4700P Employee Development and Training (Procedures)

Original Date: 4/1/1990 * Last Revision Effective: 6/27/2023
Policy Contact: Vice President, Human Resources

Purpose

The following procedures are established to meet the requirements for implementing policy #4700 – Employee Development and Training.

Definitions

Professional Development/Training: Professional Development includes activities that allow an employee to advance their knowledge, skills, and abilities in a work-related or career path related subject matter areas and may include workshops, classes, seminars, courses, conferences, experiential learning opportunities, etc. Professional Development does not cover tests for certifications.

Enrichment: Enrichment includes activities that are designed to promote and employees’ personal growth, support, and satisfaction.

Community Building: Activities offered by the College to enhance employee connections and relationships.

Responsibilities

Faculty

Faculty CBA provides for professional development time and the College’s commitment of resources for faculty (full-time and adjunct) professional development which is allocated to divisions and distributed according to Division disbursement procedures. The faculty commons program, determined by the commons council and executed by the commons chair, provides additional faculty development opportunities. The faculty CBA outlines additional expectations for faculty professional technical certification and other development planning expectations.

Classified Employees

“Employees and supervisors should be active participants in the process of identifying opportunities for training and development and designing a plan to ensure they have the competencies necessary to perform their job and effectively contribute to the organizational mission, goals, and objectives. Internal training offerings shall be designated as mandatory or discretionary. Supervisors may adopt flexible strategies to facilitate participation in discretionary development opportunities which require supervisory permission.”

  • Classified employees are required to participate in training designated as mandatory by supervisors or human resources.
  • Employees will be released from normal duties to attend mandatory training sessions conducted during scheduled working hours. Mandatory training scheduled outside of scheduled working hours is considered time worked and will be compensated as required.
  • Supervisors and classified employees should discuss professional development as part of the annual evaluation process. Supervisors may identify required training in the performance development process and will document employee participation in development and enrichment opportunities and community building.
  • Full-time classified employees may schedule up to forty (40) hours of paid time per fiscal year to engage in voluntary college-sponsored training and campus engagement/community building activities, subject to prior supervisory approval. For classified employees working less than forty (40) hours a week, twelve (12) months a year, the hours available will be prorated based on FTE. Classified employees may request release and funding for participation in training/professional development opportunities by completing the training request form.
  • Supervisors of classified employees will notify the employee that a request has been approved or denied within two (2) working days after the request has been submitted. Justification for denial shall be provided.
    When disagreements arise between employee and their supervisor regarding release time, the issue may be taken to the vice president of human resources for assistance in seeking resolution.
  • Classified employees are responsible for securing prior approval for schedule modifications and release time to be used for voluntary training, development, and community building at least five (5) working days in advance of the scheduled activities.
  • Voluntary campus engagement/community building activities include serving as a club advisor unless it is part of the employee’s assigned job duties, but exclude college governance activities, including membership on college committees and classified staff professional development day.

Exempt Employees

College leadership is responsible for supporting employee development and enrichment and community building for exempt employees.

  • College leadership, administration, and human resources shall identify and communicate training priorities and goals as well as relevant developments and trends affecting the college.
  • Exempt employees are required to participate in training designated as mandatory by supervisors or human resources.
  • Deans and directors are responsible for assisting unit heads and supervisors in adopting flexible strategies to promote participation in professional developmental/training activities.
  • All supervisors should identify and actively encourage and support appropriate learning experiences and assess and communicate professional development and training needs of employees in their direct reporting line.
  • Supervisors should ensure appropriate and equitable access to professional development and training opportunities that occur as part of work time.
  • Exempt employees may request time for participation in professional development opportunities, outside of mandatory training required by the college, by completing the training request form.
  • Supervisors are responsible for approval for funding and providing time for professional development and training opportunities and will notify the employee that a request has been approved or denied. If the reason for denial is lack of funding the employee may submit the request to human resources for consideration for funding from the general professional development pool as funds are available. Justification for denial shall be provided.

Training Request Evaluation Factors

When considering whether to approve or deny a training/professional development request, the immediate supervisor in consultation with the HR business partner shall consider the following factors, among others:

  • Relatedness to the employee’s essential job functions.
  • Potential value of training for application to improve performance on the job.
  • Individual’s advancement potential for any position in the organization or career development.
  • Skill building for future advancement is beneficial to the organization.
  • Cost of the training and budget.
  • Impact on and collaborative management of workload.
  • Such other factors as the immediate supervisor, and/or vice president of human resources may deem appropriate or relevant to consider.

Professional Development Funding

Faculty: Per Faculty CBA, the college will annually provide funds for professional development as determined in the faculty agreement. The funds will be allocated proportionally to the divisions based on total FTEF in the division in the prior academic year.  These funds are available to full-time and adjunct faculty.  Each dean working with division faculty shall develop a process for distribution within the division.  It shall be the responsibility of the dean to communicate the disbursement procedures and the availability of professional development funds to full-time and adjunct faculty no later than the third (3rd) week of each quarter.

Classified Employees: The college will determine annually an amount to be allocated to the classified employee scholarship fund as budget allows. Classified employees may request funding for individual employee development through the classified staff scholarship committee. Funding awards are determined by the scholarship committee. Departments/divisions may also utilize budgeted funds to support classified employee professional development activities.

Exempt Employees: The college will determine annually an amount to be allocated for exempt employee professional development beyond the funding budgeted by individual departments. The fund will be managed by human resources. Exempt employees should request funding for individual employee development through their department and once their departmental training funds have been exhausted, or the request is denied for lack of department budget, employees may submit the training request to the supervisor and routed to human resources for consideration and final decision.

These procedures do not impact the tuition waiver process that is available to eligible employees.

Relevant Laws and Other Resources

Revision History

Original 4/1/1990
Revisions 1/1/2003; 5/10/2005; 3/18/2008; 5/21/2009; 6/1/2010; 9/11/2012; 4/21/2015; 6/27/2023

Approved By

President’s Cabinet

Last Updated October 30, 2023