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Extension Administration

Extension Administration

Advisory Committees for UF/IFAS Extension

Extension Advisory Committee Handbook 2015: EACH2015

Lay-leader involvement is essential and assured by using advisory and program planning committees to identify the needs and interests of clientele and to determine University of Florida IFAS Extension program direction. County Extension Advisory Committees give advise and advocate for Extension programs to increase Extension's effectiveness.

Responsibilities of Members:

  • Understand Extension and all phases of its educational programs
  • Understand that Extension's programs are based on the needs of local citizens and communities, current research and technical information, statewide needs and priorities, and national initiatives.
  • Advise Extension Faculty in the development and revision of long-range program plans.
  • Advise Extension Faculty in setting priorities among new and existing program areas of emphasis for adults and youth, as well as encouraging interdisciplinary efforts.
  • Help Extension Faculty put programs into action. This includes attending and participating in educational programs, representing Extension in meetings with other groups and organizations, encouraging audience participation at meetings, and helping to publicize the program.
  • Help Extension Faculty market its mission and vision, purpose, organization, educational programs, operational procedures, and needs.
  • Support new Extension personnel in the community.
  • Overall Advisory committee members provide two-way communication between the County Extension Advisory Committee and County Extension Program Committees, as appropriate.
  • Help integrate and coordinate all Extension programs into a single unified Extension program.
  • Help build and maintain cooperation and involvement of appropriate agencies, organizations, groups, and individuals with Extension.
  • Review local facts, research and census date, public policy, and other information to ensure the mission and vision of Extension and the interests and needs of clientele are represented in Extension programming on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, age, disability or Vietnam-era veteran status.

Tools and Information:

Advisory Committee PowerPoint: ACPPT

Advisory Committees and the Florida Sunshine Law

We have had some questions from clientele requesting that our advisory committees operate under the Florida Sunshine Law.

From the Government-in-the-Sunshine Manual: Click here

“Advisory boards and committees created by public agencies may be subject to the Sunshine Law, even though their recommendations are not binding upon the entities that create them. The “dispositive question” is whether the committee has been delegated “decision-making authority,” as opposed to mere “information-gathering or fact-finding authority.” Where the committee has been delegated decision-making authority, the committee’s meetings must be open to public scrutiny, regardless of the review procedures eventually used by the traditional governmental body.”

Your advisory committees are not a “decision-making” authority. You listen to their advice, but you make decisions on your own.