Procedure for Selecting Distinguished Service Award Recipients
- Obtain a list of members with ten or more years of service to the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service (excluding military or other government services). The cutoff date for determining years of service is March 15th of the following year (the year the award is presented).
- Select from this list those who have five consecutive years of membership in the LCAAA according to the Treasurer’s record and be a paid member by March 15th of the current year.
- Those agents meeting requirements 1 and 2 above will be notified of their eligibility and of their requirement to attend the state and national AM/PIC. It is their responsibility to notify the Awards & Recognition Chair that they would like to have their name included on the DSA ballot.
- A list of those agents that have accepted their nomination will be sent to the eligible voting membership by districts.
- Voting will be conducted in October through December each year. Those having paid dues by March 15th of the current year will be eligible to vote.
- The number of DSA Awards each year are determined according to NACAA guidelines by the membership as follows (2 % or major fraction thereof):
1 – 75 = 1 226 – 275 = 5
76 – 125 = 2 276 – 325 = 6
126 – 175 = 3 326 – 375 = 7
176 – 225 = 4 376 – 425 = 8
- The number of finalists from each district will coincide with the number of DSA’s eligible for each given year. (ex: 2 DSA’s, 2 finalists from each district, 3 DSA’s, 3 finalists from each district, etc.)
- One ballot with the finalists from each district will be sent to the entire membership for voting. The candidates with the lowest scores will be declared the DSA recipients. Candidates are encouraged to submit electronic resumes, but are not required to do so.
- Failure by a voting member to vote a complete ballot in the district or statewide voting will cause that ballot to be declared void.
- All notifications and ballots will be sent by the Chair via electronic mail.
- Members can vote by e-mail, hard copy, or fax.
- If membership reaches 176 and four DSA’s are allowed, one recipient per LCAAA district would be selected, with only members from a district electing that district’s recipient. A preliminary ballot will go out first and the top three (3) finalists from each district will be re-submitted to members in that district. The candidate with the lowest score in each district would be declared the DSA recipient.
- If selected, the DSA recipient is expected to register for and attend the LCAAA Annual Meeting/Professional Improvement Conference.
- The LCAAA recipient must register for at least one day and attend the DSA Banquet at the NACAA Annual Meeting/Professional Improvement Conference to receive the Distinguished Service Award .