Article VII of the Constitution and Article III of the Bylaws describe the authority for appointment, nature, selection, and authority of Association Committees. The following policies are to guide committee work within the Association.
The President of the Association shall appoint the state chairpersons for all standing committees, plus any he/she or the Executive Board feel would be beneficial, and will publicize these appointments to the membership.
In order to coordinate committee selection with NACAA and to have state committees named for the coming year at the State Annual Meeting, the following sequence of actions should take place:
See NACAA Committee Structure Chart
This committee shall develop and recommend procedure and policy for Association activities and functioning of the various committees and/or other policy and procedures directed by the Association or its officers. The immediate Past President shall serve as state chairperson of this committee and shall be directly responsible to the officers and directors of NCACAA to serve and protect the interest of the entire membership and the Association. This committee is also responsible for updating Association policy each year based on actions of the NCACAA Board.
This committee is to formulate and present a Constitution and Bylaws for adoption by the Association. It should provide a channel of communications for implementation of the Constitution and Bylaws. Upon adoption, this committee should constantly review and recommend changes, taking into consideration the Constitution and Bylaws of our National Association and any changes that should be considered by our membership. This committee shall provide guidelines for internal policy measures and serve as a liaison with the Federation and National Association.
This committee shall refer to Article IV and V of the Constitution and Bylaws in order to provide a uniform and orderly selection of the officers of the State and District Associations. This committee shall present a proposed slate of officers for consideration by members at the Annual Meeting.
This committee shall become aware of and make available to the Association possible or pending legislation as it affects the Extension Service and/or its individual members. This committee should communicate and coordinate with other agent associations and government employee associations regarding programs or legislation beneficial or non-beneficial to all involved. The adequate provision of supplies and services to do the job and keeping harmony among workers is necessary in carrying out the work of the Cooperative Extension Service. This committee is to recommend supplies and services such as: positions, salaries, benefits, tenure, annual leave, mileage, et cetera, for Extension employees. (Benefits include: military leave; life, accident, liability, and hospital insurance; study leave; leave without pay; et cetera.)Further, this committee shall develop and carry out specific plans for maintaining and increasing membership in the State Association. The ultimate goal is to have every agent a member. It should provide an educational program for all members on the advantages of membership. The committee should contact all new agents joining the Extension Service and invite them to become members. This committee shall also coordinate the availability of various marketing materials as approved by the Board of Directors. As approved by the board, this committee shall maintain supply of NCACAA paraphernalia and make available to the membership.
This committee shall develop and recommend procedure and policy for appropriate action by the Association in the event of sickness or death of any member or his/her family, or others worthy of remembrance by this Association.
The county extension faculty will notify the District Benevolence Chairman of illness or death of an active or retired NCACAA member or family member.
The District Benevolence Chairman will utilize email and other appropriate means to notify NCACAA members (including the State Benevolence Chairman) of illness and death.
Upon the death of an active or retired NCACAA member, the State Benevolence Chairman will coordinate with the NCACAA treasurer to arrange for a $50 family designated memorial such as the NCACAA scholarship fund or flowers.
Upon the death of an NCACAA member's spouse, child or parent, the District Benevolence Chairman will send an appropriate card extending sympathy and will pay for such.
The NCACAA Benevolence Chairman will arrange for appropriate cards of sympathy to state level Extension Faculty in the case of serious family illness or death. The Benevolence Committee is granted approval and funding to print a standardized sympathy card with an appropriate message and current logo.
Each year the supply of sympathy cards on hand will be transferred to the in-coming NCACAA Chairman who will supply cards to District Benevolence Chairmen.
This committee shall be made up of the Executive Board of NCACAA with the immediate Past President serving as chairperson. District Vice Directors will not appoint members to this committee unless asked to do so by the Executive Board. This committee shall provide a strong leadership network between the NACAA National Board and the state in public policy issues. This committee shall be responsible to encourage participation in:
This committee shall make recommendations to the Association membership which enhance the opportunities for members to be recognized for outstanding educational programs and shall strive to develop new professional improvement opportunities. The President-Elect shall serve as state chairperson of this committee. This committee shall work on programs and funding and conduct evaluation of professional improvement programs assigned by the National Board. This committee shall coordinate and encourage participation in the following programs:
State chairpersons of these committees shall serve as state contacts for national committees.
This committee shall stimulate a need for and provide an opportunity for publicizing outstanding programs carried out by Extension agents in their education work and to encourage members to use a variety of Information delivery techniques. Some of our most successful Extension workers have been those who have shared their ideas with other agents who have then taken them and used them in their work.
This committee shall be responsible for promoting, determining eligibility, and conducting the following national programs on the state level:
To receive the monetary award associated with the recognition, the agent must attend the State meeting (and National if a National winner). The Communications Committee can allow for an exemption from attending the State meeting if a qualified extenuating circumstance is provided.
