upon request with decisions being made on a case-by-case basis.
  • Note: occasionally, additional dollars are made available to our Southern Regional office professional development funds through the Dean’s Office, enabling amounts to exceed $500.

• Educators are encouraged to leverage resources in addition to Southern Regional funds to support professional development, but it is not required in order to request Southern Regional funds.

• It is important to note that Southern Regional professional development funds are limited and the budget will only be able to support a limited number of $500 requests in a year. Please do your best to plan ahead and get your requests in to the Southern Regional office as early as possible in the year. Requests will be approved on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Funding may be used for in-state and out-of-state educational experiences, including workshops, conferences and seminars that may be offered by UW-Extension or other universities, organizations, agencies or businesses.
  • Educators seeking financial reimbursement for credit courses should complete the tuition reimbursement request form that can be found at: http://www.uwex.edu/ces/documents/TuitionReimbursementDescription.pdf. The form is linked from within the policy.  Process your tuition reimbursement application through the Southern Regional office.
  • For requests to attend a professional association conference, priority will be given to educators who are presenting, to those who have a leadership role, and/or those receiving awards.
    
• Priority will be given to those professional development requests where the application shows that the request has a strong relationship to the individual’s current or future Extension program and is part of a professional development plan.  The request should indicate the expected return on the investment made, such as how it will help you better meet clientele needs, contribute to your scholarly work, benefit the county and state Extension organization.

• Special circumstances that may not meet these guidelines may still be forwarded to the Southern Regional Director for consideration on a case-by-case basis.

• NEW: Educators awarded Southern Regional funding are asked to submit a one-page written report along with their travel expense form when submitting for reimbursement. This report will be distributed to colleagues with the next Southern Regional Wisline agenda. If pre-payment is make, the report is due one month after the travel has been completed.

• To request Southern Regional professional development funds, please follow the procedures outlined below…

NOTE: Please call the Southern Southern Regional Office Administrative Assistant at (608)263-2781, if you have questions on the policies/procedures for requesting professional development funds or for receiving professional development reimbursement.

Procedures for REQUESTING Professional Development Funds:

1. Submit the Southern Regional Professional Development Application for Financial Reimbursement form to the Southern Regional Office.  Approval lead time: thirty days is required if tuition reimbursement is requests, and preferred for all other professional development requests.  This form gives specifics about the type of professional development, dates and cost estimates; provides justification for why the professional development opportunity should be funded; and includes necessary signatures.  Be sure YOU, the applicant, sign the form!
   1. Attach agenda or program description to make clear the intent of the Professional Development opportunity. ***If you want the Southern Regional office to actually make the registration, be sure to indicate so and attach completed registration forms.
   2. If you submit an application less than thirty days prior to the event, DO NOT assume that the request will be approved or reimbursed. "Failure to plan on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on my part" is a valid statement on this issue.
   3. Reimbursement requests should be for the actual, anticipated costs. This means that underestimating costs and then overspending the requested amount does not necessarily mean that the request for additional reimbursement will be honored. Make your estimates for expenses as accurate as possible.  Please check travel costs, lodging expenses, etc., prior to making the request.

      Please note: For state reimbursement of airfare, you have two options:

      • Cliqbook is the state online contract vendor.  You will need to use Cliqbook for online reservations.  If you choose to use another online vendor (travel site or airline), you will still be required to provide a Cliqbook quote.  The state will reimburse for whichever is lower.  Cliqbook website: http://portals.foxworldtravel.com/University/
        • The Fox World Travel booking portal (Cliqbook) has been updated with a short video, which will educate users on the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Secure Flight Requirements, the TSA compliance standards, and procedures for updating Cliqbook profiles to meet the required TSA standards.
        • The overarching requirement of the TSA is that all traveler information passed to the airline must match a traveler’s official identification EXACTLY.  Travelers understanding the importance of updating their Cliqbook profile, and other related airline information, like personal frequent flyer account data, to match their government issued identification, will eliminate delays at the airport and also prevent many Cliqbook booking errors.
        • The new video can be found at the Cliqbook website above…under the left menu header, “Flight information”.  The video is titled: “TSA Secure Flight: Update your profile”.
      • You can call a brick & mortar travel agent (via phone).
      • If you choose to book directly with the airline, via the web or phone, the Cliqbook quote requirements (above) still apply.
      • Orbits is a “non-sponsored” vendor, which means that if you book through Orbits, the state is not allowed to reimburse you.
      • If you have questions about airfare reimbursement or Cliqbook, please contact Margie Burris in the Business Services office: Margie.burris@uwex.edu or (608) 262-0180.
      
