Staff Titles

Let's begin with our staff directory pages on the website. Many University of Illinois job titles have weird structures because of how campus systems function. Today's guidance suggests minor tweaks to job titles so that they are clear and consistent for the public. These tweaks only apply to staff listings on the website.

To provide clear, consistent listing of staff titles, please use this formula:

County Assignment (optional) + Program Area + Position Type

Example: Peoria County Horticulture Program Coordinator

Rules for creating consistent job titles

  • Staff who cover the entire unit should not indicate a county. 
  • Do not include punctuation (except SNAP-Ed).
  • Do not abbreviate.
  • Always spell out 'and' in titles. Do not use the ampersand symbol (&). An example of this would be Community and Economic Development or Local Food Systems and Small Farms.
  • Do not use 'Extra Help' in job titles on the staff directory. Staff classified as extra help should be given a working title that would be meaningful to the general public. 
  • For consistency, use SNAP-Ed, EFNEP. Do not include INEP or Illinois Nutrition Education Program in conjunction with SNAP-Ed or EFNEP.
  • If you work on a state program team, you may substitute State for the county in the formula. This is optional and is not a required element of job titles.

Looking for some clarity? Here are some real world examples.

  • Tina Anderson: Kendall County 4-H Youth Development Program Coordinator 
  • Marilu Andon: County Director
  • Veronica Andon: Community Health Educator 
  • Fernanda Ariza Perez: Will County SNAP-Ed Community Worker 
  • Sarah Batka: Local Food Systems and Small Farms Program Coordinator 
  • Erin Garrett: Natural Resources, Environment, and Energy Educator 
  • Carl Baker: Government Relations Assistant Director 
  • Chris Evans: Forestry Research Specialist
  • Allen Barton: Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist 

To make changes to job titles listed in your staff directory, you will need to edit the website bio for individual staff members. Please work with your unit website editors to implement any necessary changes.

We know there are many unique staff titles that may not fit neatly into the formula. If you aren't sure, we're here to help.