updated: 1/28/01

***Note: - The below FLEX guidelines from L.A. City College are the same for Mission College - with the exception of the FLEX Period which is different for our College. Special Thanks to the Staff Development Chair, Roberta Holt, and her Committee for putting together these very nice set of guidelines.

Our FLEX program is a program of professional development for faculty. Credit may be earned only at times that faculty do not have assigned classes or other scheduled responsibilities (i.e., office hours, final exams). Want to learn more? Click on the links below for more detailed information.

FLEX Period
What are FLEX days?
What does our collecive bargining contract say about FLEX?
Required FLEX hours
Approved FLEX activities
What are my options for individual or group activities?
Presenting a FLEX activity
What happens if I don't complete my FLEX obligation?
How do I report my total FLEX hours?
What can I do if an individual activity is not approved by the FLEX committee
Who should I call if I have any questions?

FLEX PERIOD FOR 2001-2002: January 9, 2001 to January 8,2002 - Return to top -
All activities must be completed by January 8, 2002, and reported to Sandi Lampert (sandilamp@aol.com) no later than Feburary 1, 2002 (for the 2000-2001 period, no later than February 1, 2001. We encourage you to sumbit your individual FLEX hours several times during the FLEX year in order to eliminate a last minute rush. When you submit FLEX hours at periodis intervals during the year, we will, on a regular basis, issue individual reports to you summarizing your activities.

WHAT ARE FLEX DAYS? - Return to top -
FLEX days are professional development -- meetings, workshops, conferences, individual projects, etc., in lieu of days of instruction. The purpose of FLEX days is to provide you the opportunity to participate in development activities that are related to "staff, student, and instructional improvement." According to Title 5 regulations, FLEX credit may be given for activities that improve instruction, improve student services, or improve the capabilities of faculty to provide instruction or student services. Activities may be undertaken in the following areas:

1. Improvement of instruction
2. Professional enrichment
3. Personal enrichment
4. Multicultural awareness
5. Computer proficiency
6. Institutional growth/development

Credit cannot be given for activities that are considered part of the faculty members' regular and expected teaching responsibilities.

WHAT DOES OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING CONTRACT SAY ABOUT FLEX? - Return to top -
Under the current contract negotiated by the LACCD and AFT, full-time members must fulfill 24 hours of FLEX activities or the equivalent of four 6-hour days. These activities of these four days may be fulfilled during FLEX Week which is during the first week of January, or at other times during the year.

REQUIRED FLEX HOURS - Return to top -
Required FLEX hours are based on a faculty member's assignment during the Spring 2000 semester.

Full-time certified teaching faculty members are obligated to complete a total of 24 hours of FLEX activities during the 2001-2002 school year. If they have an hourly assignment in the Spring 2001 semester, they must complete additional hours equal to the number of teaching hours of their hourly assignment. If the teaching assignment is on a Saturday only, there is no flex obligation. The obligation is based solely on the number of hours the instructor is assigned to teach during the Spring 2001 semester. If an instructor does not teach during the Spring 2001 semester, no flex obligation is required.

Part-time, hourly, or senior instructor faculty members are obligated to engage in FLEX activities equal to the number of teaching hours per week in the Spring 2001 semester only.

Reassigned or reduced time faculty are obligated to participate in FLEX activities hours only for the number of teaching hours on a pro-rata basis.

Example 1: A full-time instructor with 20% reassigned time and an 80% teaching load is obligated to fulfill 19 FLEX hours (80% of 24 hours).
Example 2: A full-time instructor with a 50% teaching load and a 3-hour hourly class in the Spring semester is obligated to "flex" for 12+ 3 = 15 hrs. (50% of 24 + 3).
Example 3: A department chair with a 60% teaching load and 40% reassigned time and no hourly classes is obligated to fulfill 14 flex hours (60% of 24).

Counselors may have the same FLEX obligation as full-time teaching faculty with the same guidelines applying. However, counselors are encouraged to be available during the intersession week in January (January 4-7 during the 2001-2002 school year) to meet with students during the registration process. Those counselors who choose to work during hat week will not have any other FLEX obligation.

NOTE: There can be no banking of FLEX hours

APPROVED FLEX ACTIVITIES - Return to top -
SIX (6) HOURS OF PARTICIPATION IN INSTRUCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT ACTIVITIES ARE THE EQUIVALENT OF ONE FLEX DAY. The maximum number of hours allowed within each category are esigned to elicit a balance among the categories; faculty are encouraged to participate in activities from several of the following categories.

