REG 05.10.04 – Time and Reimbursement for Professional Improvement Meetings

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 1997.

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


1. The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service’s regulation governing time granted to agents and secretaries will be as follows:

1.1. All Extension Agents will be allowed 6 days per year for all professional improvement type meetings (this would include Agents Associations, Federation, Adult Education, Home Economics, etc.).

1.2. State officers in each of the three associations will be allowed 4 additional days to conduct business of the association. The Assistant Director, County Operations, will obtain from the president of each association a list of those positions considered part of the state officer group.

1.3. Each agent will be allowed one out-of-state professional meeting per year not to exceed 5 days.

1.4. Time granted to national officers will be worked out on an individual basis.

1.5. Secretaries will be granted 4 days per year for professional improvement. An additional day will be granted for those secretaries needing additional travel time to attend the state meeting. The County Extension Director has the responsibility for authorizing the time and making the judgment regarding the travel distance to the state meeting to justify this additional day.

1.6. Officers of the State Association of Secretaries will be granted 1 day per year for planning purposes.

2. Elaboration and Procedures for Policy

Professional improvement type meetings that qualify for a time and reimbursement authorization include district, state, and national meetings of the following organizations:

2.1. North Carolina Association of Extension 4-H Agents

2.2. North Carolina Association of Cooperative Extension Secretaries

2.3. North Carolina Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences

2.4. North Carolina Association of County Agricultural Extension Agents

2.5. North Carolina Federation of Cooperative Extension Associations

2.6. North Carolina Association of Family and Consumer Sciences

2.7. North Carolina Adult Education Association

2.8. Epsilon Sigma Phi

The County Extension Director will authorize time and reimbursement for meetings of the organizations listed above. When requests for professional improvement time and reimbursement are received for meetings not listed above, they will be considered by the District Extension Director on a case-by-case basis.

The “Professional Improvement Record for County Extension Staff” (see Appendix C) is the format suggested as a uniform and practical way for the County Extension Director to maintain and monitor agent and secretary use of time for professional improvement. Please send a copy of this format to your District Extension Director by January 15th each year.