All compensation policies must be consistent with state and
federal legislation, University policies and procedures, and principles of sound
fiscal management.
The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service
Affirmative Action Plan states: "The University of Arkansas Cooperative
Extension Service is an equal opportunity employer. All candidates
will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, national
origin, gender, age, disability, marital or veteran status, or any other
legally protected status."
All units of the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service
are to follow the Institution's Affirmative Action Plan in recruitment
and employment and in subsequent evaluation and promotion procedures.
Additional details concerning the Extension Service Affirmative Action
Program may be obtained from the Human Resources Office.
• Performance - The primary consideration for salary
adjustments is performance. Both the current level of performance and
growth in performance are considered.
• Educational Level - Entry level salary is determined in part by
the degree held. Agents receive a salary increase upon completion of the
Master's degree.
• Rank - Agents will be assigned to a rank (Agent I, Agent II, or
Agent III) at the time of employment and may be promoted during their career.
• Experience - Prior job related experience may be considered when
establishing a starting salary and the beginning rank.
• Stipends - Specific dollar amounts will be added to an agents'
salary for additional duties as County Extension Agent - Staff Chair.
• Equity - Extension administration has the flexibility to make
individual salary adjustment to maintain equity among groups of employees and
for unusual circumstances or situations, including the need to attract and
retain employees from specific markets.
Extension Interns - The entry salary for an Extension
Intern will be determined by the degree level attained and will be
identical to that of an entry-level County Extension Agent.
Entry Level Agents - Inexperienced, entry-level agents enter
the system at the rank of Agent I. The beginning salary is $27,000
for a Bachelor's degree and $35,000
for a Master's degree.
Experienced Agents - Agents entering the organization with
related job experience will enter at an appropriate salary and rank for
their training and experience.
Rank Levels
Refer to the Guidelines for Appointment and Promotion of County
Extension Agents and Staff Chairs,
, for rank levels.
First Year Salary Adjustment for Entry Level Agents and Interns
Contingent upon the availability of funding,
agents and Interns hired at entry level and placed in counties
will receive an additional July 1 adjustment provided:
• they were hired before April 1, of that year and
• the District Director judges their performance fully satisfactory.
Those hired after April 1 would be adjusted the next year.
Salary Increases - Advanced Degrees
Agents and Extension Interns who complete a Master's degree may be
considered for a salary increase. The policy on salary increases for
advanced degrees is covered in policy
Merit Increases
Merit increases are awarded on a funds-available basis.
Merit increases do not affect rank or promotion eligibility.
Stipends for Staff Chair
Responsibilities of Staff Chair are an added assignment to a
program position. This is a continuing assignment at the discretion of
the District Director and the Associate Vice President for Agriculture -
Extension.
When it is deemed in the best interest of Extension, the Associate
Vice President for Agriculture - Extension may fill a vacant position
through an administrative transfer which includes the Staff Chair
assignment as well.
In the normal course of events (when the position of Staff Chair is
not filled by administrative transfer), the District Director will
advertise for the appropriate programmatic expertise (i.e., agriculture
or family and consumer sciences). Once the position is filled, the
District Director will designate the Staff Chair from among existing
county faculty.
Agents designated the responsibilities of the County Extension Agent
- Staff Chair will receive an annual stipend in addition to the base
salary. The stipend is determined by the number of faculty
positions assigned to the county as follows:
• Two faculty positions - $ 1,000
• Three or more faculty positions - $ 2,000
The stipend will end when the designee ceases to serve as Staff
Chair.
Note: Persons assigned to the position of Staff Chair prior to
February 1, 1995, do not receive the stipend.
Stipends for Interim Assignment of Staff Chair
When an interim assignment of Staff Chair lasts for more than
90 days, the regular stipend will be added to the employee's salary
after 90 days. The stipend will continue
for the duration of the assignment.
In Rank Promotion
The policy on in-rank promotion is covered in the Guidelines
for Appointment and Promotion of County Extension Agents and Staff
Chairs,
.
Promotion by Relocation
Although no assurance is given that every agent will have the
opportunity to promote through relocation, all agents may compete for
the opportunity. To exercise the option to promote through
relocation, agents may apply to the District Director for advertised
positions requiring Extension experience.
Advertisements for applicants with Extension experience will be
limited to situations in which:
• Agents presently assigned to the county have limited experience.
• The Associate Vice President for Agriculture-Extension determines that
advertising for Extension experience is in the best interest of the
organization.
Agents may be promoted at various times during their
career by relocation. This may occur while serving at any rank.
Promotion through relocation allows an agent to receive an adjustment in
base salary for relocating to a position of greater responsibility, but
does not result in a change in rank. The Associate Vice President
for Agriculture-Extension must approve the promotion by relocation and
any salary increase.
Promotion Without Changing Locations
Under this plan, each agent will have an opportunity to be
promoted up to two times without changing location and will have the
option to be promoted additional times through relocation.
Relocation Without Promotion
Agents may request relocation without promotion for personal
or professional reasons. Such transfer will be at the discretion
of Extension administration. No salary increase or payment of
moving expenses will be involved.
Payment of Moving Expenses
Refer to Payment of Moving Expenses,
, to determine eligibility for moving expense and
procedures for reimbursement.
Evaluation
Performance evaluations are an integral part of the
professional development of Extension agents. The evaluation
procedure is intended as a means of assessing the agent's performance
and is structured to ensure that the agent fulfills his/her potential
and performs at a level commensurate with his/her rank. As such,
evaluations form an important basis from which to consider an agent's
candidacy for promotion in rank.
For additional information on evaluations refer to the policy, Annual
Performance Evaluation – County Extension Agents,
.
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