A number of members have questions regarding the use of professional development funds.  The 4Cs, AFT and AFSCME negotiated with the BOR a Memorandum of Agreement regarding the maximum allotments for both full-time and part-time members. The MOA covers 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21. The amounts are per semester and please note that conferences and course work cannot both be used in one semester.

The union has received a number of questions regarding the provision that members cannot use funds for both course work and conferences in the same semester. If one member took the maximum amount for course work and a conference in the same semester, it would be $5,650.  While contract negotiations lead to the available funds increasing more than 150%, they are not unlimited. We had no way of knowing what the usage of the funds would be and we wanted the funds available to all members.  In many of our Colleges, $5,650 would amount to 10% of the allocation for the year.

We can propose changes when we have greater experience with the usage of the funds.

Another issue that has been raised is that some colleges have announced their available funds as a certain amount of full-time members and a certain amount for part-time members. The fact is that the funds should be viewed as one pool of money for ALL members, part-time or full-time.