Purpose

To provide support for on-going professional development activities for eligible employees.

Eligibility

Executive, Administrative/Managerial, Teaching Faculty, Research Faculty and Professional staff who have completed at least six (6) months of continuous employment are eligible to apply for a professional development grant.

Executive, Administrative/Managerial, Faculty Employees

Employees in the Executive, Administrative/Managerial, Teaching Faculty or Research Faculty employment categories are eligible to apply for one (1) professional development grant during any contract year.

Professional Staff

Professional Staff may apply for a professional development grant once every two (2) years.

Types of Activities

Any activity which legitimately promotes the professional development of an eligible employee may qualify for professional development funds. These include attendance at conferences, seminars, workshops or short courses, visits with thesis advisors or prominent scholars, research trips to libraries, or field work.

Approval Procedures

Approval of all professional development grants is contingent upon availability of funds. To apply for a professional development grant, the eligible employee must submit a Travel Authorization to his or her department head with a notice announcing the meeting or conference appended, or a written explanation of what activity will be carried out and its relation to the employees professional growth. The department head will forward the request to the Component Head for final approval.

The Travel Authorization should be submitted at least one month prior to the beginning of the activity requested. In no case will a travel authorization for a professional development grant be approved retroactively.

Grant Amounts

The University will subsidize professional development activities by reimbursing up to a maximum of $1000 for authorized expenses incurred for the approved activity.

Professional Development Activity Report

Following the activity, a brief report indicating to what extent the anticipated outcomes were realized and describing the work completed should be prepared and submitted to the Department Head and Component Head. If a paper was presented, a copy of it should be attached to the report.

Reimbursement Procedures

A travel advance of no more than $525 may be obtained provided that the approved Travel Authorization is received by the Accounting Department at least ten (10) days prior to the beginning of the trip.

Upon return, a Travel voucher should be completed and submitted to the Accounting Office. Originals of all eligible receipts must be attached. The balance claimed should not exceed the balance remaining from the total approved amount.

Airline Tickets

The University does not provide for the purchase of airline tickets using the purchase requisition, as in the case of other travel. The direct purchase of airline tickets is the responsibility of the traveler.