Promoting growth as an educational community
Flex Activity Proposal Form for Non-Flex Week Activities
Flex Activity Proposal Form for Non-Flex Week Activities
Professional Development
For the Professional Growth of Faculty and Staff of Cabrillo College
Cabrillo College Professional Development and the Flexible Calendar Program (Flex), in collaboration with the Human Resources, Office of Student Equity, and the Transformative Learning Center (TLC), promote humanizing and equity-minded practices in teaching and learning, technological advancement, health, and wellness, institutional effectiveness, and services supporting faculty and staff professionals. Cabrillo College uses the Vision Resource Center (VRC) and the MySeahawkPD Navigator as an online learning and communication platform that offers all California community college employees equitable access to professional development opportunities and supports efforts to fulfill the goals outlined in the California Community College Chancellors Office (CCCCO), Vision for Success.
At the end of Spring 2023, we will be switching over from MyCabrilloPD to the VRC for finding and registering for Flex Activites. Please head over to the Vision Resource Center (VCR) and on the far right of the VRC webpage, there is a tab, "New? Start Here!" for a great tutorial and detailed information on how to get started! For our Cabrillo College-specific user guide, the TLC has created this VRC MySeahawksPD Navigator Google Site for you to access everything you will need specifically for Cabrillo! The TLC manages and administrates the VRC MySeahawkPD Navigator and Flex Activity Professional Development.
Below, you will find ways to attain your Professional Development and Learning for both faculty and staff. Cabrillo College is part of the Flexible Calendar (Flex) Program, a statewide program regulated by the California Community College Chancellor's Office (CCCCO). Flex requirements for faculty are outlined in the CCFT Contract. Currently, staff do not have required regular duty days for Flex but are welcome to participate in any Flex activity. Cabrillo also has professional development programs, short workshops, and training that are designated Flex activities to accommodate the accumulation of Flex hours throughout the semester. Any faculty member who does not complete their Flex requirement will lose sick days.
Three Ways to earn Flex Credit!
1. Cabrillo College Flex Week and Flex Activities
The first and most important way to gain professional development and earn Flex credit is through Cabrillo-hosted Flex activities. Flex Week are regular duty day for faculty with all the rights and responsibilities thereof. The Calendar is composed of 10 days of professional development activities per academic year, 5 in the fall, and 5 in the spring. Additional Flex activities are offered throughout Fall and Spring semesters. The only required Flex activities are for Faculty, and they are “All College Day” in the Fall and any department and division meetings in Fall and Spring. Currently, staff do not have required regular duty days for Flex but are welcome to participate in any Flex event.
2. California Community College VRC Professional Development Opportunities
In the VRC, there are loads of amazing professional development courses, workshops, and activities in the state - all available to you! They are all listed in the VRC Calendar. When you register and complete an activity, it will automatically administer your Flex credit automatically calculated based on the time and completion of the activity. For more information on this process, visit the Cabrillo VRC MySeahawkPD Navigator User Guide for instructions. Remember, VRC is available for faculty and staff!
3. External Flex Credit for Professional Development
Faculty may also fulfill their Flex credits by performing pre-approved individual projects, conferences, or professional activities. Visit the MySeahawkPD User Guide for instructions on requesting external credit. External credit requests automatically get routed to your supervisor for approval once initiated in MySeahawkPD.
Need Help?
If you have any questions about non-Flex Week activity proposals, you may direct them to the TLC Director who administrates the non-Flex Week proposals. If you have Flex Week-specific questions you may direct them to the Flex Coordinator. If you have HR related mandatory training / PD questions, please contact HR for support. If you have changes you would like to request to your already scheduled Flex Week activity, please complete the Flex Activity Change Request Form. If you have VRC issues, see the VRC MySeahawkPD User Guide and if you still have questions, you can contact the TLC or fill out a TLC Request Form for assistance.
NEW starting Fall 2023!
The Navigator
Starting Fall 2023, Cabrillo College made the full switch over from MyCabrilloPD to the Vision Resource Center MySeahawkPD for finding and registering for Flex activities (and much more!). Please head over to the Vision Resource Center and click the "New? Start Here!" tab for a great tutorial on how to get started. You can use our Cabrillo MySeahawkPD Navigator User Guide for help for Flex activity participants, facilitators, and supervisors.
In VRC MySeahawkPD Navigator, staff and faculty can view their transcript to see courses and credits completed. See the MySeahawkPD Navigator User Guide for help.
