Faculty Development
The College is committed to the continuous improvement of its primary resource, the faculty. Through a variety of activities, supported in whole or in part by the College, faculty are able to strengthen educational, scholarly, and professional abilities. Generally, individual faculty will initiate requests for funding to their Chair, or a member of the Academic Affairs office may recommend professional development opportunities to specific faculty.
The College has a strong commitment to faculty development and believes that it is through faculty development that the curriculum progresses and the instructional program is strengthened.
Examples of faculty development activities include, but are not limited to:
- Attending conferences, seminars, or workshops
- Speaking, presenting, or participating in panel discussions at conferences and other events
- Participating in discipline-related professional communities
Sabbaticals
The purpose of the CCS sabbatical leave program is to enable a full-time faculty member to pursue research, scholarly and/or professional creative development with a degree of concentration and freedom not normally possible while teaching a full-time schedule. Details on the College’s Sabbatical Leave Program policy can be found on the CCS Policy Database.
Faculty Development Grants and Conferences
CCS endeavors to budget funds each year to support faculty development. These funds may be used for activities that include, but are not limited to:
- workshops, seminars, training, or courses related to their field
- travel to conferences or symposia
- other activities as determined by the appropriate Dean
Courses or workshops must be successfully completed to be eligible for reimbursement. Faculty development grants are not used to support the pursuit of degrees. The College recognizes the value of faculty making presentations at and attending conferences that enhance faculty’s knowledge of current trends in their respective fields, their professional practice, and scholarly activities, and the College’s visibility.
- Full-time faculty members may request financial support to attend conferences, seminars, workshops, and other means of professional development. Requests should include an explanation of the value of the event and a budget of the expenses required. Requests are given to the Department Chair for approval and then forwarded to the Dean of Academic Affairs who will make a decision in consultation with the appropriate Dean based on funds available and the number and types of requests received. Faculty members who have been granted sabbatical leave are not eligible to receive faculty development grants during the leave.
- If a request is approved, travel, lodging, and registration arrangements are the responsibility of the faculty member. Reimbursable expenses include registration fees, visa application (if necessary), air and ground travel, lodging, meals, and tips up to the amount approved and consistent with the College’s policy on travel.
An approved expense report with original itemized receipts is required for reimbursement. Travel advances may be granted by completing a Payment Requisition form with the Business Office one week in advance of when funds are required.
Please refer to the policy on Travel and Entertainment.
Course Release
Course releases are a one course reduction in a full-time faculty teaching load and are provided to further the faculty member’s scholarship, research, and/or creative activity. Details on the Course Release policy can be found on the CCS Policy Database.