This committee shall stimulate members to excel in program development and delivery and to provide the opportunity for outstanding programs to be shared with other members. This committee shall be responsible for conducting the following national programs on the state level:
This committee shall formulate and recommend areas of emphasis upon which Extension should direct its educational efforts. This is to include a means by which to accomplish this objective. A mark of a professional is his commitment to share with his fellow workers the successful techniques of the profession. This committee shall coordinate and encourage participation in the following National programs:
This committee is to formulate and recommend programs and means of strengthening the county and state 4-H programs and shall coordinate the activities of this Association with the efforts of Youth Committees of other associations. When requested, this committee shall arrange for 4-H presentations at NACAA Annual Meetings in cooperation with the NACAA President. This committee shall coordinate and encourage participation in the following National programs:
This committee shall encourage and provide a means through which Extension agents continue to strive to improve and promote a more effective public image of Extension and shall improve the recognition of award recipients in their home communities. This committee shall coordinate and encourage participation in the following National programs:
This committee shall provide recognition and awards for outstanding service and contribution to the Extension program in North Carolina and shall coordinate DSA/AA with NACAA. This committee shall be responsible for the following awards:
This committee is responsible for determining eligibility, opportunity to apply, review, and recommendation of recipients to State Board. Agents may be encouraged to submit an application on a competitive basis or be nominated by a fellow agent. It is recommended that an alternate from each district be submitted, but does not imply that the alternate is to be automatically selected the following year. An alternate should be named in case the selected district nominee cannot participate.
To receive the monetary award associated with the recognition, the agent must attend the State meeting. The Recognition and Awards Committee can allow for an exemption from attending the State meeting if a qualified extenuating circumstance is provided.
Each member should refer to the winter issue of County Agent magazine or the NACAA website at http://www.nacaa.com for details of all award and recognition programs.
This committee shall encourage members' contributions to the NACAA Scholarship Fund and provide assistance and encouragement for applicants. This committee shall assume leadership for securing additional funds for investment in the national scholarship trust from which income earned can be allocated for professional improvement to qualified members. This committee shall also annually compile and make available to all members a list of available scholarships and loans for regular academic and in-service training.
This committee functions to encourage retired agents to become life members of NACAA, to contribute to the scholarship program, to attend Association meetings, and to develop programs that enable their continued contribution to Association activities. This committee shall maintain a current list, with addresses, of all retired members of this Association, noting those who are life members, and this list shall be published each year in the NCACAA Annual Report. The committee should appoint one retired and one current member to be responsible for updating the list. The committee shall forward the updated list to the District Treasurer who will forward to the NCACAA Treasurer. The chairman of this committee (which NACAA recommends to be a Life Member) shall notify the national life member chairperson at least 60 days prior to the National Meeting of the death of any life members from North Carolina since the last National Meeting so these deceased members can be properly remembered.
As of January 12, 2001 the NCACAA Board approved to pay life member dues and one year subscription to the County Agent magazine. NACAA changed life membership requirements at the 2002 AM/PIC to allow agents who were members of NACAA to apply for life member status upon leaving Extension work prior to retirement upon approval of the State association. Those approved by the NCACAA Board of Directors Will be Billed for One time Life member Dues by the State Treasurer.
The philosophy of all Extension and continuing education efforts is based upon the principle that there is inherent worth and potential in each individual. The goal is to recognize this worth and to assist in the fullest possible attainment of this potential by making available to our members all training opportunities possible. This committee shall coordinate and encourage participation in programs offered by NACAA based on available funding and needs of NACAA members. Currently these programs include:
The Extension Development and Professional Improvement Councils collaborate with the AM/PIC Host State and NACAA President in the identification and confirmation of presenters for the AM/PIC Professional Improvement Sessions.
On September 23, 2005, an additional State Committee, the State Electronic Communication Committee was established. The committee shall be comprised of one representative from each district and the NCACAA President and President-Elect.
Specialists with Agriculture/Natural Resource responsibilities will be allowed to join NCACAA in the Extension District of their choice. The Specialist will have full benefits of the NCACAA. Dues will be the same as Agents.
Articles IV and V of the Constitution and Article II of the Bylaws name the officers and their broad responsibilities. In addition to these obligations, certain duties are assigned to the officers by the Board of Directors.
The President-Elect will provide leadership to, and along with the President, give the organizational structure for the next Annual Meeting. It is the responsibility of the President-Elect to prepare and publish the Annual Report of the Association. Current policy allows the President-elect to post the Annual Report on NCACAA's website at the direction of the Board. This should be done by August of that year.
The Vice-President has the responsibility for all committee work. It is also the responsibility of the member in this position to lead the membership in securing sponsorship for the Annual Meeting.
The Secretary will be responsible for recording and distributing the minutes of all Board of Director meetings, the Annual Meeting, and any called meetings of the Association. As mandated by the Bylaws of the Association, the Secretary will file copies of all actions by the Board of Directors and membership in the Annual Report. The member in this position will file permanent records of our Association which is located in a designated storage facility near the Wake County Cooperative Extension Service office. The Secretary will be on a 1 year term and can serve up to 3 years.