NOTE: myCabrilloPD past transcripts will not carry over to MySeahawkPD transcripts. myCabrilloPD will remain temporarily open for you to download your transcripts if you wish to save them. HR will archive all transcript files from myCabrilloPD.
Are you interested in offering a Flex activity? Any employee at Cabrillo may fill out the TLC Request Form and click on the "propose flex activity" icon and follow the instructions to submit your proposal. Your proposal will be reviewed within a two-week timeframe. Please allow enough time for your intended date and your proposal submission. Traditionally, the first Friday of the month are designated "Flex Friday" activities but the Flex Committee has since opened it up to any day and flexible modalities (i.e. in-person, Zoom/online, and hybrid). Keep in mind, the Flex Activity facilitator is responsible for reserving and setting up spaces and Zoom links as well as all logistics for their event.
In VRC MySeahawkPD Navigator, staff and faculty can view their transcript to see courses and credits completed. Faculty may submit an External Credit Request for professional development outside of the Flex Program. Under the coordination of the Professional Development Council, the Flex Calendar is managed by the Flex Committee. The first Friday of every month is usually designated as "Flex Friday" for many of the Flex activities throughout the fall and spring semesters.
Faculty Instructional Guide (FIG)
The Canvas Faculty Instructional Guide (FIG) is your one-stop shop to access information from orientation "getting started" materials, how to complete grading, various systems access how-tos, "where to go for wha", curriculum and program development, links to accessibility center support, transformative learning support, IT support, computer technology support, student FERPA, academic integrity, and process for JustReportIt, library services, and much, much more! All employees are welcome to have access. Having trouble accessing it? Just send TLC a request and they can help get you access!
Classified Employee Professional Growth Program
In addition to the above professional development VRC, and Flex activities, the Cabrillo College Classified Employees (CCEU) includes a Professional Growth Program, available to classified employees as outlined in the CCEU contract.
Merit, Sabbatical, Conference Materials and more...
Suggested Opportunities for Professional Learning
Transformative Learning Center (TLC)
The Transformative Learning Center (TLC) provides many professional learning Flex Activities, including various Communities of Practice (CoP), Transformative Instruction for Distance Education (TIDL), Culturally Responsive Pedagogy Program, and Transformative and Sustainability Teaching and Learning opprotunities, as well Instructional Technology workshops.
Office of Student Equity
The Office of Student Equity provides many professional development opportunities, including: the Student Equity Day on Tuesday of each Flex Week, and Flex activities.
Vision Resource Center
The Vision Resource Center is a portal for professional development and colleague connections within the California Community College System. It provides access to Lynda.com and Skillsoft developed for California Community Colleges and their employees to access effective practices, trainings, and other resources. It also includes communities of practice for Community College employees. To access, click the URL and enter your Cabrillo email address and create an account.
@ONE
The Online Network of Educators (@ONE) programs provide training and online resources for free—or at a very low cost.
Committees
Flexible Calendar Program (Flex) Committee
The Flex committee organizes professional development activities for Flex Week that occur prior to each Fall and Spring semester. They also collaborate on professional development goals, continuous improvement and help to vet trends and needs for Flex Events. The committee meets once monthly for approximately 2 hours.
2023-24 Flex Committee Membership
Dr. Denise Calafato Russo (Flex Coordinator, CCCCO point of contact)
Dr. Eduardo Cervantes, (Admin, VP Designee, Dean)
Dr. Joy Polanco O'Neil (Faculty Senate Rep)
John Govsky (CCFT)
Kendall Sooter (Faculty Senate)
Dr. Sarah Gerhardt (CCFT)
Shea Ellerson (CCEU)
Hilda Montanez (HR)
Katherine Love (CCEU)
Motoko Nakazawa-Hewett (CCFT)
Kitzia Maciel (Student Senate Rep)
Ketzali Maciel (Student Senate Rep)
Professional Development Council (PD)
The PD Council oversees the Meritorious Service Awards process and serves as an advisory council for the Flex Committee, providing input and representation from all constituent groups on campus. The PD Council membership includes full-time and associate faculty, classified and confidential staff, and administrators and meets once a semester and on an as-needed basis.
2023-2024 PD Council Membership
Angela Hoyt
Buff Mckinley
Terrence Willett
Dr. Heidi Weber
Megan Pierce
Holly Goodman
Scott Johnson
John Govsky