SECTION I - LABOR AGREEMENT SECTION SECTION II (FCP) - GOALS AND OBJECTIVES SECTION III (FCP) - Flex Activity Formats

Contract Approval -Revision -Completion FCP Activities & Workshops Concluding Comments

The flex schedule program began at San Joaquin Delta College during the 97-98 academic year. Title V, Chapter 8, Article 8 of the Education Code allows for community colleges to utilize up to 15 of the required 175 contractual days for a wide range of professional development programs. This report will provide information to faculty concerning their responsibilities within this flex system.



1. The length of the community college year shall be 178-1/2 duty days.

1. For 1999-2000, 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 there shall be 173 instructional days, five flex duty days to be used for staff development activities as described in Title 5, Section 55720 et seq. and .5 days for graduation exercises. (Counselors on alternative calendar will be exempt from .5 days for graduation exercises.

2. Flex calendar provisions shall apply to regular and contract faculty only. The following parameters shall apply:

1. Flex activities will be planned and/or approved by the Faculty Professional Growth Committee within the parameters of Title 5. The Committee may schedule flex activities and approve individual faculty flex plans.
   
2. Each faculty members shall be responsible for planning and completing a minimum of 25 hours of approved flex activities each academic year. A minimum of ten hours of approved flex activities shall be scheduled during days which are not otherwise instructional or regular duty days (i.e., not one of the 173 instructional days in the academic calendar). A faculty member may fulfill up to ten hours of his/her flex obligation during instructional duty days provided approval of the activity is obtained from the Faculty Professional Growth Committee and no class, office hour, committee assignment or other regular duty is missed. In addition each faculty member shall be responsible for completing 5 hours of District scheduled flex activities on a flex day designated by the District.
   
3. Each individual faculty member must submit a flex activity plan to the Faculty Professional Growth Committee no later than October 1 of each academic year.
   
4. Travel time and other time not directly spent in participation in an approved flex activity shall not be counted as fulfilling the 25 hour annual flex obligation. For presentations of activities, hours will be counted on a two-for one ratio.
   
5. Proof or certification of completion of the approved flex activity must be submitted to the Faculty Professional Growth Committee no later than September 10 of the subsequent academic year.
   
6. Records of planned and completed flex activities will be maintained in the Human Resources Office based on information provided by the Faculty Professional Growth Committee. This information shall include the Flex Contract Form (including any attachments) and as a minimum:
   1. Name of individual
   2. Description of activity
   3. Number of hours
   4. Date of activity
   
   This information shall be provided to the Director of Human Resources & Affirmative Action on or before September 15 of each calendar year.
   
7. Flex hours will be accounted for on an academic year that begins with the first duty day of the fall semester and ends on the last calendar day before the first duty day of the following fall semester.
   
8. Faculty who do not have an approved flex activity plan or who do not fulfill the required number of flex hours shall have their salary reduced for each hour not fulfilled except in the following circumstances, which will be reviewed for waiver by the Faculty Professional Growth Committee:
   1. Extended illness, disability, or death which precludes the completion of flex activities.
   2. Approved unpaid leave or sabbatical leave.
   
   
9. Up to eight hours of approved flex activities beyond the required 25 hours may be carried over and applied to the 25 hour flex obligation in the immediately subsequent academic year.
   
10. The flex calendar program will be extended through June 30, 2002 and will not be extended beyond this date except as follows:
    If either the Association or the District chooses the flex program as one of the articles to be negotiated (as provided in Article IV, Section 1) as part of the negotiations for the successor agreement to the present Agreement (July 1, 1999 to June 30, 2002), then the flex program will not be extended beyond June 30, 2002, except as may be negotiated by the parties in the successor agreement to the present Agreement (July 1, 1999 to June 30, 2002). If neither party chooses the flex program as one of the articles to be "sunshined" and negotiated as part of the negotiations for the successor agreement (as provided in Article IV, Section 1), then the flex program will automatically continue as part of the successor agreement and the above "sunset" provision is deleted.
    
11. For each academic year of the program .25 FTE release time will be given to the Academic Senate for the purpose of assisting in administering the flex program.
    

