California State University, Sacramento
	Faculty Senate
	Faculty Professional Development Policy

Updated by the Faculty Policies Committee May 15, 2002

California State University, Sacramento
 

THE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM

1. FACULTY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES

Two kinds of programs are offered:  grant/award and support.  The activities are described below.  Contact persons and appropriate deadlines are published annually for the current academic year.  All faculty, full- and part-time, permanent and temporary, probationary and tenured, and FERP, may be eligible for any of these programs.  See program descriptions for eligibility and limitations.

1. GRANT/AWARD PROGRAMS
   

1. Probationary Faculty Development Grant Programs

Each Dean nominates two individuals (one nominee and one alternate) to receive an award of $500 and three (3) units of release time per academic year.  Nominations, accompanied by the respective nominee's proposal for a project constituting research, creative activity, or pedagogical enhancement, must be presented to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in the fall of each year.  Nominations are reviewed by the Diversity Awards Committee, with priority given to proposed research that is consistent with the University academic and strategic plan with respect to pluralism (e.g., teaching strategies with different groups, studies of diverse communities) and proposals by ABD's to complete the dissertation.  The Diversity Awards Committee makes funding recommendations to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, who notifies the Deans of grant recipients in the fall of each year.

Funding priorities for probationary faculty are:
1)    Forgivable Loan individuals currently on staff
2)    ABD's for work on their dissertations
3)    Probationary assistant professors and
4)    Other probationary faculty

2. Pedagogy Enhancement Grants Program
   
   The aim of the Pedagogy Enhancement Grants Program is to encourage the development of projects that are intended to provide faculty members with opportunities to increase their effectiveness as teachers and scholars and their professional satisfaction. Individual faculty members are the primary beneficiaries of the Pedagogy Enhancement awards. It is possible that additional benefits may accrue to the faculty member's unit as a by-product of the project. 

   Eligibility:
   Probationary, tenured faculty, and FERP faculty during the period of employment are eligible to apply for Pedagogy Enhancement Grants of assigned time and/or money. Student Services Professionals, Academic-Related are eligible to apply for monetary grants. See annually published guidelines.

   Types of Awards: Creative Pedagogy, Currency, & Career Enhancement

   Proposers must justify how all resources requested will advance one's specific pedagogy. Faculty members can request up to three (3) units of assigned time and/or up to $500 support funds. Although more than one project proposal may be submitted, the total award for an individual may not exceed three (3) units plus $500. Applications can come from individuals or from groups. Whether a proposal is made by an individual or a group, the funding limit for each proposal is up to $500 and/or three (3) units of assigned time. If groups submit separate proposals, which indicate that each applicant intends to work on a clearly differentiated aspect of a joint project, the funding limit for each proposal is again up to $500 and/or three (3) units of assigned time.

   The program is designed to support and develop new methods or strategies related to teaching excellence; activities designed to support individuals in the acquisition of new knowledge and capacities and/or greater expertise in discipline-based activities; or, efforts to enhance collaboration among faculty. The Center for Teaching and Learning provides staff support for the Pedagogy Enhancement Awards Subcommittee.
   

3. Research and Creative Activity Awards Program
   
   The Research and Creative Awards Program supports activities that address the following objectives:

• Encourage faculty to engage in research or creative activity so as to be active participants in their professional disciplines; and,

• Provide initial support in the way of assigned time and money to enable faculty to compete more effectively for outside funding; and

• Enrich student learning by involving students in both the process and/or product of research or creative activities.

Types of Awards

1)	Assigned Time Grants: This grant provides for up to 12 units of assigned time for an approved project. The typical assigned time grant is from 3-8 units for the academic year. Traditionally, only the exceptional highly meritorious proposals have been funded for more than 6-8 units. Faculty culminating a major project may ask for a semester leave. Again, only highly meritorious proposals will be funded. In addition, faculty receiving a semester leave are obligated to serve for two semesters after completion of the semester leave. Faculty cannot receive more than 12 units of assigned time OR a semester leave in one academic year. Applicants may submit more than one proposal for unrelated projects, subject to meeting these limits.
2)	Monetary Grant. This grant allows for up to $ 2,500 of support for an approved project. This grant may be used for items necessary for conducting the research project. Where appropriate, the use of these funds to involve undergraduate and graduate students in the research project is strongly encouraged.
3)	Summer Fellowship Grant. This grant provides summer stipends of two months for probationary faculty and one month for tenured faculty. See the Request for Proposals for conditions and restrictions.

4. Sabbatical Leaves and Difference-in-Pay Leaves

A faculty member is eligible for a sabbatical or difference-in-pay leave if s/he has served full-time for six (6) years at this campus in the preceding seven year period prior to the leave. A faculty member is eligible for a subsequent sabbatical after s/he has served full-time at least six (6) years after any previous sabbatical leave or difference-in- pay leave. A faculty member is eligible for a subsequent difference-in- pay leave after s/he has served full-time for three (3) years after the last sabbatical leave or difference-in-pay leave.