The Treasurer will prepare periodic financial reports for the Board of Directors meetings, and present a Financial Report of the Association for the current year at the Annual Meeting. The business year of NCACAA shall be a calendar year (January - December). The treasurer's report shall be printed in the Annual Report each year and shall be based on a calendar year. The Treasurer will be on a 1 year term and can serve up to 3 years.
It is the responsibility of the Treasurer to collect dues and prepare membership reports required by the National Association and serve as North Carolina's Membership Coordinator with the National Association. It is also the responsibility of the Treasurer to coordinate the purchase of plaques that NCACAA provides.
The Past President shall be responsible for updating current policy as changed by the Board during his/her term.
Officers will be reimbursed for travel as per voted on by the board. All officers may attend the National meeting with the same reimbursement as voting delegates ($500). Officers and board members may receive mileage to attend the State Board meetings as per the rate of the state, at this time it is .32 per mile.
The Board is urged to have a minimum of four meetings (first Friday, typically held in the Wake County offices) per year. Historically, the following schedule has been observed:
The Annual Meeting of NCACAA shall be held at least two weeks prior to the Annual Meeting of NACAA and shall be held in the district of the President-Elect. The NCACAA Board voted on June 26, 2001 that "The NCACAA Board under the Vice-President's leadership should raise the funds needed to conduct a two-day state meeting/professional improvement conference." All registration and sponsorship funds for the Annual Meeting will be made payable to NCACAA and expenses paid by the NCACAA Treasurer. Districts may continue to get local sponsorship for activities that they choose to fund outside the scope of the NCACAA sponsored activities. (That any cost for early bird events or activities should come from registration fees for those events or activities, subject to budget approval at the winter meeting of the NCACAA Board.)
Districts hosting the State meeting shall provide to the State Board a detailed financial budget/spread sheet at the completion of the State meeting.
The rotation of electing the Vice-Director and the district to host the state meeting is the district of the President-Elect:
| Year | President | Pres-Elect | Vice-Pres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-08 | South Central | West | North Central |
| 2008-09 | West | North Central | Northeast |
| 2009-10 | North Central | Northeast | West Central |
| 2010-11 | Northeast | West Central | Southeast |
| 2011-12 | West Central | Southeast | South Central |
| 2012-13 | Southeast | South Central | West |
| 2013-14 | South Central | West | North Central |
| 2014-15 | West | North Central | Northeast |
NACAA policy designates the number of voting delegates available to each state based on current membership as of March 15. One voting delegate is allowed for the first 40 members and one additional voting delegate for each 30 members thereafter or fraction thereof. Article IV, Section 6, of the Constitution and Bylaws states that the Board of Directors of NCACAA shall determine the method of selecting Voting Delegates to the National Meeting. The current policy of the Board is to suggest that each district select its current Vice Director as Voting Delegate, and if this person does not plan to attend the National Meeting, to select a suitable alternate. These SEVEN (7) Voting Delegates, plus the President and President-Elect will make up our voting delegation.
When an individual is selected to attend a state or a national function with the designated responsibility as Voting Delegate, or when selected to attend any event as a representative of our State Association, this individual will be expected to fulfill those respective duties by attending all business meetings, plus general and special meetings.
If the individual is to be reimbursed for any of these expenses by NCACAA or by Extension Administration, a certification of proper and acceptable performance should be submitted by the State President who will be completing his term at the conclusion of the respective National Meeting for which the Delegate's functions would be performed.
This certification of proper performance should also have the concurrence of the President-Elect who will be the incoming State President at the conclusion of the National Meeting. Only when this certification is forwarded to the State Association Treasurer and/or to the Director of County Operations should approval be granted for reimbursement from the respective sources.
When an agent is selected as a Voting Delegate at the National Meeting and is also the recipient of a DSA or Achievement Award, the agent will accept EITHER the Voting Delegate reimbursement or the monetary portion of the DSA/AA award, BUT NOT BOTH.
This Trust Fund is to be administered by a committee composed of the three immediate Past Presidents of the Association whose term of office shall coincide with that of State Board Members. The reporting year is to be a calendar year (January - December), and the committee is to present its financial status to the Board of Directors at its first meeting of the New Year Board Meeting. The committee shall also at this meeting make known the available funds and its recommendation as to how these funds should be used for the current year consistent with the guidelines used in establishing the Trust Fund and/or as directed by the Board of Directors.
Performance awards are the most prestigious awards presented by this Association and are presented based on the recipients support and involvement in his/her professional association as well as programming excellence. Therefore, it is the policy of the Board that recipients must REGISTER AND ATTEND the NCACAA Annual meeting and be present at the Awards Banquet in order to receive their award. The Board of Directors shall provide recognition to those receiving performance awards based on funds available from the Trust Fund Account, the Agricultural Foundation, Scholarship Funds, and outside sponsors. Whenever possible, it is recommended that the following monetary awards be considered:
It is the policy of this Board that in order to maintain equalization for all award winners, that the amount provided by NACAA be supplemented by NCACAA from trust fund monies.
Please send comments and suggestions to John Dorner.
Last updated on 05/01/2006.