3. The District will consult annually with the Association concerning the proposed college calendar for the ensuing year. This calendar will be consistent with all applicable articles in this Agreement.
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The purpose of the flexible calendar program is to provide time for faculty to participate in development activities that are related to "staff, student, and instructional improvement." (Title 5, section 55720) The flexible calendar program allows faculty the time to work individually or with groups to achieve improvement in these three distinct areas:

• Staff Improvement
• Student Improvement
• Instructional Improvement

"In a traditional 18 week semester, faculty do not have time to devote to improvement activities. Once the semester has begun, with complex class schedules, finding concurrent times for faculty to meet as groups on large scale topics becomes impossible. The flexible calendar allows institutions to develop ways to accommodate the need for getting faculty together to deal with major issues. This also recognizes the professional nature of instruction by giving individual faculty members time to focus on the three areas (of improvement) in addition to providing day-to-day classroom instruction." (Page 10, Guidelines for the Implementation of the Flexible Calendar Program, a State Academic Senate publication, 1993)

Professional development activities intended for instructional improvement can be delivered in many formats including: in-service training; workshops; conferences; seminars; individual or small group planned projects; institutionally planned activities.

The goals of the Flex Calendar Program at San Joaquin Delta College, are aimed at promoting: (A) staff improvement, (B) student improvement, and (C) instructional improvement.

A. Staff Improvement

Staff improvement activities are designed to develop the professional skills and knowledge of our faculty. Typically these types of activities focus on enhancing the knowledge base related to an instructor's discipline.

Examples of professional development in this area:

1. Developing new programs (e.g., a workshop in designing curriculum/programs)
   
2. Faculty and counselor meetings to address areas of concern (e.g., academic advising, prerequisites, referring students for services)
   
3. Workshops on how to write grants
   
4. Meetings designed to improve a cohesive working relationship among members of the group (e.g., departments, divisions, mixture of college constituencies)
   
5. Participating in a retreat modeled after the "Great Teachers" Conference.

B. Student Improvement
The focus of these types of activities are to develop/enhance faculty skills and knowledge in the area of facilitating student learning and skill acquisition.

Examples of professional development in this area:

1. Training in classroom research (assessment) techniques
   
2. Articulation to improve transfer processes
   
3. Outreach for special projects (e.g. Math Engineering, and Science Achievement programs)
   
4. Meetings (department/division/college-wide) specifically to discuss strategies for improving service to students
   
5. Faculty participation in student orientation programs.

C. Instructional Improvement
Curriculum-related activities will, generally, fall into this area. The classroom is the focus of flex-activities developed in this area.

Examples of professional development in this area:

1. Attending workshops on teaching methods or techniques (e.g., classroom-based research training)
   
2. Development or revision of programs, course curriculum, learning resources and evaluation
   
3. Grant writing to secure funds for improvement of instruction
   
4. Departmental or division meetings to discuss overall curriculum and program review
   
5. Developing student readiness programs specific to course disciplines

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Professional growth and development will be most effective when designed and carried out by participating individuals and groups. Staff members will therefore have the opportunity and responsibility for developing their own Professional Development programs and contracts.

A. Flex credit may be earned in the following ways:

Individual/Small Group

Since specific professional needs will vary extensively, self-designed activities may be organized and implemented by the individuals or groups who conceived these activities. This is most likely to occur within departments or between two or more individuals who want to pursue a particular educational objective. These individuals would reach some consensus concerning the intent and the time frame for their particular activity and submit this information on each of their individual contracts (see the section on "Developing a FCP Contract"). Self-designed group or individual projects should be well defined and as specifically pre-planned as possible.

Workshops

Workshops and other activities will be scheduled throughout the academic year by the Faculty Professional Growth Committee or some other designated group, based primarily on the interests of staff as indicated on the annual Flex Calendar Survey. The committee will also make contact with those members who indicated an interest in organizing and/or facilitating these activities on their surveys. The Flex Coordinator, and the Faculty Professional Growth Committee members will be available as resources and support services for workshop and activity leaders.

Off-Campus Workshops & Conferences

These activities are the traditional workshops and conferences that most faculty have typically attended. Up to 10 hours of flex credit may be earned for an off-campus workshop and/or conference that occurs on an instructional duty day (i.e. one of the 173 instructional days in the academic calendar), provided "no class, office hour, committee assignment or other regular duty is missed." (Article Xlll, College Calendar, paragraph 2 (b) )

College Courses

Faculty may take a specific college course, either here or at another campus. A faculty member may not earn both flex hour credit and faculty advancement unit credit for the same course.

B. Participation

All regular (tenured) and contract (untenured) full-time faculty will participate fully in the Flex Calendar Program. Adjunct Faculty, Administrative staff, and classified staff will be notified of various campus programs and will be allowed to participate as fully as their schedules will permit.



Regular and Contract Faculty:

It is understood that flex activities are part of the regular contractual obligation to the District.

Adjunct faculty are encouraged (but any participation is entirely voluntary) to participate in scheduled campus wide or departmental activities as a way of interacting with SJDC colleagues and becoming more familiar with the operation of the college.

