Instructions

1. Submit FPDC application & all supporting documents electronically (via email) to the FPDC chair before the 1st of the month for consideration & response/decision within one week. Applications submitted after the 1st of each month will be reviewed the following month/cycle. Incomplete or outdated applications will be returned to the applicant for resubmission. IMPORTANT: Your application must include supporting documents as per FPDC Guidelines.
2. Use current application (application link located on the right hand side of this page) and submit in a timely manner to be reviewed and approved. Reimbursements will not be allowed for any self purchases made by applicant prior to official approval of application.
3. Applicants will be notified of the committee & dean’s decision via an official email from the FPDC chair within one week of review cycle.
4. All approved applicants must submit a one page summary to the FPDC chair and their division chair within 15 working days of their return (from live or virtual event) describing activities and how the professional development event benefitted them. This report may be distributed to faculty and/or staff.
5. In extremely time-sensitive situations, off-cycle applications will be accepted for review by the committee, at the discretion of the Dean.

Guidelines

The following principles and procedures are used:

1. Professional Development activities must be aligned with the Mission and Strategic Plan of the University.
2. All regularly appointed Faculty, including Visiting Faculty, are encouraged to apply for funding. Please see priority list below for further information.
3. The mission of the Committee is to advocate on behalf of faculty in their participation in professional activities, and to act as stewards of institutional funds to support that participation.
4. Multiple applications from individual faculty will be accepted by the committee. The cap of support provided by FPDC to an individual faculty member will not exceed $2,000 within any one fiscal year.
5. Funds will be granted toward professional activities that are directly or very closely related to the professional work done by the faculty member in his or her field at the University.
6. Only one event/activity can be included in each application.
7. Faculty who did not provide a follow-up report from previous funding will not be considered for future funding until that report has been filed. All follow-up reports must be e-mailed directly the applicants division chair, and FPDC chair.

Priorities to be used by the Committee, in general sequence of consideration, include:

1. Faculty approaching Tenure Review are strongly encouraged to apply for professional development in their field as this is a component for consideration in promotion and tenure. It is expected that faculty in this category will be presenting at, and not just attending, conferences and meetings.
2. Faculty approaching their mid-probationary review are also encouraged to apply since strong evidence of professional activities is expected in this review.
3. Faculty who are officers or members of key committees of an organization.
4. Faculty who are presenting at a conference or meeting.
5. Faculty who are active members of an organization, but not presenting.
6. Faculty who seek to attend a conference but are not members of the organization

Additional Information:

• The Committee is an advisory body to the Dean and members are appointed annually by the Dean.
• Professional and Cultural development opportunities may be brought to campus (including electronically) to benefit a larger group of faculty using these funds.
• Committee decisions will be made at FPDC scheduled meetings.
• Professional Development Funds will not be used to supplement grant or departmental funds.
• Applications will be available on the FPDC website. Applicants should include the application, evidence to support the application budget, and supporting material (e.g. print-out of the conference website information page, acceptance letter or email from conference organizer).
• No retroactive funding will be allowed. Purchases by administrative assistants can only be made after an application is approved by the committee and the Dean of Instruction.
• Members of the Committee may apply for funding, but are subject to the same priorities as other applicants, and must recuse themselves from all parts of the deliberating and decision process.
• If an applicant is denied funding, the Committee will provide the applicant with a written explanation of their decision. The decision of the Committee is final and not subject to any appeal.
• Funding is not provided to cover tuition/fees for any postgraduate degree programs.
• Recipients of Faculty Development funds are required to submit a 1 page descriptive report to their Division Chair, and Chair of this committee, within 15 working days of completing the funded activity. Preferred method of this report is to send it by email. Submitting reports by email facilitates storage, organization, and review of reports.
• Chair and member rotation policy: At the beginning of each academic year, the Dean of Instruction will appoint faculty members to the committee; one faculty from each division. The appointed members will vote on a committee chair.

The Committee will submit to the Dean recommendations on funding, and on strategies to encourage and promote professional growth of faculty. The Committee will submit to the Dean an annual report to include a list of funded activities, and brief descriptions of activities not funded with reasons for that decision.

Application

- FPDC Application Template