Permanent Status for County Extension Faculty and P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School Faculty

REGULATIONS OF THE

UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA

7.025 Permanent Status for County Extension Faculty and P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School Faculty.

(1)     General Information.

(a)     Permanent status is similar to tenure in that it provides assurance of a continual appointment subject to the conditions set forth in this regulation. It is granted by the President and shall be effective on July 1 following the completion of all requirements.

(b)     A faculty member who has been appointed to a permanent status accruing position at less than 1.00 full-time equivalent (FTE) will be awarded permanent status at the percentage of full-time effort assigned at the time of the initial appointment in the permanent status accruing position.

(c)     Permanent status earned by any faculty member prior to assuming a supervisory or administrative position shall be retained in the faculty rank in which it was attained. Upon release from the supervisory or administrative position, the faculty member shall be entitled to reassignment to the same or a similar position to that in which permanent status was attained, or to the same or similar position held at the time of the supervisory or administrative appointment, and to the salary range that would have been earned had the faculty position been held continuously.

(d)     Nominations for permanent status or promotion shall be based on the University’s guidelines and evaluation procedures and shall originate with the appropriate department or administrative unit in which the individual holds a title and/or receives a salary.

(2)     Eligibility.

(a)     County extension faculty appointments that do not include the appointment status modifiers “adjunct,” “provisional,” “visiting,” “research”, “program” or “courtesy,” are permanent status accruing.

(b)     Consideration for permanent status is based on performance of faculty duties and responsibilities. Permanent status is granted solely in the faculty appointment. Faculty appointed to serve in academic administrative (or supervisory) classifications or positions shall not be eligible for permanent status in the administrative appointment.

(3)     Nature of Permanent Status for County Extension Faculty.

(a)     Permanent status insures the county extension faculty member of certain commitments by the Florida Cooperative Extension Service should the county terminate without cause the faculty member’s position in the county. In the event a county extension faculty member with permanent status is terminated without cause by the county:

1.     The Florida Cooperative Extension Service shall reassign the faculty member to a temporary position at the University of Florida for the next contract year of the faculty member, with the understanding that the county extension faculty member will first apply for each similar county position that is or becomes vacant during the contract year. The temporary employment of the faculty member will be terminated at the end of the contract year. The faculty member’s permanent status shall likewise be terminated at the end of the contract year in the event the faculty member has not previously secured another position with a county.

2.     Such reassignment shall not decrease the annual salary of the county extension faculty member.

(b)     Permanent status is with the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, not the county.

(c)     Permanent status shall not be awarded to those holding the rank County Extension Agent I.

(4)     A county extension faculty member of the Florida Cooperative Extension Service, whose overall performance is worthy and who is serving in a permanent status accruing rank, shall be considered and recommended for permanent status or given a notice of non-renewal by the end of the “permanent status probationary period.” The “permanent status probationary period” shall be seven (7) years unless extended under the same provisions that allow for the extension of the tenure probationary period under subsection (3)(c) of University of Florida Regulation 7.019. The performance of a faculty member and progress toward permanent status is evaluated each year prior to being granted permanent status, and a letter is written by the county extension director to the supervising district extension director either recommending that the faculty member “be continued in a permanent status accruing position” or “not be continued in a permanent status accruing position”.

(5)     County extension faculty members being considered for permanent status prior to the last year of the permanent status probationary period may withdraw from consideration without prejudice by written mutual agreement between the faculty member and the District Extension Director.

(6)     District extension director responsibilities:

(a)     Annually the district extension director supplies each county extension director under his or her supervision with a list of those faculty members on the county staff who do not have permanent status.

(b)     Annually a letter is sent by the district extension director to each faculty member in a permanent status accruing position under his or her supervision clearly stating:

1.      his or her level of performance;

2.      the strengths 2nd the weaknesses of the faculty member; and

3.      whether or not the faculty member will be recommended to be continued in a permanent status accruing position.

(7)     Permanent Status for P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School Personnel.

(a)     The concept of the permanent status for certain P.K. Yonge (PKY) Developmental Research School faculty assures them that they may expect to continue in their academic positions for an indefinite period of time unless suspended or terminated for just cause or laid off in accordance with the University procedures or the faculty member leaves the employment of the University or relinquishes his or her permanent status.

(b)     P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School faculty who already have permanent status as of July 1, 2011 retain that status unless otherwise disallowed by law. P.K. Yonge Developmental Research School faculty who do not have permanent status as of July 1, 2011 are not eligible to obtain permanent status.

Specific Authority: BOG Regulation 1.001.

History: New 3-26-80, Amended 5-14-85, Formerly 6C1-7.25, 4-30-95, 6-28-98, 5-20-02, 7-5-04, Formerly 6C1-7.025, Amended 6-8-12, 3-22-13.