2.2.5 Professional Growth Funds

Policy: 2.2.5

Professional Growth Funds

PLT Approval Date:

Revised Effective Date:

Scope: All Employee Groups

Policy

Participation in professional development activities, and the application of learning, is a responsibility of every employee. Professional development includes a wide variety of activities supported and encouraged by the College to improve skills, knowledge, and behaviors to enhance effectiveness and service to the College community.

Procedure

• Travel to and participation in professional conferences, workshops, expositions, seminars, and training.
• Activities related to participation as a member in professional organizations.
• Activities related to advancement/enrichment in a professional discipline
• Activities related to courses required for certification or licensing.
• The professional growth application package must be submitted to the Professional Growth Chair or the administrative support personnel of Professional Growth in the Office of Instruction and should include the following:
• Completed Professional Growth Application for Full-Time Faculty signed by applicant.
• Completed Travel Request form signed by applicant and Division Assistant Dean.
• Attached flier, brochure, fact sheet or other descriptive material detailing the activity.
• The application and travel request form must list all expenses for the proposed activity including fees (excluding annual membership dues), supplies, travel per diem (refer to travel rate index for out-of-state travel), airfare, etc. Air travel is funded at the lowest commercial rate, exclusive of standby.

Operating Staff, Professional Staff and Administration

Yavapai College may grant fiscal awards to assist employees in pursuing professional development opportunities that appear to have benefit to the college and the employee. Employees will submit proposals of professional development in order to qualify for these funds.

Faculty (full time only) Revised and Approved 10/01/2009

Yavapai College grants fiscal awards to full-time faculty for activities that lead to academic and professional growth. Proposals for appropriate activities will be reviewed by the Professional Growth Committee.

Appropriate Activities include:

Activities/expenditures not included within these parameters may be funded by other college sources.

Faculty are encouraged to contact their Division Supervisor or the Office of Instruction.

Applications received in a timely manner will be evaluated on merit, benefit accrued to Yavapai College, prior Professional Growth funding for the year and funding availability. The maximum amount awarded during a fiscal year is currently $1,250 and subject to budget allocation. Funding is awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. The deadline for applications is a week prior to the scheduled Professional Growth meetings.

The amount of funding for each award is determined by the Professional Growth Committee. The Vice President/District Provost or designee determines final awards, based upon recommendations by the Committee. A proposal may be rejected or returned for rewriting either by the Division Assistant Dean or the Professional Growth Committee. Committee members may not be involved in committee discussions involving, or voting on, proposals that they have personally submitted for award.

Application Procedures:

· Faculty members are to submit proposals on approved forms (available from the administrative support personnel of Professional Growth in the Office of Instruction, the Chair of the Professional Growth Committee, or Yavapai College Intranet under the Office of Instruction web site). A proposal must be received by the Professional Growth Committee by May 1 of the fiscal year in which funding is requested.

After the application is reviewed by the Professional Growth Committee and approved by the Vice President/District Provost, the applicant will be informed in writing of the decision. Upon completion of activity, the faculty member is required to submit a brief written evaluation/summary to the Professional Growth Committee Chair. This is required when the summary of the Travel Request Form is completed and submitted to the Business Office (no later than 15 days after the completion of travel). Failure to do so may result in denial of future funding.

Professional Growth Funds:

Funds for Professional Growth will be awarded on an annual basis (fiscal year July 1 – June 30), subject to budget determinations and administered through a separate fund account. The Professional Growth Committee may recommend grants not to exceed 50% of its budget for activities that occur prior to December 31st of the fiscal year. All decisions for awards during a fiscal year will be made by May 15. The recommendations are made to the Vice President/District Provost who may approve or disapprove the recommendation. If the Vice President/District Provost disagrees with any recommendation, he/she will inform the committee which will reconsider and review in light of the information and judgments expressed by the Vice President/District Provost.

Accounting of funds will be performed by the Business Office and the Committee in the following manner. The Chair of the Professional Growth Committee will maintain books for the fund as a whole and for each award. Any increase in expenditures or major shifts in expenditures among categories will be recommended by the Committee as a whole to the Vice President/District Provost or designee. All expenditures will require a Travel Expense requisition submitted to the Business Office through the Committee Chair and Vice President/District Provost or designee.

Function of Professional Growth Committee:

1. Review and ranking of Sabbatical leaves
2. Review and recommendation of funding for professional growth activities
3. Sponsorship of faculty development activities