Faculty members who are on a sabbatical, etc., will complete a percentage of the professional development program that corresponds to the percentage of their contracted work load for that year.

C. Annual Evaluation and Planning

The annual FCP Survey will solicit suggestions for future Flex Calendar activities as well as general evaluative responses on specific Flex Calendar Programs. To ensure confidentiality, workshops will be evaluated anonymously at their completion. The evaluative responses and suggestions for future activities will be organized and used as a basis for planning FCP workshops for the following year. In this way, we will evaluate our year's activities as required by Title 5 as well as acquire direction for future workshop proposals and for self-designed projects that staff members might wish to undertake the following academic year.

D. Faculty Professional Growth Committee and Flex Calendar Coordinator

As a sub-committee of the Academic Senate, the Faculty Professional Growth Committee has the following functions and responsibilities:

1. Recommend a Flex calendar to the Academic Senate Council for the following year.
   
2. Review and recommend changes in the goals or process involved in the Flex Calendar Program whenever necessary.
   
3. Provide final approval for contract proposals, revisions, and completions that meet the objectives of the Flex Calendar Program as stated in Section II.
   
4. Provide direction to the Flex Calendar Coordinator and make decisions in such areas as:
   1. the annual survey of staff, student, and instructional improvement needs
   2. the annual scheduling of workshops/activities that are based primarily on survey results.
   3. the evaluation of workshops/activities as a basis for scheduling and improving future programming.
   4. the Flex Calendar Program Budget recommendations.
   5. those other responsibilities of the Flex Calendar Coordinator that are listed in the next section.
      
5. Recommend a faculty member as Flex Calendar Coordinator for approval to the Academic Senate. This position is to be reconsidered every year. The Flex Calendar Coordinator will be assigned twenty-five percent reassigned time to carry, out his/her responsibilities.

E. Responsibilities of the Flex Calendar coordinator (in conjunction with the FPG Committee) from Education Code - Article 8

1. Conduct and update annually a survey of the most critical staff, student, and instructional improvement needs in the district.
2. Develop a plan of activities to address the critical needs.
3. Maintain records on the type and number of activities scheduled and the number participating in these activities.
4. Evaluate annually the effectiveness of conducted activities and update the plan to reflect needed changes.
5. Work with an advisory committee (FPG Committee) to make recommendations on staff, student, and instructional improvement activities.
6. Plan Flex calendar and staff development activities each Spring with the Faculty Professional Growth Committee for the following year.
7. Meet with individuals, departments, divisions, etc. when necessary to help assess needs for Flex and professional development programs.
8. Serve as resource person to the Faculty Professional Growth Committee and any related sub-committees (e.g. faculty, adjunct faculty, classified. administration, special events, etc.).
9. Coordinate the various programs and workshops held during the year.
10. Coordinate the distribution, collection, and staff reporting on all individual contracts.
11. Serve as resource person to individuals and groups on contract development, contract revisions, and contract reporting.
12. Work with the Faculty Professional Growth Committee on approval of contracts.
13. Coordinate evaluation by staff of various professional development programs during the year (workshops, speakers, travel, etc.)
14. Coordinate networking with staff development programs at other colleges and at various conferences.
15. Oversee the Flex Calendar Budget and make annual Budget recommendations.
16. Coordinate informational materials for staff members relating to Flex and professional development programs.
17. Maintain records of Flex and professional development activities, contracts, and evaluations.
18. Prepare (in conjunction with the Human Resources Department) annual evaluation and analysis of Flex and professional development programs for the Senate, the Board of Governors through the President, and the Chancellor's Office.

F. Budget
The Faculty Professional Growth Committee will develop a budget each spring semester for the following fiscal year based on professional development needs as indicated by the FCP Survey and other mechanisms.

G. FCP Contracts at San Joaquin Delta College
Faculty members will sign a contract with the district describing the activities they have proposed for their Flex Calendar program. Either of the following options, or a combination thereof, are available to faculty in order to complete the FCP Contract:

Flex Scheduled Activities
FCP activities may be scheduled on the designated Flex day on the college calendar, on any other instructional day as stipulated in the labor agreement, or on non-instructional days.

