Public Service–Functional Definition:
Expenditures for all non-credit instruction (except preparatory/remedial instruction) and for activities that are established primarily to provide services beneficial to individuals and groups external to the institution. These activities include community service programs (including non-credit instructional activities) and cooperative extension services. Included in this category are conferences, institutes, general advisory services, reference bureaus, radio and television, consulting, and similar services to particular sectors of the community.
Sub-Programs include:
- Outreach Education
- Community Service
- Cooperative Extension Service
- Public Broadcasting Services
Outreach Education–
Includes expenditures for formally organized and/or separately budgeted instructional activities that do not result in credit toward any formal postsecondary degree or certificate (except preparatory/remedial instruction).
Community Service–
Includes expenditures for activities organized and carried out to provide general community services, excluding instructional activities (other than curriculum development for the WTCS system which should be included in this category). Community service activities make available to the public various resources and special capabilities that exist within the institution. Examples include general advisory services and reference bureaus, consultation, testing services (e.g., soil testing, carbon dating, structural testing), and similar activities. The activities included in this subcategory are generally sponsored and managed outside the context of both the agricultural and urban extension programs and of the institution’s public broadcasting operation.
Cooperative Extension Service–
Includes expenditures for non-instructional public service activities established as the result of cooperative extension efforts between the institution and outside agencies such as the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s extension service and the affiliated state extension services.
Public Broadcasting–
Includes expenditures for operation and maintenance of broadcasting services that are not primarily used for the institution’s instruction, research, and academic support programs.
Additional Instructions
Included in Public Service:
- Computing costs supporting Public Service activities.
- Costs associated with athletics clinics open to high school students and other members of the public should be included under the Community Service sub-program.
- Continuing education or outreach education directors who function like department chairs should be coded to Outreach Education. Such directors whose function is “dean-like” should be coded to the Academic Administration sub-program of Academic Support.
Excluded from Public Service:
- Expenditures for broadcasting services conducted primarily in support of instruction (which should be classified in the subcategory “Ancillary Support” sub-program of Academic Support) and broadcasting services that are primarily operated as a student service program (which should be classified in the subcategory “Social and Cultural Development” of Student Services). Where a broadcasting operation serves more than purpose, all expenditures should be classified based the primary purpose served (Public Service, Instruction or Student Service) with no allocation among activities.