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What is the FLEX
Program? |
The purpose of professional development is to provide
opportunities for faculty and staff to increase their knowledge and skills and to improve teaching, student learning, and
student success. The Faculty Development Committee is pleased to announce an exciting menu of professional
development workshops and activities that we hope will meet your professional growth needs.
If we can be of any assistance to you in your professional development planning, please call the Professional Development
Office at ext 3100 or visit us in Y-113. You may also contact one of the committee members directly. |
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What is
FLEX? |
The flexible calendar program was initiated by six California
community colleges in 1976 as a pilot project authorized by Assembly Bill 2232 (1975). The six pilot colleges were El Camino,
Grossmont, Cosumnes River, Saddleback, San Jose City, and Evergreen Valley. These six pilot colleges were allowed to reduce
the number of required instructional days from 175 to a minimum of 160. The bill provisions allowed the colleges the
opportunity to replace up to fifteen days of regular instruction with alternative activities such as course and program
development and revision, staff development activities, development of new instructional materials, and other
instruction-related activities. In fall 1980, El Camino College withdrew from the pilot program and was replaced by College
of the Canyons.
Implementation of the flexible calendar program at the pilot colleges involved reforming the instructional calendar to
accommodate instruction-free days for faculty development activities. Legislation (AB 1149) was drafted in 1981 that
allowed all colleges the option of adopting a flexible calendar program. In addition, the following bills relevant to the flexible
calendar were passed:
AB 1657 (1983) which provided a no-loss/no-gain in funding and conversion of days to hours. It also allowed flexible calendar activities to be performed during the fiscal year and added
matriculation as an approved flexible calendar activity.
AB 836 (1985) which provided technical change to formula to adjust ADA as a way to further assure a no-loss in funding. |
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FLEX at
College of the Canyons |
| The Faculty Development Committee consists of
representatives from each division and the Professional Development Director. The committee meets bi-weekly and is
responsible for developing the FLEX schedules and activities based on the provisions of the law. (Title 5, section 55730e). |
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Faculty Obligation |
Based on the law (Title 5, section 55726b and 55728) each full
time permanent faculty member is obligated to complete 41
hours of FLEX activities per academic year. FLEX activities must not overlap with any accountable hours during the regular
academic term or special assignments for which the faculty
members are regularly compensated. Faculty members can
meet their FLEX obligation by attending or participating in
scheduled and/or unscheduled activities. Individual projects
can account for a maximum of 50% (20.5 hours) of the FLEX
obligation. |
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Registration |
| A FLEX contract is required twice per year, once in the fall and
once in the spring. FLEX hours can be completed throughout the year, from July 1 through June 30. Contracts are available
at the Professional Development Office in Y-113. |
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Frequently Asked Questions |
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What are FLEX days?
FLEX credit is the State’s way of ensuring that faculty are engaging in professional development activities equivalent to
the amount of time they would be spending in class without a FLEX program. One hour of time spent on professional
development equals one hour of FLEX credit. As allowed by Title V, FLEX days are set aside in the academic calendar for faculty
to participate in professional development activities related to staff, student, and instructional improvement. At C.O.C., full time faculty have an obligation of 41 FLEX hours per year.
What kind of activities are considered professional development activities?
The term professional development includes activities which increase knowledge in the discipline or which directly enhance
teaching skills, but also activities which improve working relationships with students and staff in and out of the
classroom as well as activities that enhance an individual’s physical and mental ability to perform his/her job. The Faculty
Development Committee uses the following guidelines to evaluate activities for flex credit:
• Understanding and practicing teaching and learning.
• Developing faculty leadership or managerial skills.
• Improving working group relationships.
• Learning technological skills.
• Learning job place skills.
• Understanding, advising, communicating with, or mentoring students.
• Developing research skills.
• Developing a cross-disciplinary understanding and awareness.
• Designing & developing materials & activities to achieve the above. |
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How much FLEX credit do I earn if I facilitate a workshop?
Workshop facilitators for FLEX activities earn double FLEX credit. For example, if you facilitate a three hour workshop, you will receive six
hours of FLEX credit. |
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What options are available for satisfying the 41 hours of my
FLEX obligation?
Faculty may satisfy their obligation through a variety of methods, including the following:
• Attend workshops or activities listed in the FLEX booklet.
• Attend FLEX workshops and activities throughout the year.
• Attend off-campus workshops and conferences (outside regular working hours). The maximum FLEX credit for conferences is 6 hours for a full day and 3 hours for a half day. The limit for conferences is 12 hours per year.
• Design your own individual or group activity with the
approval of the Faculty Development Committee.
• Participate in the FLEX Exchange Program by attending FLEX activities and workshops at regional community colleges. |
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| What if I need to make changes to my FLEX contract? |
| Please notify the Professional Development Office of any changes to
your FLEX contract by emailing
Leslie Carr at
leslie.carr@canyons.edu or by calling x3100. |
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What kinds of individual or group activities are
acceptable for FLEX credit?
Any activity or workshop that meets the established criteria listed
above or the FLEX guidelines listed below. These activities must be completed outside regularly
scheduled working hours. |
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How do I go about getting FLEX credit for an individual/
group project?
If you are planning to do an individual/group project, you need to complete the following steps:
• Complete and submit an Individual/Group Activity Proposal form, available in the Professional Development Office or online at the Professional Development website.
• After getting approval for your activity, complete the project. Projects that have not been pre-approved will NOT earn FLEX credit.
• Submit the project to the Professional Development Office by June
30th. |
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If we didn’t have FLEX days, would we have more
vacation days?
No. We would have additional days of class instruction. |
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When can I earn my FLEX credit?
You may earn FLEX credit during any time you are not scheduled to teach or hold office hours. |
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How do I receive FLEX credit?
Be sure to sign the sign-in sheet at each workshop you attend. |
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Can adjunct faculty attend flex sessions?
Yes. Adjunct faculty are encouraged to attend any flex workshop or activity they like. Adjunct faculty will receive up to
3 hours pay per semester for attending flex workshops. This is in addition to the 2 hours pay they receive for attending their
department retreats each semester. Therefore, adjunct faculty can be compensated for up to 5 hours of flex per semester.
Compensation for adjunct faculty is limited to FLEX workshops held at College of the Canyons. |
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FLEX Guidelines
A FLEX workshop or activity must have, as its principal goal, one or
more of the following:
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Developing and
refining the practice of teaching lower division college courses,
and understanding learning at the lower division level
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Developing faculty
leadership or managerial skills, in the classroom and in the pursuit
of division, departmental and committee duties
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Learning about the
improvement of college working-group relationships
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Learning
technological skills for use in the classroom or faculty office
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Learning job-place
skills (i.e. disaster preparedness, online purchasing)
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Understanding and
developing the practice of advising, communicating with, or
mentoring students
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Developing faculty
research skills
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Developing a
multicultural understanding and awareness among the faculty of our
diverse student body
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Developing a
cross-disciplinary understanding and awareness
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Improving knowledge
in one's discipline
The test for compliance with these guidelines is three-fold:
1. Is the primary goal of the activity professional growth in the
achievement of the mission of the college, its vision, and the mission
of professional development?
2. Is accomplishment of the activity of sufficient benefit to justify
time spent?
3. Does the activity fall outside expected departmental and other
faculty duties?
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