(Updated January 2010)

Please note application timelines in the last section.

Introduction:

Professional development (PD) at Camosun College is a shared responsibility. Faculty members, the College and the CCFA Professional Development Committee play important roles in maintaining and supporting the professional competence of faculty at Camosun College. Professional development may be defined as "the process of growing in professional competence" and thus PD activities are those activities that contribute to the process.

The CCFA Collective Agreement (Clause 10.02, the Professional Development Fund) states that the Professional Development Fund is to be used to:

a) pay employees granted leave under Clause 10.01. 

b) supplement outside funds and/or cover a portion of the non-salary costs associated with approved programs, including exchanges.

The Professional Development Committee shall receive and assess the merits of all requests for use of professional development funds and shall direct the Bursar in the allocation of the funds. The Committee shall encourage and promote in-house professional development activities and establish guidelines for administration of the professional development program.”

When planning a PD program, faculty should be aware of the CCFA Collective Agreement provision which relates to Faculty Development (see Clause 10.01 - 10.03). Approval by College administration does not automatically entitle a faculty member to funding through the PD Committee; nor does approval for funding by the PD Committee ensure College administration will approve a leave. These are separate matters.

Members of the CCFA are eligible for support from the CCFA PD Fund; however, the Committee will approve funding only for activities that occur while a person is in the employ of the College. This means a term faculty member must be employed or have at least a verbal commitment from their Chair or Dean for employment at the College. Term faculty and faculty on a probationary appointment are not eligible to apply for long term PD funds.

Professional Development Committee

The Committee meets regularly to administer the PD fund, to consider applications and  establish guidelines on issues related to Professional Development.  Normally, the committee meets bi-weekly between September and June and once in July & August.

 The Committee is made up of representatives selected as follows:

·         One from Access and First Nations Education

·         Two from Arts and Science

·         One from Business

·         One from Health and Human Services

·         One from Trades and Technology

·         Two (total) from other than the above named schools, including the Registrar's Office, Technology and Learning Support; Continuing Education/Contract Training;  International Education; Co-operative Education; Systems Development;  Educational Support & Development; and Sport and Exercise Education.

·         Camosun College Faculty Association (one elected Chair and one elected representative)

·         Two Deans, Directors, Associate Deans or Associate Directors

 If you are interested in serving on the committee as a representative, please inform your Dean or Director.  Representatives will be selected in joint consultation witht he Chair of the PD committee and the Dean or Director.

General Funding and Approval Timelines

The PD fund receives an annual contribution equal to 2.1% of faculty salaries.

The categories of activities considered for financial support include Short Term, In House and Long Term activities. Allocation of PD funds will be approximately 60% to Short Term activities, 10% to In House activities, and 30% to Long Term activities; the Fund, therefore, assists both individuals and departments or faculty groups. Professional Development Funds are received and allocated on a fiscal year basis, (ie. April 1 through March 31). Applications for Short Term and In House activities are received and considered throughout the year. Applications for Long Term activities are received and considered once per year, at the end of January.

Funds for Short Term activities are divided into four periods: 

·         April 1 - June 30

·         July 1 - September 30

·         October 1 - December 31 

·         January 1 - March 31

and are budgeted by the committee at the beginning  of each fiscal year based on past trends in applications.  If the quota for one period is fully committed, then no further funds are allocated for that time period.  If there are funds remaining in one period, they are divided among the remaining periods.

The committee may from time to time transfer funds among categories; for example, should all Long Term funds not be committed in one year, these funds will be rolled into the Short Term category.  In addition, the College permits the PD Committee to carry uncommitted funds from one fiscal year to the next.  The start date of the activity (not the date of application) determines the period.

Short term requests are evaluated in the order they are received for the full year.  Funds will be approved on a first come, first served basis.  As such, there is no guaranteed personal allocation.  To ensure access to a limited pool of funds, it will be to the applicant's advantage to ensure applications are complete and received as early as possible prior to the activity date.  Completed applications should be received in the CCFA office a minimum of one-month prior to the activity start date.  Applications will be prioritized and considered by date received and funds allocated accordingly. 

In general, support will be provided only for activities that relate to the individual's role and responsibilities at the college.  The activities should provide benefits for both the individual and the college.

When an activity is clearly a college or departmental requirement (ie. Articulation meetings), costs are the responsibility of the School or Department and will not be covered by the PD fund.