History of the Flex Calendar:
The Sierra College Flexible Calendar began in 1989. The Flexible Calendar came into being when full-term classes were reduced by eleven (11) days per year; each semester was shortened by one week. Consequently, faculty members teaching full-term classes had their classes reduced by one class meeting each semester. Hourly (adjunct and overload) class hours reflect this reduction in class time also. The Flex Calendar Committee oversees and approves the Flex Contract Plans for all full-time faculty members. The staff development coordinator oversees the flex contracts for hourly staff.
Purpose and Philosophy of the Flex Calendar
The purpose of the Flex Review Committee is to approve as wide a range of improvement plans as possible, provided they are consistent with the intent of the law and Sierra College policy. Any activity for which faculty members are remunerated above regular salary will not qualify for flex activity.
All activities must pertain to the purposes of the flex calendar. These activities must be directed toward the improvement of instruction and curriculum, not routine course preparation. If certification is required for continued employment, course work or workshops to fulfill the certification will not qualify for flex.
Flex activities should not overlap accountable hours during the regular school term or special assignments for which the faculty member is compensated. When possible, flex activities must be outside the 164 days of accountable time. For more in-depth information, see the Staff Development Handbook.
The purpose of the Flex Calendar allows for the improvement in:
- Staff development
- Curriculum development
- Matriculation
- Research
- Articulation
- Instructional options and activities
Flex Review Committee: Structure
Eight (8) faculty members consisting of two (2) faculty members from each of these areas:
- Business and Technology
- P.E. and Athletics, IIT, S.S., S.D.
- Science and Mathematics
- Physical Education/Athletics, IIT and Student Services, Student Development and Public Safety.
- Two (2) Educational Administrators
Flex Review Committee: Purpose
The purpose of the Flex Review Committee is to approve the Flex Activity Calendar Contracts for full-time faculty to ensure that the contracts are consistent with the intent of the law and the Sierra College Flex Calendar Policies.
The committee makes recommendations to the Staff Development Coordinator and the Vice President of E.P. and S. regarding policies for flex for all faculty.
Full-Time Faculty Flex Commitment
To meet the Flexible Calendar Law, full-time faculty spends the 10 days
(60 hours) released from instruction in activities designed to improve instruction
and for professional development each academic year.
Full-time faculty are required to attend four campus in-service days (24 hours) which has been defined as Convocation, division meetings, a general faculty meeting and department meetings.
These activities are scheduled for the two working days prior to the start
of classes each semester. Faculty must contract for the remaining six days
in either optional institutionally planned workshops or individually planned
activities.
Each full-time faculty member will be sent a Flex Contract in their Staff Development packet in July to be completed by the second week in September. This is a plan that should give the faculty member direction throughout the year. The contract, modification form and certification form will be returned to the faculty member in April for completion in May.
Hourly Part-Time and Overload Certificated
Faculty Participation
During the months of July and December, the Staff Development Office will distribute
a packet containing the flex brochure and their Hourly Part-Time Flex Contract. Individuals not employed during the
notification period (recent new hires) will receive notification from their division offices at the time of acceptance of their teaching assignment. Full-time faculty teaching overloads will receive a Full-time Flex Contract and a separate hourly contract for the overload hours. This hourly contract must be fulfilled using institutionally planned activities only. After completing the flex activities, the certification form must be signed and submitted to the appropriate division dean.
The division dean will forward the completion certification contract to the Staff Development Office, which will be reviewed by the staff development coordinator. The certification contract will then be forwarded to the Educational Programs and Services Office and then to district payroll.
Hourly part-time certificated employees are not required to fulfill the contract, but are encouraged to participate in on-going professional development activities aimed to improve instruction. The deadline for all contracts to receive payment is December 15th for both the spring and fall semesters of the calendar year.
Classified and Management Staff Development Participation:
The Flexible Calendar's initial purpose was for improvement of instruction. Another major element that is allowed under the Title 5 Regulation is staff professional improvement. To meet this purpose, the Staff Development Committee/Office has tried to take the needs of classified staff and management into consideration in planning the flexible calendar. Classified staff and management are strongly encouraged to attend all flex and staff development activities. Any released time should be arranged with immediate supervisors.