      
2. Approval of the county department head and/or program area unit supervisor (i.e. WNEP State Coordinator) is required prior to submission to the Southern Regional Director.  That supervisor’s signature is required on the form.
   1. Please also follow your local/office procedures, which might include informing the county partner of your professional development request. 
      
3. Surface mail, fax, or email the signed form and a copy of the attachments to the Administrative Assistant at the Southern Southern Regional Office:
   

   Terry Kraft 432 N Lake Street 503 Extension Bldg. Madison, WI 53706

   FAX: (608)262-9166 EMAIL: terry.kraft@ces.uwex.edu PHONE: (608)263-2781

4. The Southern Regional Director reviews the request and approves or disapproves the request.
   
5. The Administrative Assistant sends back an email with the approved reimbursement amount to the applicant. If disapproved, you will also be informed.
   
6. Coursework fee/tuition note: If you are requesting financial assistance from the Southern Regional office for any coursework fee/tuition (including CEUs or short courses), you will also need to complete the “Request for Authorization to Reimburse Employee’s Fee/Tuition” form.  Click on the tuition reimbursement procedures document (The link for the form is imbedded in the procedures document).
   1. Please read the policy information before submitting the form. This document must be completed for on-line classes, as well as on- campus classes.
   2. Original forms/signatures are preferred, but faxed copies are acceptable.
      
7. Out-of-State travel note: For any out-of-state travel, the Request for Out-of-State Travel form (under 'frequently requested files') may be required; contact the funding source to determine if the form is required or not. If this form is required, original forms/signatures are preferred, but faxed copies are acceptable.
   1. As of Fall 2010, this form is required for Southern Regional requests if travel is for credit coursework/training
   2. As of Fall 2010, all other Southern Regional requests do not require the out-of-state travel approval request form.
   3. If funding is being provided by other state funding sources, please check with that office to determine if the out-of-state form is required.
      
8. Out-of-Country travel note: For any out-of-country travel, whether reimbursed by the state or not, please complete the UW-Extension Out-of-Country Travel Request form. Original signatures are required for this document - please submit via surface mail.

Procedures for RECEIVING Professional Development REIMBURSEMENT for STATE EMPLOYEES:

1. When you return, complete a Travel Expense Report (TER) and sign it. Original receipts for lodging, registration, etc. must be attached. Follow the state guidelines for reimbursement of expenses (contact the Southern Regional Office if you have questions).  The University of Wisconsin Travel Expense Report form and original receipts should be submitted to the Southern Regional Office within 60 days of completing the professional development activity, or by June 16th, in order to be processed in the current fiscal year.
   1. The Travel Expense Report (TER) form and the Travel Reference Guide (Pocket Travel Guide) can be found at: http://www.uwex.edu/business-services/forms (under travel).
   2. To assist with completing the State TER, please refer to the State Travel Expense (TER) Guidelines - Reminders and Common Errors (revised December 2010).
   3. Paperwork must be submitted for reimbursement during the same fiscal year that the professional development occurred in order to receive reimbursement from the Southern Regional office (unless other arrangements are approved by the Southern Regional office prior to the training/event).
      
2. Get county department head and/or program area unit supervisor (i.e. WNEP State Coordinator) signature on the TER. Make a copy of the form and of the attachments for your records.  Call the Southern Regional office if you have questions.
   
3. Mail the original signed TER form, signed Southern Regional request for professional development form, original receipts, and any other attachments to the Administrative Assistant at the Southern Southern Regional Office. (Electronic Submission of TER forms is not accepted.)
   
4. The Southern Regional Director will sign the TER and the Southern Regional office will forward all documents to Accounts Payable.
   
5. Reimbursement is sent to the educator generally within 2-3 weeks, depending on the need for additional documentation.
   

FORMS:

• NEW - Southern Regional Professional Development Application for Financial Reimbursement (editable) (1 page, 65 KB)
• REVISED - State Travel Expense (TER) Guidelines - Reminders and Common Errors (1 page, 21 KB)

LINKS:

• Business Services Travel website
• Tuition Reimbursement Procedures document (request form linked from within the document)
• UW-Extension Out-of-State Travel Approval Request form (under 'frequently requested files')
• UW-Extension Out-of-Country Travel Request form

OTHER RESOURCES:

• Epsilon Sigma Phi Grants for Professional Development
• UW-Extension New Colleague Orientation
• UW-Extension Program Development and Evaluation