Glossary
General terms | Program terms | Financial terms | Staffing terms
General terms
Campus
One of the four campuses of the University of Missouri System: the main campus University of Missouri-Columbia (abbreviated MU for historical reasons), University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S & T) and University of Missouri-St. Louis (UMSL).
Cooperative Extension
This term describes the three-way partnership between USDA, the land-grant universities and county extension councils. It is a national educational system. The term defines programs that are eligible for federal extension funding. See http://nifa.usda.gov/extension for more information.
Extension partnership
The unique tripartite organizational structure of the Cooperative Extension System, including the federal partner (ES-USDA), state partners (extension services, land-grant colleges and universities) and local partners.
Land-grant College or University
An institution of higher education sustained and supported by the Morrill Acts of 1862 and 1890 and expanded by the Hatch Act of 1887, the Smith-Lever Act of 1914 and subsequent legislation.
Lincoln University
The 1890 land-grant university in Jefferson City, Missouri. It has cooperative extension responsibilities. Federal law requires the University of Missouri System and Lincoln University to cooperate in the delivery of extension programs.
Morrill Act of 1862
Federal legislation which established land-grant universities in the United States. The act was named after U.S. Representative Justin Smith Morrill of Vermont. The purpose of the Morrill Act, in its own words, was to provide for “the endowment, support and maintenance of at least one college (in each state) where the leading objective shall be, without excluding other scientific and classical studies, and including military tactics, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic art...in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life.”
Non-formal education
Out-of-school, noncredit educational formats; the essential form of extension education.
University of Missouri Extension
This term describes the total extension organization in Missouri. It includes MU, UMKC, Missouri S&T, UMSL, statewide field operations and Lincoln University extension and continuing education programs, both credit and noncredit, and includes cooperative extension programs.
University of Missouri System
This term describes the total university, all campuses, system administration and extension field operations.
Program terms
Clients
Those whom extension serves through education: adult learners, 4-H youth and adult volunteer leaders. All those who plan and participate in extension's educational programs.
Commercial agriculture
This special state-funded program is designed to serve the needs of commercial agricultural producers. The Commercial Agriculture program includes statewide dairy and swine focus teams, a computer information network and three target areas in the West Central Region.
Educational activity
Part of an extension program, planned and conducted to meet stated objectives; a non-formal (noncredit) event such as a meeting, field day, workshop, consultation, media program, presentation, discussion and so on. Also, may be applied to other program delivery methods, such as newsletters and correspondence courses.
Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)
A federally funded program that focuses on limited resource families and is targeted to specific geographic areas in the state. Nutrition educational assistants and designated professionals provide nutrition educational programs.
Extension education program
An off-campus, non-formal (noncredit) educational effort guided by specific objectives and including activities and events that are planned, conducted and evaluated for their impact on participants' learning needs. Usually, programs are sustained over a period of time.
Missouri APEX Accelerators (formerly PTAC)
APEX Accelerators Program, formerly known as the Procurement Technical Assistance Center Program (PTAC). The Missouri APEX Accelerators help small to large businesses navigate the government marketplace through one-on-one counseling. APEX consultants share, educate and assist their clients with government registrations, identifying relevant contracting opportunities, bid preparation, understanding forms, interpreting regulations and other specifications, research competition, understanding the bidding process and how to effectively communicate with government buyers.
Mid-America Trade Adjustment Assistance Center (TAAC)
Mid-America TAAC provides technical assistance and cost sharing of improvement projects of up to $150,000 for American manufacturers to strengthen their competitive abilities in a global economy through increased profits, job creation and long-term financial stability. Mid-America TAAC serves Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa.
Plan of Work
A plan drawn up yearly to determine the focus of programming. Each employee has an individual plan that drives programming; each county has a yearly plan that drives the council goals; each program area has a plan of focus for their work throughout the state.
Program
A program is characterized by an intensive staff and resource commitment on a high priority need or problem requiring a combination of educational activities over a specific period.
Small Business Development Centers (SBDC)
The Missouri SBDC helps business owners and entrepreneurs across the state get the information needed to make confident decisions and help Missouri businesses succeed through in-person and virtual training as well as one-on-one, confidential technical assistance. Areas of expertise/assistance include foundational elements of business; management, marketing, accounting, planning, etc. and advanced assistance in technology commercialization, international trade, and growth. The Missouri SBDC is funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration, institutions of higher education, economic development organizations and other public and private funding partners.
State initiatives
A state initiative is a set of programs designed to impact a major issue facing the state.