Allowance of Non-Institutionally Planned Activities for Fulfilling
Certificated Hourly Contracts:
In rare occasions, hourly adjunct faculty are involved in activities and/or projects that have not been planned by the Staff Development Office. The staff development coordinator may deny payment if the process has not been followed. Part-time faculty must complete the Request for Prior Approval of Flex Activity Form and forward to their dean before the contract will be forwarded to payroll.
Institutionally Planned Activities:
Institutionally planned activities are developed and coordinated by the Staff Development Office. Prior to the beginning of instruction, three days in the fall and four days in the spring are set aside specifically for staff development activities for all staff. The Staff and Organizational Development Guide are sent to all staff before the beginning of each semester. On-going activities are advertised in the flex brochure and throughout the semester as they are developed.
In some instances, divisions or departments may wish to develop an activity and have it receive institutionally planned treatment under this policy. When a division or department plans an activity, the determination of acceptability shall be the responsibility of the dean of that division. With the dean's prior approval, the activity shall be treated under this policy as an institutionally planned activity. After approving an activity, the dean shall forward, in writing, all relevant information about the activity to the Staff Development Office. Departments should fill out the request for Presenter
Form.
Individually Planned Activities:
The following are categories that meet the requirements and the spirit of the
Sierra College policy and the flexible calendar law. This list is also located
on the backside of the Full-time
Flex Calendar Contract.
- Preparation and presentation
of flex workshops.
- Flex Review Committee.
(8 hours credit)
- In-service training workshops.
(attending and presenting)
- In-service workshop presented/attended
by the Staff Development Committee other than the flex week programs
- Departmental and division
meetings for staff improvement purposes.
- Departmental or interdisciplinary
curriculum development.
- Provide and/or develop
orientation for new faculty and hourly faculty.
- Development of special
delivery systems (i.e. multimedia).
- Conferences, workshops,
and meetings pertaining to improvement of instruction or profession.
- Student academic advising
during orientation in coordination with the counseling staff.
- Research pertaining to
the institution or the profession.
- Course work in own or
related field (if not used to advance from class to class on the salary schedule).
- Articulation work with
feeder schools and transfer institutions.
- Special projects designed
to improve instruction (could include maintaining currency beyond the routine).
- Special projects in conjunction
with Sierra College Foundation (within the scope of the Flex Calendar Guidelines
and Philosophy).
- Grant writing.
- Mentoring.
- Matriculation projects.
- Other (within the scope
of the guidelines and philosophy outlined in this document).
Carry Back Option for Hourly Contract Staff:
Flex hours earned in the fall semester are first applied to the courses contracted for the fall semester. Excess flex hours earned in the fall semester of the same calendar year will be applied to the spring semester course. If any hourly certificated staff member did not accumulate sufficient flex hours in the spring semester of the same calendar year, all flex hours remaining after the carry back are forfeited for that calendar year. No carry back to a previous calendar year is allowed. All flex hours carried back prior to the spring semester will be paid in the fall semester.
There is no carry forward, carry back option for completion of full-time contracts. Hourly part-time and overload certificated contracts are run on the calendar year (January - December), while the full-time contracts are run on the academic year (July - June) and are therefore subject to different process policies.
Carry Forward Option for Certificated Hourly Contracts:
When an hourly certificated staff member earns more flex hours than can be applied to a course taught in the spring semester of the calendar year, the excess flex hours can be carried forward to the fall semester of the same calendar year. After applying the excess flex hours from the spring semester and all flex hours earned in the fall semester to the courses contracted for the fall semester, any remaining excess flex hours are forfeited for that calendar year. Should the hourly certificated staff member not be scheduled to teach in the fall semester, all excess flex hours of the spring semester are forfeited for that calendar year. No carry forward to a subsequent calendar year is allowed.
Sierra College Flex Workshop Presenters:
Any full-time or adjunct faculty member presenting institutionally planned workshops will be granted two flex hours for each hour of presentation. This is to compensate for preparation time. However, all staff is encouraged to participate.
“Request
for Presenters” flyers are distributed throughout the
year. If you are interested in presenting or have a specific interest or need,
please contact the
Staff Development Office.
