TEXAS AGRILIFE EXTENSION SERVICE RULES

01.01.01.X1 DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLICATION OF TEXAS AGRICULTURAL EXTENSION RULES AND PROCEDURES
Approved: October 10, 2000
Revised:   August 23, 2004
Supplements System Policy 01.01 and System Regulation 01.01.01

1.1 Texas AgriLife Extension Service (Extension) rules and procedures provide additional guidance for implementing Texas A&M University System (System) Policies and Regulations, and provide guidance in matters that are unique to the Extension or are not covered by System policies/regulations.

1.2 Extension rules and procedures are consistent with and subordinate to both System policies and System regulations. Where a conflict between a rule or procedure and a System policy/regulation arises, the higher document will take precedence.

1.3 Noncompliance with Extension rules and/or procedures may be considered grounds for disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.

1.4 Extension rules and procedures will be maintained on the Web server accessible from the Internet and, if desired by the unit head, in printed format.

1.5 Responsibility for coordinating the preparation of new rules and procedures, or revising existing rules and procedures, maintaining their currency, and distributing them to applicable individuals and units is assigned to the Agriculture Program Human Resources Office.

2.1 Extension rules will bear an eight digit number: three sets of two digit numbers separated by periods followed by a period, a capital X and then the next number in the sequence of rules for that subject area.

Example: 01.01.01.X1 (X2, X3, etc.)

2.2 Extension procedures will follow the same numbering system as the rules with the addition of a period and two number digits to sequence the procedures under the rule governing that topic area.

Example: 01.01.01.X1.01 (02, 03, etc.)

3.00 MAINTENANCE AND DISTRIBUTION OF RULES AND PROCEDURES

3.1 System policies, System regulations, Extension rules and Extension procedures will be accessible to all employees at each Extension location both on and off campus in either printed format or from the Internet.

3.2 New Extension rules/procedures or changes to existing rules/procedures shall originate from any department, center, or office which has been delegated with the responsibility for compliance with such rules. Drafts are to be submitted to the Texas A&M AgriLife (AgriLife) Human Resources Office for numbering, formatting (if needed) and will be forwarded to the director for consideration.

3.3 Approved copies of Extension rules shall also be forwarded to the System Office of Policy Implementation and Compliance (OPIC) for required System review. The Human Resources Office will coordinate the distribution of procedures after approval by the director and the distribution of rules after approval by the director and after review by the appropriate System Administrative and General Offices (SAGO) administrator and the Office of General Counsel.

3.4 Notification of updates will be made to each location maintaining a System Policies and Regulations Manual.

3.5 Upon receipt of the notification of updates, units maintaining a printed copy will print the new/updated material from the Internet and will insert/replace the materials as required by the distribution notification. When updating a printed version of the manual, the Table of Contents should be used to ascertain the currency of the policies, regulations, rules, and procedures.

The Manager, Human Resources Services, has been designated as the compliance officer for Extension to oversee the distribution and interpretation of System policies and regulations and the preparation, distribution, and interpretation of agency rules and procedures.

Questions concerning policies, regulations, rules or procedures should be directed to the AgriLife Human Resources Office at 979-845-2423, or to the "contact" designated in the rule or procedure.