REG 06.15.02 – Fees for Off-Campus Short Courses Conducted Jointly by Campus and County Staff

Authority: Issued by the Chancellor. Changes or exceptions to administrative regulations issued by the Chancellor may only be made by the Chancellor.

History: First Issued: March 1995.

Contact Info: CALS Personnel Director (919-515-2708)


1. Short courses, conferences, and seminars are frequently conducted jointly by Extension Specialists and County Extension staff at the County Extension Center or other convenient local setting. Registration fees are usually charged participants to recover allowable costs of the short course. This policy statement describes allowable costs to be charged via the registration fee, procedures for budgeting short-course expenses and proper accounting procedures for these jointly conducted courses. (It is expected that counties operating alone or with clientele will utilize county accounts and specialists conducting state or regional workshops will use the services of the Continuing Education Unit at North Carolina State University.)

2. Allowable Uses of Registration Fees

2.1. State and federal regulations prohibit the use of appropriated funds for the generation of revenue. These regulations do permit the use of registration fees to recover individual specialist and county staff costs for materials, materials preparation costs, postage, the rental and purchase of visual aid equipment, and allowable specialist per diem costs. Transportation costs are not allowable since state cars are provided for specialist travel. Registration fees may also include costs for meals, breaks, and outside speaker fees associated with the short course.

2.2. Registration fees may not include cost recovery for professional meetings, SHRA and EHRA labor, major equipment purchases such as microcomputers and vehicles, alcoholic beverages, and entertainment expenses. Registration fees shall be waived for those participants who are unable to pay. Such individuals will not receive handout materials made possible by the registration fees.

3. Accounting Requirements

3.1. Each specialist who wishes to charge a registration fee for a county-based short course will prepare and submit a line item budget for each short course to the Specialist In Charge and/or Department Head for approval. This budget will also include allowable expenditures to be made by a cooperating county staff in support of the short course.

3.2. The department will maintain a file of the approved short-course budgets, receive and deposit registration fees, and pay allowable short-course expenses. Registration fee checks will be made out to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. All allowable expenses for an approved short course will be paid in full within six months of the completion of the approved short course.

3.3. Each department will establish a separate sub-ledger 3 account (sales and services) for the receipt of short-course registration fees and the payment of allowable expenses. University approved accounting procedures will be followed to assure proper accountability