All individual projects must be preapproved by the Staff and Organizational Development Committee at least four weeks before activity date. See HOW DO I REPORT MY TOTAL FLEX HOURS below.

UNLIMITED HOURS OF FLEX CREDIT

CONFERENCE/WORKSHOP. Hours may be earned by attending a conference or workshop that updates or upgrades content and methodologies for the purpose of improving teaching effectiveness. COnference presenter will be eligible for two hours of additional credit. Conferences and workshops attended during teaching or office hours will not count for FLEX credit, except for conferences exceeding average workday schedule are eligible for 3 hours FLEX credit maximum.
INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS. These are tasks which will enhance the instructional program which would not otherwise be accomplished. These are activities beyond normal professional responsibilities or regular contractual obligations. Projects will require: (A) Submittal of a formal proposal for prior approval and evidence of an end product (i.e., supporting documents, report, etc.). Maximum number of hours: 12 hours per project.

CLASSES TAKEN. Credit may be awarded for classes taken which relate directly to courses taught or to faculty service area at Mission College. Strengthening teaching methodologies classes are also included. Maximum number of hours: 12 hours per class.

ON CAMPUS AND FLEX WORKSHOPS. FLEX hours may be earned for attendance at FLEX workshops at any college campus. Workshop presenters on our campus may earn FLEX hours at the rate of three hours of credit for each hour of presentation.

SPECIAL ON-CAMPUS OR DISTRICT PROGRAMS. FLEX hours may be earned for attending special programs, retreats, and training sessions sponsored by the college or District. Hours will be established per activity.

MATRICULATION. FLEX credit may be earned for advising and counseling students during organized matriculation activities uner auspices of the Counseling Department.

LIMITED HOURS OF FLEX CREDIT

NETWORKING. Hours may be earned for campus, intercampus, regional, or state meetings of the discipline for purposes beyond the normal operation of the discipline. Maximum number of hours: 8 hours.

PROFESSIONAL ENRICHMENT. FLEX credit may be earned for attending live performances, exhibits, museums, demonstrations, and films when directly related to the discipline. Maximum number of hours: 8 hours

PERSONAL ENRICHMENT:
1. Cultural Enrichment - cultural activities that have an educational value but are not related to your discipline; e.g., live performances, exhibits, museums, films, demonstrations. On-campus performances such as concerts or plays would be eligible for FLEX credit in this category.
2. Personal Wellness - Workshops or programs that assist individuals to be physically and mentally better able to perform their jobs; e.g. humor in the workplace, stress reduction, self-defense, nutrition, smoking cessation, weight reduction.
3. Educational Travel - credit may be earned at a rate of 6 hours per week of educational travel. Sabbatical travel may NOT be counted for FLEX credit.
Maximum number of hours: 8 hours for any combination of 1, 2, or 3.

COMMITTEE PARTICIPATION BEYOND TWO COMMITTEES. Up to 4 hours per committee for FLEX credit may be received for participation in college or district-wide committees after the first two committees. Only committees that meet on at least a monthly basis each semester or special committees (such as accredation) are eligible. Maximum number of hours: 8 hours

WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP ACTIVITIES? - Return to top -
FLEX activities are meant to be as flexible as possible. The following possibilities are taken from a list in the State FLEX Guidelines approved in Spring, 1993, by the State Academic Senate. They are borken down to reflect the six areas of professional development described above.

Improvement of Instruction
- Attend workshops on teaching methods or techniques (e.g. classroom assessment techniques, collaborative learning, Great Teachers' Seminars)
- Improve skills or knowledge in faculty member's specific discipline
- Attend district discipline meetings
- Develop individual instructional projects
- Develop departmental projects
- Plan/attend departmental/discipline retreats
- Attend applicable conferences or retreats
- Develop new program and course cirriculum
- Develop learning resources
- Counsel or advise students during organized matriculation activities under auspices of Counseling Department

Professional Enrichment
- Orientation/education (e.g., new faculty; role of the academic senate; training student, faculty and staff to serve the community, changing role of technology in education
- Faculty and staff meetings to improve learning resource support services to students
- Learn grantsmanship
- Attend applicable conferences or retreats
- Do professional research
- Complete coursework in your discipline or related fields
- Visit other colleges and universities to get ideas for classes or for better articulation of classes
- Participate in college committee work
- Participate in cultural evets that are directly related to your teaching discipline

Personal Enrichment
- Participate in workshops/programs that assist individuals to be physically and mentally better able to perform their jobs
- Complete educational travel for which college credit is given
- Participate in non-credit educational travel
- Attend cultural events off campus
- Attend cultural events on campus; e.g., plays or concerts

Multicultural Awareness
- Student, faculty and staff diversity (e.g., workshops, seminars, conferences or retreats on sexual harassment, affirmative action, cultural diversity, multiculturalism, etc.)