1)	Sabbatical leaves are generally for one semester at full salary or two semesters at one-half salary, with full benefits accruing with either type.
2)	The difference in pay leave salary is for the difference between the faculty employee's salary and the minimum salary of the instructor rank.

2. SUPPORT PROGRAMS

Support programs are those that provide opportunities for enrichment through meetings, workshops, lectures, colloquial, etc. Support programs are typically noncompetitive and provide no monetary grants or assigned time.

1. Center For Teaching and Learning

The CTL provides faculty professional development through a variety of activities and services that help individuals, departments, and programs to reach their desired level of teaching excellence. Individual services focused on scholarship include: pedagogy strategies tied to content specific discipline; interpreting students feedback tied to learning principles; collaborative learning, an information rich website on teaching and learning; and, teaching strategies utilizing technology (web to internet video/audio). The primary focus of the CTL is twofold: provide new faculty support and building on-going mentoring programs for all faculty. 

Additionally, the CTL provides conference information focused on pedagogy and career enhancement that are regional, national, and international in perspective. These include but are not limited to the Summer Teacher-Scholar Conference, the Lilly Conferences on College and University Teaching (particularly Lilly-West), the Professional and Organizational Development Network conference, and conferences on instructional uses of technology including distance and distributed education, as well as sessions at many discipline based meetings.

2. Office of Faculty and Staff Affairs

   The Office of Faculty and Staff Affairs offers several workshops throughout the academic year that support faculty professional development. A "New Faculty Orientation" program is offered annually. The current program introduces new faculty to the CSUS campus, provides a brief background of the university and its students, and an overview of support available for teaching and scholarly and creative activity. Several of the colleges provide additional orientation and information, and some match new faculty members with volunteer, senior, full-time faculty as mentors (consult your Department Chair or Dean). A workshop for New Department/Division Chairs is offered each Spring. Additionally, this office administers all Sabbatical and Difference- in-Pay Leaves and offers workshops for faculty on a variety of activities required for faculty professional advancement.
   

3. Research and Graduate Studies Office and CSUS Foundation

   The CSUS Foundation allocates funds, Research Travel Grants, to support faculty travel related to research and scholarly activity. The purpose is to assist and enhance the ability of departments and colleges to support faculty traveling to professional meetings to present research papers. Applications for travel grants should be submitted by the faculty member to the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects as soon as possible and in no event less than two weeks prior to the meeting or conference. These funds only provide partial support for faculty travel, and additional restrictions may apply.

   The Research and Graduate Studies Office provides GRANT WRITING WORKSHOPS and assists faculty in securing grants from external sources, including post doctoral fellowships.

   This office, in conjunction with Academic Affairs, also administers Travel Grants for System-Sponsored Programs. Funds are allocated to assist faculty travel to CSU system-sponsored in-state conferences, workshops and policy development meetings. Faculty members who are members or officers of a state or system task force, commission or committee or who have been designated to represent the campus or the system in a conference or workshop may apply for reimbursement of in-state travel costs. Applications for reimbursement should be submitted at least two weeks prior to the trip. These funds only provide partial support for faculty travel, and additional restrictions may apply.
   

4. University Visiting Scholars Program

   The University Visiting Scholars Program supports lectures, speakers, public programs, and groups visiting the campus, hosted by individual faculty, student or faculty groups, centers, etc.  The CTL provides staff support for the University Visiting Scholars Program.
   

5. Office of Global Education
   
   International faculty exchange programs, Fulbright awards, and other such internationally based programs (including those for students) are administered through the Global Education Office/Academic Affairs.
   
6. Office of Community Collaboration
   
   The Office of Community Collaboration (OCC) supports faculty who engage in service learning.  These instructors integrate community service projects into their requirements for the course, as a means to deepen students' mastery of course content and to demonstrate how the knowledge and skills gained in the course can be applied in community settings.  The services to faculty include:  conducting introductory and advanced training workshops; assisting with logistics, e.g., liability management and MOU's; showcasing faculty service learning projects on-and-off campus; providing funding for training time, syllabus design, first time offerings of service learning courses, and service learning research; and developing and sustaining relationships with community partner organizations.

2. COLLEGE-BASED PROGRAMS

Funds, assigned time, and other support for research and scholarly/creative activities are also available to faculty members from their colleges.  The level of funding and access to professional development programs varies among the colleges according to college and departmental objectives, needs and funding ability.  Faculty members are encouraged to contact their individual College Dean and/or Department Chair for information about the specific programs available within that unit.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

The CSUS Professional Development Programs are designed to assist the faculty in attaining the following goals and objectives.

back to FPC
back to Senate home page
back to CSUS home page