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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 Tuesday of each month from 1:10-2:00PM via Zoom. Please contact the FEC Chair, Erik Armstrong, for more information (erika@cos.edu).

The Faculty Resource Guide serves as a reference to important information and procedures relevant to instructional duties of faculty. For a summary of 2020 - 2021 FLEX information, procedures and processes click here. Adjuncts can complete a District Timesheet for approved FLEX activities, stipend pending. CLICK HERE for a visual of the FEC Procedure process. You can also view the 2020 - 2021 Blanket Approvals that do not require pre-authorization.

View your Flex hours from on campus here or use AWS AppStream icon in MyGiant to access remotely. Find additional professional development trainings through the Vision Resource Center.

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FLEX Forms

FLEX Proposal Form: Use this form for FLEX workshops, conferences, individual plans or faculty mentorship that meets specific FLEX activity criteria. Click the link then +new item to start your proposal. View the tutorial on how to submit an electronic FLEX Propsosal Form.

Workshop, Conference or Individual Plan: If you are a presenter, you receive two hours of FLEX for every hour you present. Submit a self-documentation form or sign-in sheet to receive FLEX hours after the event.
Mentorship Program: This is a professional development opportunity in which a faculty mentee works with a faculty mentor to continue to develop as a college instructor professionally and/or pedagogically.

FLEX Self-Documentation Form: Use this form after you have completed your conference or individual FLEX plan. You must submit documentation for the event with this plan.

FLEX Sign-In Sheet for Approved Workshops, Events & Division Meetings: use this sheet to collect faculty signatures and IDs for your Division meeting or approved FLEX event.

Sabbaticals

Sabbatical Packet

Sabbatical Application

IIP Application

Information about sabbitcal and Institutional Improvement Project (IIP) application procedures and deadlines for the 2020 - 2021 academic year is available above. Faculty should consult the COSTA Master Agreement, Section 12.5, for important details regarding sabbaticals and sabbatical procedures.

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Newsletters

Keeping Track of your FLEX Hours

Your FLEX hours may be accessed on campus at 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. If you can't access your hours at the above link, please contact Nicole Tudor at nicolesc@cos.edu.

When you attend a FEC workshop or meeting 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.

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

FLEX Requirement

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, and on the FLEX Information and Procedures document.

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);
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 form (above) and submit the proper form with your division chair's signature to the FEC/FLEX mailbox or directly to Joseph Teller (josepht@cos.edu) at least two weeks before your activity to allow sufficient time for approval.

If you participate in any activities that have received blanket approval from FEC (e.g., activities related to program review, outcomes assessment, curriculum, governance committees, librarian liaison, Canvas training, and accreditation), please submit a self-documentation form along with supporting evidence in order for the FEC office to record your FLEX credit.

External Fellowships/Scholarships

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Acceptable Activities for FLEX Program

In order for a FLEX workshop, individual plan, or conference proposal to receive approval for FLEX, the appropriate form MUST clearly indicate how the proposed activity meets one or more of the following criteria (as set out by the chancellor's office):

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

The following language of Title 5 governs COS's FLEX program and activities:

Chapter 6. Curriculum and Instruction
Subchapter 8. Academic Calendar
Article 2. Flexible Calendar Operations
§ 55720. Operating Under Flexible Calendar; Accountability of Employees; Activities.

(a) Subject to the approval of the Chancellor pursuant to section 55724, a community college district may designate an amount of time in each fiscal year for employees to conduct staff, student, and instructional improvement activities. These activities may be conducted at any time during the fiscal year. The time designated for these activities shall be known as "flexible time".

(b) A district with an approved flexible calendar may designate as flexible time for an employee not more than 8.57 percent of that employee's contractual obligation for hours of classroom instruction which are eligible for state apportionments in that academic year, exclusive of any intersessions.

(c) Under no circumstances may a district operate a flexible calendar program which results in an academic calendar which would be inconsistent with the requirements of subdivision (b) of section 55701.

Note: Authority cited: Sections 66700, 70901 and 84890, Education Code. Reference: Sections 70901 and 84890, Education Code.

COS

FLEX Information

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FLEX Forms​​

​Sabbaticals​​​

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Newsletters​

Keeping Track of your FLEX Hours​​​

FLEX Requirement​​