AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)

CIVIL RIGHTS

ENABLING LEGISLATION

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

PERSONNEL

PROGRAM MANAGEMENT –GENERAL

PROGRAMS–SPECIFIC

Appointment of County Extension Directors

It is the policy of Washington State University Extension to provide equal opportunity in employment and personnel management for all persons and to prohibit discrimination because of race, gender, religion, age, color, creed, national or ethnic origin; physical, mental or sensory disability; marital status, sexual orientation, or status as a Vietnam-era or disabled veteran. Except in large counties where the county director is a full time administrative position, county directors are county faculty with a temporary administrative responsibility. It is organizational policy to consider internal applicants who desire an administrative responsibility for small and mid-sized counties. For a few large counties with full time county directors, it is usual to conduct a national search with internal and external applicants to fill vacancies. For county director positions in counties with middle-sized staffs where a program assignment is combined with administrative responsibilities, the interest of resident county faculty in assuming the county director responsibility should be ascertained before an internal transfer announcement is prepared.

SELECTION PROCEDURE
The procedure for selecting a county director varies slightly depending on the number of faculty in the county. All selections and appointments must assure that all qualified applicants have been considered and no discrimination exists in the selection process. Due to the partnership with the county commissioners, their concurrence is secured before the appointment is made by the Extension Dean and Director. The following selection procedure is followed:

One-Faculty Counties

1. District director prepares position description that includes needed program responsibility(ies). Position is advertised regionally or nationally and selection is made in a nondiscriminatory manner following standard hiring procedures. Internal WSU Extension faculty are encouraged to apply following hiring procedures.
2. County director is appointed by the Extension Dean and Director.

Counties with Mid-Sized Staffs - two to five faculty

1. District director discusses county director vacancy with the county faculty and staff. Resident county faculty interested in assuming county director’s responsibilities are asked to indicate their interest in writing.
2. District director reviews qualifications of interested faculty, discusses with resident faculty and staff and county commissioners and makes appointment recommendation to the Extension Dean and Director. If no resident county faculty member indicates an interest, or interested faculty lack county director qualifications, and the option to hire from outside is available, a position description is prepared that includes needed program responsibility.
3. Position is advertised and selection made in a nondiscriminatory manner following standard hiring procedures.
4. County director is appointed by the Extension Dean and Director.

Counties with Large Staffs

1. District director discusses county director vacancy with the Extension Dean and Director to determine if this will be an outside search.
2. If so, position description is prepared that emphasizes the administrative, supervisory and leadership responsibilities of the position.
3. Position is advertised and selection made in a nondiscriminatory manner following standard hiring procedures.
4. County director is appointed by the Extension Dean and Director.

APPOINTMENT
No county director has tenure in the county director position. Any tenured faculty not performing satisfactorily in the county director role will be reassigned to program responsibilities and another faculty member will be appointed county director.
The Extension county director will be appointed to a four-year term subject to performance appraisal. The Extension county director will be reviewed annually by the district director in the normal performance appraisal process for Extension faculty.
After four years, additional performance input will be sought by the district director from resident county faculty and staff, county government officials and constituents to see if the county director should be reappointed for an additional four-year term. Appointments will be effective July 1.

REMUNERATION
Additional salary in the form of a stipend will be given to county director for the added leadership, management, and supervisory responsibilities during the time the individual is county director. The stipend will be removed if the county director is reassigned as a faculty member.
The size of the stipend is normally based on the number of resident county faculty and full time WSU employed Administrative Professional staff reporting directly to the county director. Current stipend percentages are as follows: