The Faculty Enrichment Committee (FEC) coordinates the Flex Program and strives to enhance institutional programs and services for student learning and success by offering a variety of activities designed to encourage and support professional excellence among staff and faculty in their endeavors.

FEC comprises faculty and staff from across the College. FEC meets on the first Monday of each month from 2:10-3:00PM in LRC 210. Please contact the FEC Chair, Deborah Nolan, for more information (deborahn@cos.edu).

FLEX Forms

FLEX_Workshop_form.docFLEX_Workshop_form.doc

FLEX_Self-documentation_form.docFLEX_Self-documentation_form.doc

FLEX_Conference_or_Individual_Plan_form.docFLEX_Conference_or_Individual_Plan_form.doc

 

 FLEX Hour Requirement for 2011-2011

 

You are required to complete 20 FLEX hours within the academic year. Details about your FLEX requirement can be found in the Master Agreement between COSTA and The District
 
Your attendance at the mandatory Fall and Spring Convocation meetings (totaling eight hours) helps you to meet a portion of the 20-hour minimum requirement.
 
You can meet your additional FLEX requirement (12 hours) through any one or a combination of four approaches, which include:
attending FEC workshops;
 
facilitating FEC workshops (preapproval required);
 
participating in outside conferences (preapproval required);
 
and completing individual projects  (preapproval required).
You need to obtain prior approval through the Faculty Enrichment Committee (FEC) to earn FLEX credit for presenting FEC workshops, participating in outside conferences, and completing individual projects. Download the appropriate attached form and submit the proper form with your division chair's signature to the FEC/FLEX mailbox or directly to Deborah Nolan (deborahn@cos.edu) at least two weeks before your activity to allow sufficient time for approval.

 

 
Keeping Track of Your FLEX Hours
 
When you attend a FEC workshop and sign in, your attendance will be reflected in your posted FLEX hours.
 
Your pre-approved FLEX hours will be posted upon the timely receipt of your Self-Documentation Form.
 
Your FLEX hours are posted on COS Extended Report (reports.cos.edu):
 

Be sure to select the term you wish to view. Please remember that your obligation is for 20 hours for the entire academic year.

 Please remember that you must receive prior approval for FLEX activities other than FEC workshops.

 

 Acceptable Flexible Calendar Program activities listed in the Chancellor's Office Guidelines:

 
Staff Improvement
·         Developing new programs (e.g., a workshop on designing curriculum/ programs)
·         Faculty and counselor meetings to address areas of concern (e.g., academic advising, prerequisites, referring students for services)
·         Faculty and staff (e.g., tutors, lab assistants) meetings to improve learning resource support services to students
·         Workshops on how to mentor students or how to mentor faculty
·           Orientation/education (e.g., new faculty; role of the academic senates; training students, staff, and faculty to serve on committees; changing role of technology in education)
·         Student, faculty, and staff diversity (e.g., sexual harassment workshops, affirmative action conferences, cultural diversity seminars, multicultural activities)
·         Meetings designed to improve a cohesive working relationship among members of the group (e.g., departments, divisions, committees, mixture of college constituencies)
·         Workshops on how to write grants
·         Workshops or individually designed activities to improve or enhance a person's skills or knowledge in his/her own discipline

 

·         Wellness activities 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, exercise, weight reduction)
·         Learning a second language to better communicate with the diverse student population
·         Disaster preparedness (e.g., district procedures, first aid, review of facilities to determine areas of need)
·         Improving or learning how to deal with computers and technology
 
Student Improvement
·         Teaching a class in shortened format during a flex period
·         Developing a new program to meet changing student needs
·         Faculty and staff (e.g., tutors, lab assistants) meetings to improve services to students
·         Review of learning resource materials to eliminate outdated items and make recommendations for additions
·         Creating self-study modules and/or computer assisted instruction
·         Student advising (e.g., academic advising of students by faculty)
·         Mentoring of students
·         Faculty participation in student orientation programs
·         Matriculation services (e.g., special orientation for ESL students, workshops in specific disciplines for students with undecided majors)
·         Meetings (department/division/college-wide) specifically to discuss strategies for improving service to students)
·         Institutional research focused on meeting the needs of the students (e.g., job market surveys, transfer ratios, ethnicity data on students, gender equity, campus climate)
·         Writing grants aimed to improve services to students
·         Articulation to improve transfer processes
·         Outreach for special projects (e.g., Math, Engineering, and Science Achievement [MESA] program)
·         Conducting special workshops for students (e.g., understanding the college schedule, transfer requirements, setting academic goals)
 
Instructional Improvement
·         Attending workshops on teaching methods or techniques (e.g., classroom based research training; Instructional Skills Workshops (ISW); local, regional, national Great Teachers Seminars)
·         Development or revision of programs, course curriculum, learning resources and evaluation.
·         Developing a new course
·         Modifying an existing course to comply with changing institutional or discipline requirements (e.g., changing theories in a discipline, articulation with transfer institutions, critical thinking, multiculturalism, writing across the curriculum)
·         Significant modification of a course to address the learning needs of diverse students (e.g., creating self-paced learning modules)
·         Developing student readiness programs specific to course disciplines
·         Faculty and counselor meetings to address areas of curriculum
·         Review of learning resource materials to eliminate outdated items and recommend additions
·         Creating self-study modules and computer-assisted instruction modules
·         Student, faculty, and staff diversity (e.g., sexual harassment workshops, affirmative action conferences, cultural diversity seminars, multicultural activities)
·         Departmental or division meetings to discuss overall curriculum and program review
·         Institutional research (e.g., job skill requirements, research on transfer ratios, ethnicity data on students and staff. gender equity, campus climate)
·         Grant writing to secure funds for improvement of instruction

 
Last Updated: 3/25/2013 9:23 AM