Mandatory Flex: All full-time faculty are required to be on campus for the All-College Days. (10 hours)
Optional Flex Days: Adjunct and full-time faculty may choose among a variety of scheduled workshops offered on the designated Optional Flex Days — or work on a pre-approved special project. (10-15 hours)
Variable Flex: Adjunct and full-time faculty may choose Group and/or Individual Flex activities throughout the academic year. Participation in Variable Flex may occur during the summer (after June 30), recesses, weekends, and on instructional days (after contractual hours completed). (10-15 hours)
Variable flex activities may consist of attendance at conferences, workshops, taking a course, and/or other on- and off-campus activities as long as they meet one of the State’s Flex Criteria (see below). Off-campus activities may include selected online activities that have been pre-approved by the Professional Development Committee.
Faculty will need to provide a WRITTEN and/or PHOTOCOPIED documentation for Variable Flex credit (e.g. copy of roster or sign-in sheet from the sponsoring department, copy of registration receipt and conference agenda, transcript, CEU certificate, etc.).
Variable flex activities are different from those that fall under faculty’s professional responsibilities. Faculty may not receive variable flex credit for performing duties that appropriately fall under professional responsibilities as defined in section 7.10 of their contract (such as preparing for classes, evaluating student work, preparing required reports, and curriculum development and review). Variable flex activities should be those that are beyond regular professional responsibilities.
The Variable Flex report form is available in the Staff Development Office and on the Forms & Registration page in this website.
Special Projects: Special projects are different from Variable flex. They should be “special,” out of the ordinary (such as rewiring a lab or taking apart a kiln to clean and rehab various parts). Special Project proposals must be pre-approved by the Faculty Development Committee; the committee will review Special Project proposals at their monthly meetings (maximum of 15 hours). The proposal must meet at least one of the State’s Flex Criteria (see below). The structure and/or nature of the activity should be different than one covered by the Variable Flex category.
Forms and instructions are available in the Staff Development Office and on the Forms & Registrationpage in this website.
Flex Criteria
There are two different categories used for reporting flex activities. The criteria for activities that occur on designated flex days is slightly different from the list of authorized used of professional development funds.
ACTIVITIES ON DESIGNATED FLEX DAYS: Title 5 of the State education code (Title 5, Article 2. Flexible Calendar Operations, Section 55724) lists “Activities which college personnel will be engaged in during designated staff, student and instructional improvement days. May include but need not be limited to the following:”
- Course instruction and evaluation.
- Staff development, in-service training and instructional improvement.
- Program and course curriculum or learning resource development and evaluation.
- Student personnel services
- Learning resources services
- Related activities, such as student advising, guidance, orientation, matriculation services, and student, faculty and staff diversity.
- Department or division meetings, conferences and workshops, and institutional research.
- Other duties as assigned by the district.
- The necessary supporting activities for the above.
AUTHORIZED USES OF FUNDS: State law (Education Code sections 87150-87154) requires that professional development funds must be used for activities that fit within one of the following nine categories. See examples for each area on the Grant Applications page.
- Improvement of teaching activities are those that are designed to change instructional processes so that increased student learning is effected.
- Maintenance of current academic and technical skills are those that help instructors sustain knowledge pertinent to their teaching.
- In-service training for vocational education and employment preparation programs facilitate curricular and instructional revisions in occupational education.
- Retraining to meet institutional needs are those activities which promote staff awareness of evolving clientele preferences and program possibilities.
- Intersegmental exchange programs link staff members with their counterparts in secondary schools and universities.
- Development of innovation in instructional and administrative techniques and program effectiveness are those activities that are designed to stimulate staff in assessing outcomes of courses and programs.
- Computer and technology proficiency programs build staff usage of computers and other technologies.
- Courses in training which implement affirmative action and upward mobility.
- Other authorized activities in support of the above, including, but not limited to, self esteem and wellness (e.g. programs to enhance wellness and self-esteem as it relates to one’s job assignment or work environment).
For a list of the approved uses with EXAMPLES of activities that fit within each category, go to Authorized Uses & Examples on the Grants page.