FPG Frequently Asked Questions about Internal Events

MCCCD internally sponsored events are approved based upon the proposed activities outlined in the FPG template by the individual or organization sponsoring the activity. The Advancements Subcommittee for Professional Growth reviews the event and establishes the hour(s) of credit to be offered. Further background information can be found in the next question, "Why do internally sponsored events have to be pre-approved?"

Why do internally sponsored events have to be pre-approved for Faculty Professional Growth (FPG) advancement?

In 1992 a lively and vigorous debate between faculty staff developers, the FPG committee, and the Faculty Executive Council (FEC) occurred on the topic of Maricopa sponsored events eligibility for professional growth advancement credit. The conclusion of that debate resulted in the agreement that a thorough instructional design review would be required prior to acceptance of an internal activity for professional growth advancement. The pre-approval process incorporates a template outlining required instructional elements for any internal event. This process has been in place since 1998.

The benefits of pre-approval include:

Campus
Individual campuses may design activities for their own campus interests. Campus activities that offer FPG pre-approved hours have a greater attraction for faculty attendance.
FPG Committee
The use of a template provides the FPG committee with clear, consistent information to review for all MCCCD sponsored activities. The turnover of the committee members from one year to another makes it challenging to establish a predictable format that is synonymous with a quality professional growth activity. The template provides consistency for all reviewers and applicants.
The Community
When faculty attend a MCCCD event and are subsequently rewarded with horizontal advancement in their salary, the community of Maricopa should expect a high degree of internal review. The template sets the standard for a quality program. The FPG committee's review of the template allows them to check for the quality of the program to be offered. The quality of the template is reviewed by both the Faculty Executive Council, the FPG committee, and includes the input of an instructional designer available through MCLI.

What defines an internal event that needs pre-approval rather than an external event that does not?

Internal locally hosted events

Designed for Maricopa faculty
Internal advertising to the Maricopa faculty
Internal budgeting supports the event
Maricopa facilities generally accommodates the event

Externally hosted events

Designed for educators at large (beyond Maricopa faculty)
Advertised to educators at large as well as Maricopa faculty
External funds incorporated
Usually associated/sponsored by other professional organizations
Designed by subject specialists which may include Maricopa faculty but always includes experts outside Maricopa Community Colleges
Maricopa facilities may be used to accommodate the event

If faculty attend an MCCCD internal event for FPG credit during their hours of accountability and subsequently receive hours/credits leading to salary advancement isn't that getting paid twice or double dipping?

Eligible faculty can earn professional growth credit or apply for fees reimbursement for specified district-sponsored activities, conferences, workshops or seminars. This decision occurred during the 1995-96 academic year, the Faculty Executive Council in conjunction with the Faculty Professional Growth addressed issues regarding the criteria for granting professional growth. Following the direction of the two groups, a sub-committee formed to further investigate those issues and make recommendations in fall, 1996. The subcommittee met and discussed the issues, sought in-house legal counsel, and examined the professional growth opportunities at other institutions of higher learning.

The rational for this decision is as follows.

First, a district the caliber of Maricopa with its available resources, MCCCD can and does sponsor activities, conferences, workshops, and seminars that feature national authorities. In the past, faculty had been denied the opportunity to earn professional growth credit for those activities that were offered in-house. The sub-committee believed there are three benefits in allowing in-house activities to provide professional growth credit:

More Maricopa faculty could take advantage of the exposure to national authorities if the activity were offered here rather than their having to travel elsewhere;
People would spend less travel money to attend activities here rather than applying for travel money (air, train, bus) to go elsewhere;
Maricopa would promote attendance at its own conferences, etc. (thus educating more faculty) rather than penalizing people for attending by disallowing possible professional growth.

Second, allowing professional growth credit for in-house activities does not violate any Arizona laws. There has been a perception among some faculty that granting professional growth credit for in-house activities is "double-dipping." That is, people were being paid their salaries while also attending district sponsored events and subsequently getting credit or being reimbursed for having done so. The subcommittee met with MCCCD in-house counsel, Janice Bradshaw, on June 24, 1996, to discuss this matter. She indicated that there was nothing in violation of Arizona law in allowing people to apply for credit or seek reimbursement for registration fees. On the contrary, the district does indeed:

Pay peoples' salaries when they go to conferences elsewhere or attend one sponsored by another institution,
Often pays for a substitute professor,
Allows a person to apply for professional growth credit or fee reimbursement for activities held outside the district. If "double-dipping" is not considered to occur when people are attending activities elsewhere, then it would seem "double-dipping" would not occur because people were attending activities sponsored by the district.

Furthermore, when faculty are on sabbatical leave to take classes or work on advanced degrees, the district pays their salaries then allows them the opportunity to apply for professional growth credit later, after the course work has been completed. In effect, the district is compensating those people twice by paying them while on sabbatical and then 'paying' them again for having earned credit or degrees.

In view of Ms. Bradshaw's legal and current district practice, the "double-dipping" objection to allowing professional growth credit for district-sponsored activities, conferences, workshops, and seminars, etc. is moot.

(Source: report of the subcommittee of Faculty Executive Council, Pres. Elect Judy Boscholt Fall 1996).