State issue
A state issue is a set of interrelated problems that create a complex set of social and economic challenges.
Volunteers
Unpaid lay and professional persons who offer their services in support of the extension organization and its educational programs, often taking on the role of educator under the supervision of professional extension educators.
Financial terms
Account
An account provides a record of transactions (receipts and disbursements) for the activities that are assigned to the account.
Agency - Other
Accounts 9000-9999 are for monies administered by the council that are owned by other closely related organizations. The purpose of the accounts is to facilitate the management of these monies when the other organizations need this type of support. Typically, 4-H councils, fair boards, Missouri Association for Family and Community Education councils, and other closely related organizations may need this type of support. These monies do not belong to the council.
Agency - Regional
Accounts 8000-8999 are for monies administered by the host council that are owned by other extension councils. The purpose of these accounts is to facilitate the efficiency and effectiveness of the management of council monies in the region.
County appropriations
Accounts 1000-1999 are for appropriations from county government that are used for general operations of the extension council.
Designated capital
Accounts 7000-7999 are for the receipts and disbursements of monies held for the purchase of real estate, related indebtedness, or reserves for capital repairs and purchases. Several councils either own their own extension office or are in the process of raising monies for the purchase of an extension office facility. This fund should be used for the acquisition, maintenance and upgrading of extension facilities.
Designated savings and investments
Accounts 4000-4999 are to record transactions involving purchases and receipts from the asset subsystem or from institutions where the council has transferred monies to this fund from unrestricted sources and designated them as savings. Typically, money has been "set aside" by council action for specific purposes, such as investments for equipment or program purposes other than those associated with an endowment or capital account.
Fund definition
A group of accounts with the same or similar source of monies and the same type of restrictions on the use of monies is referred to as a fund. Each fund defines the following for each account in the fund: general purpose, types of receipts and disbursements, restrictions on the use of monies, and the relationship of each account to other accounts in the chart of accounts.
General operations
Expenses necessary for the day-to-day operations of the county extension center and basic program support for professional and paraprofessional staff.
Minimum budget
The total value of cash and in-kind services required to support the professional and educational assistant staff headquartered in each county.
Restricted endowments
Accounts 6000-6999 are for the receipts and disbursements associated with endowments. An endowment is principal created by contributions to be maintained in perpetuity to create revenue for a specific purpose designated by the donor or by council action.
Restricted grants and contracts
Accounts 5000-5999 are for grant and contract activities in which monies are received from an external individual, agency, organization or governmental unit for a specific purpose and with specific guidelines as to how these monies may be spent. Typically, the restrictions or guidelines are expressed in a formal agreement that contains financial and program reporting requirements that the council must follow.
Target budget
The total value of cash and in-kind services that will provide for effective support of the professional and educational assistant staff headquartered in each county.
Unrestricted educational and service
Accounts 3000-3999 are for all receipts and disbursements for fee-based educational activities and services administered by the extension council. These are not general operations accounts.
Unrestricted general operations
Accounts 2000-2999 are for general operations. Revenue is from sources other than county appropriations. Revenue in these accounts is unrestricted in its use, which means the council has the sole authority to determine the use of these funds.
Staffing terms
Core staff
The core staff is the number of staff that can be sustained financially over a long period of time. It will contain a professional staff that includes both subject-matter expertise to meet the critical ongoing needs in their assigned area and the flexibility and capability to adjust programs to meet new emerging needs and situations.
Extension Engagement Specialist
Each region has specialists with council advisory responsibilities that include general program leadership in the county, office management, resource development and work with extension councils in carrying out their responsibilities.
Extension Field Specialist
Professional employees of the state extension service of the land-grant institution and the Extension System-USDA. Each specialist will be assigned an area of subject-matter specialization and a geographic area of responsibility.
Paraprofessionals
Paid educational and organizational assistants who work on specific assignments and are supervised by extension educators. These positions provide additional support to the professional staff in carrying out the assigned educational program. They teach specific subject-matter, facilitate events and activities, keep records, work with volunteers, etc.
Senior program directors
Four system program directors provide program leadership in agriculture and natural resources; community resource development and family and youth development and community health.
Region
The state is divided into eight geographic areas for administrative purposes.
Regional director
The University of Missouri Extension administrator responsible for program and administrative leadership in a region. All professional staff in the field are supervised by a regional director.
Regional advisory council
One or two representatives from each council meet at least twice a year. Their purpose is to advise University of Missouri Extension on matters affecting the region, share information, exchange ideas, facilitate leadership development, and coordinate development of programs, staffing plans and funding.