Staff Development
Faculty Flex Credit
Ideas for Earning Flex Credit
Activities are designed to improve a college's staff, student and instructional program. Professional development activities intended for instructional improvements can be delivered in many formats including:
/ In-service training (on/off campus)/ Workshops
/ Conferences
/ Seminars
/ Individual or small group planned projects
/ Institutionally planned activities
The following list of activities is provided by the State Academic Senate in a publication titled “Guidelines for the Implementation of the Flexible Calendar Program.” This document was last revised in April 2007 and is available for download on the staff development website. This document serves as a generic guide for appropriate activities presented in three general categories: Staff Improvement, Student Improvement, and Instructional Improvement. The nine more specific but complementary categories noted on the BC flex forms are taken from Title 5, section 87153.
At BakersfieldCollege, approved flex activities are those that fall outside of regular contractual obligations, and do not include for full-time faculty such activities as department meetings, routine curriculum development and review, committee work, or 5 hours per week of office hours or service to the department or College. In addition, an activity cannot count for both Flex credit and salary advancement. Prior approval from the appropriate dean is recommended for activities listed below with an asterisk. Adjunct faculty may be able to claim some department projects or meetings as flex credit; they can check what activities would be appropriate by checking with their chair and dean prior to submitting forms.
Kind of Activities
The following is a list of activities, which are intended as a guide and not intended to be limited to these activities.
1. Staff Improvement
Development new programs. (e.g., workshop on designing curriculum/programs)
*Faculty and counselor meetings to address areas of concern. (e.g., academic advising, prerequisites, referring students for services)
*Faculty and staff. (e.g., tutors, lab assistants) meetings to improve learning resource support services to students.
Workshops on how to mentor students or how to mentor faculty.
Orientation/education. (e.g., new faculty; role of the academic senates; training students, staff and faculty to serve on committees; changing role of technology in education)
Student, faculty, and staff diversity. (e.g., sexual harassment workshops, affirmative action conferences, cultural diversity seminars, multicultural activities)
*Meetings designed to improve a cohesive working relationship among members of the group. (e.g., departments, divisions, committees, mixture of college constituencies)
Workshops on how to write grants.
Workshops or individually designed activities to improve or change a person's skills or knowledge in his/her own discipline.
Wellness activities that assist individuals to be physically/mentally better able to perform their jobs. (e.g., humor in the workplace, stress reduction, self-defense, nutrition, exercise, and weight reduction)
*Learning a second language to better communicate with diverse student population.
Disaster preparedness. (e.g., board policy, first aid, review facilities for need)
Improving technology skills.
Involvement with State and National Professional Organizations.
2. Student Improvement
Teaching class in shortened format during flex period.
*Developing a new program to meet changing student needs.
Faculty and staff (e.g., tutors, lab assistants) meetings to improve services to students.
Review of learning resource materials to eliminate out-dated items and make recommendations.
Training in classroom research assessments techniques.
*Student advising & mentoring.
Faculty participation in student orientation programs.
Matriculation services. (e.g., special orientation for ESL students, workshops in specific disciplines/undeclared majors)
Institutional research focused on meeting the needs of the students. (e.g., job market survey, transfer ratios, ethnicity data on students, gender equity, campus climate)
Writing grants to improve services to students.
*Articulation to improve transfer processes.
Outreach for special projects. (e.g., math, engineering and sciences)
Conducting special workshops for students. (e.g., understanding the college schedule, transfer requirements, setting academic goals.
3. Instructional Improvements
Attending workshops on teaching methods. (e.g., classroom-based research training; great teacher/college seminars)
*Development or revision of programs, course curriculum, learning resources and evaluations.
*Developing a new course.
*Modify existing course to comply with changing institutional or discipline requirements. (e.g., articulation, critical thinking, multiculturalism, writing across the curriculum, changes in discipline)
*Significant modification of a course to address the learning needs of diverse students. (e.g., creating self-paced/computer and television)
Developing students readiness programs specific to course disciplines.
Faculty and counselor meetings to address areas of curriculum.
Review of learning resource materials to eliminate outdated items/recommend changes
Creating self-study modules and computer-assisted instruction modules.
Student, faculty, and staff diversity. (e.g., sexual harassment, affirmative action, cultural diversity and multicultural workshops and conferences)
Departmental or division meetings to discuss overall curriculum and program review.
Institutional research. (e.g., job skill requirements, research on transfer ratios, ethnicity data on students and staff gender equity, campus climate)
Grant writing to secure funds for improvement of instruction.
On the reporting forms for Flex activities, the following nine State approved flex categories are listed; they are taken from Title 5, section 87153:
Nine Approved Criteria
- Improvement of Teaching
- Maintenance of Current Academic and Technical Skills and Knowledge
- In-Service Training for Vocational Education and Employment Preparation Programs
- Retraining to Meet Changing Institutional Needs
- Intersegmental Exchange Programs
- Development of Innovations in Instructional and Administrative Techniques and Programs
- Computer and Technological Proficiency
- Courses and Training Implementing Affirmative Action and Upward Mobility Programs
- Other Activities Determined to Be Related to Educational and Professional Development—please specify