Group/lndividual Activities
Many of the scheduled workshops/activities will occur on the designated Flex day, and faculty are encouraged (but not required) to spend at least part of their Flex time interacting with colleagues in those activities. Staff members are also encouraged to participate in self-designed projects aimed at enhancing professional development in their disciplines or in other areas as indicated under the Objectives for professional development (Section II). The Flex calendar provides new opportunities for rekindling academic interests and revitalizing ourselves as persons. The FCP Committee is aware that these kinds of goals require an atmosphere of trust and freedom as well as professionalism if they are to be realized. It is, therefore, the Committee's intent to provide the greatest degree of autonomy possible to staff members making contract decisions with final responsibility for contract approval falling to the Faculty Professional Growth Committee.
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Contract forms, with 25 hours of proposed activities, must be sent to the Academic Senate Office, by October 1st of the Fall Semester. Final Contract approval will be made by members of the Faculty Professional Growth Committee. The Flex Calendar Coordinator will not have a vote in this process, but will inform staff members when their Contracts have been approved by the committee, or forward any questions or concerns the committee may have regarding their Contracts. This same process will be followed with contract revisions and completion of your flex program activities.



A contract revision for any change in this contract is only necessary if you are not sure the change falls within the framework of the FCP Goals & Objectives, and you would therefore like to get a verification from the FCP Committee. Call the Academic Senate Office (x5486) if you have questions.



Upon completion of your flex activities program submit the yellow (2nd) copy of your flex contract with Part II signed and completed to the Academic Senate Office. For example, many faculty and staff will likely finish their activities after the Flex days in the Spring Semester, so the signed Flex contract should be turned in as soon as possible after that time.

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Other faculty members may not complete their scheduled activities until sometime in the summer. If a contracted activity runs into June or later, faculty members should turn in their signed flex contract form to the Academic Senate Office no later than September 10 of the subsequent academic year.


Developing a Flex Activities Plan Contract
The contract process described here is aimed at implementing a program that respects both autonomy and accountability in professional development.

The following is an explanation for filling out your FCP Contract in each of the categories (Flex Scheduled Workshops, Group Activities, and Individual Activities). Use an additional page, if needed, for any of these categories.

We are attempting to use only one form for both the contract and for your reporting to the FCP Committee of your completion of an activity. It's our goal to keep this program administratively simple.

You may sign up for projects in any or all of the categories shown on the form.

General Information
You should indicate the academic year, your name, last 4 digits of your social security number(SSN), and division. Periodically the FCP Committee will be distributing reports to faculty showing the number of completed flex hours by each faculty member. These reports will not list faculty names, but will list the faculty by the last 4 digits of their SSN.

Once your form has been reviewed and approved by the FPG Committee, a copy will be returned to you. If there are any questions concerning any of your proposed activities, you will be asked for clarification about that activity. Your cooperation in providing that information is appreciated.
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Flex Scheduled Workshops

(FCP Activities on Flex and Other Days)

Early in the Fall Semester each faculty member will receive an initial calendar of flex activities scheduled by the FCP Committee. These workshops and/or other activities will allow a faculty member to complete the majority of their required 25 flex hours on our campus.

NOTE: All activities developed by the FCP Committee will meet one or more of the following FCP Goals:

1. Staff Improvement
2. Student Improvement
3. Instructional Improvement

Group Activities
Each faculty member is asked to describe projected Group Activities and total time you estimate spending on each of these activities. This information may be supplied by you on this form or on an attached separate sheet. The separate sheet could be prepared by the person who is chairing or facilitating this activity. Please indicate the chair or facilitator's name.

Included in this category would be possible conferences you have and/or are considering attending. List conferences (please use full titles rather than acronyms) or other educational events/activities you are likely to attend and the total time you estimate spending in this category this academic year.

Also included in this category are college courses that an individual might take. The criteria for the person having a course qualify as a flex-activity are the same as those for any Faculty Professional Growth request (i.e. they must relate to the individual's professional development). A faculty member may not earn both flex hour credit and faculty advancement unit credit for the same course.

In this category you are also asked to indicate which of the following FCP Goals:

1. Staff Improvement
2. Student Improvement
3. Instructional Improvement

that the activity will be focused upon.


Individual Activities
Provide (1) a brief description of the project and (2) a proposal for showing accountability when the project is completed. Indicate the estimated total hours, dates and days to be spent on the project.

In this category you are also asked to indicate which of the following FCP Goals:

1. Staff Improvement
2. Student Improvement
3. Instructional Improvement

that the activity will be focused upon.
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Much of the accountability in the Flex Calendar Program is based on the trust that exists for professionals in this endeavor. It is, therefore, incumbent on all faculty members not to violate that trust.

There will be five flex days each fiscal year to contract for in the Flex Calendar Program. The total flex time in any given year is computed by multiplying the total number of flex days for that year by five hours (thus 5 flex days = a 25 hour Professional Development commitment for that year). It would be a good idea to schedule extra hours in case any of the activities are cancelled. This flex time constitutes part of the regular yearly contract at San Joaquin Delta College and must, therefore, be treated accordingly.

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(rev. 1/02- DLD)