Computer Proficiency including multimedia development and distance learning

Institutional Growth/Development
- Develop new programs
- Conduct institutional research
- Attend applicable conferences, retreats (credit given for actual participation time)
- Visit business or commercial sites
- Visit and share information with our area high schools
- Participate in college committee work

PRESENTING A FLEX ACTIVITY - Return to top -
Faculty are encouraged to become a presenter of a FLEX activity or workshop and to share your area(s) of expertise with your colleagues. If you are interested in presenting a workshop, you must submit a form, "Request to Present a Professional Development Activity," Contact Sandi Lampert for copies of this form.

- For those doing FLEX workshop presentations on any LACCD campus during 1999-2000 FLEX year, 3 hours of FLEX credit will be given for each hour or presentation time. Departmental workshop presenters are not eligible for triple flex credit.

- If there are two presenters, each recieves Flex credit in the same ratio, 3:1.

- If there are 3 or more presenters, the ratio is reduced to 2 hours of flex credit for each hour of presentation.

A workshop may be offered as many times as it generates sufficient interest. If you are interested, you may contact the Flex Coordinator at other LACCD colleges to offer your presentation. Successful workshops may be offered in a following semester on this campus. Repeat activities and workshops, however, generate 2 hours of flex credit for each hour of presentation time, regardless of the number of presenters.

Other than preparing and leading the activity or workshop, presenters are responsible for the collection and filing of the attendance rosters and distributing the green professional development activity forms to the participants. Attendance rosters are to be placed in the Flex Coordinators box in the faculty mailroom as soon as possible after the completion of the event.

Up to four hours per committees of Flex credit may be received for participation in college or districtwide committees after the first two committees. The following committees are eligible for Flex credit:

Academic Senate Staff Development Accreditation Budget
District Academic Senate Professional Development Curriculum Resource Planning
Shared Governance Work Environment Educational Planning Institutional Planning
** Other committees as approved by the Professional Development Committee

WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON'T COMPLETE MY FLEX OBLIGATION? - Return to top -
Your Flex activities are considered a contractual obligation. If you don't fulfill your obligations, you have the same options available as when you are unable to meet your classes; i.e., illness, personal necessity, bereavement. etc. Because Flex days are included in your salary and negotiated by the AFT, non-fulfillment of your obligation may result in reduction of pay as mandated by the Education Code.

HOW DO I REPORT MY TOTAL FLEX HOURS? - Return to top -
FOR SCHEDULED WORKSHOPS ON CAMPUS OR IN THE DISTRICT
1. ALL FLEX ACTIVITIES are REPORTED ON the Flex Claim Form, ONE PER ACTIVITY. These forms are available online.
2. To receive credit for an on-campus workshop you need to sign the sign-in sheet at the workshop.

FOR INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS (requiring pre-approval, see form below)
1. All individual discipline-related projects or other projects must be pre-approved by the Professional Development Committee at least four weeks before activity date by filling out the Individual Project Proposal. Return to the Professional Development Coordinator. Upon its approval, the form will be returned to you.
2. When the activity concludes, return the form together with the green scantron sheet and any necessary documentation/end project to the Coordinator.

FOR ALL OTHER ACTIVITIES
1. Fill out Flex Claim Form. In "comments" section, fully describe activity and attach any supporting documation, programs, schedules, etc. to support your request. Submit this form upon completion of activity. BE SURE THAT YOU DON'T EXCEED THE HOURS OF CREDIT FOR THOSE ACTIVITIES THAT HAVE LIMITED HOURS OF CREDIT.

WHAT CAN I DO IF AN INDIVIDUAL ACTIVITY IS NOT APPROVED BY THE FLEX COMMITTEE? - Return to top -
Contact the Flex Coordinator to see if modifications can be made. If you are not satisfied, plan to meet with the Staff Development Committee so that the matter can be resolved.

WHO SHOULD I CALL IF I HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? - Return to top -
Please contact Sandi Lampert, Staff Development Flex Coordinator, at 818/364-7696 . She will do her best to answer your questions.

 

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