Article 16

Professional Development

General Provisions
16.1 Professional development opportunities shall include:
  1. the fee waiver program;
  2. training directly of benefit to the campus;
  3. professional development leaves directly of benefit to the campus;
  4. continuing education.
16.2 Application procedures by which an employee may request professional development opportunities shall be determined by the President. Upon request of an employee or APC, such application procedures shall be made known to the requestor.
16.3 Upon request of an employee or the APC on behalf of an employee, the administrator responsible for the professional development opportunities listed in 16.1 shall endeavor to provide information regarding the availability of training funds.
16.4 The President may establish requirements that an employee shall meet upon completion of a professional development opportunity. Such requirements shall be established prior to the commencement of the professional development opportunity.
Fee Waiver - Employees
16.5 The appropriate administrator may approve a request from all full-time employees and part-time permanent employees for enrollment in a maximum of two (2) CSU courses or six (6) units, whichever is greater, per semester/quarter on the fee waiver program subject to the following three conditions:

  1. The course shall be job-related or shall be a part of an approved career development plan.
  2. An employee who qualifies for admission to a campus in accordance with established CSU standards and criteria shall be admitted, except that fees may be waived pursuant to this Article. An employee who does not qualify for regular admission may be admitted pursuant to the authority of the President, except that fees may be waived pursuant to this Article.
  3. The fee waiver program may not be used to take courses in self-support programs.
16.6

The term "fee waiver" as used in this Article means a program that waives or reduces tuition fees for employees as listed below:

The following fees shall be fully waived for employees:

  • Application Fee
  • Professional Program Fee
  • Health Services Fee
  • Identification Card Fee (if mandatory)
  • Instructionally Related Activity Fee

The following fees shall be reduced to one dollar ($1.00) for employees:

  • Associated Student Body Fee
  • University Union Fee
  • Health Facilities Fee

All other Category I and II fees as defined in Executive Order 1054, except the doctoral program fee and the Non-Resident Tuition Fee shall be waived for employees.

The State University Tuition Fee shall be waived for employees for the units of courses taken in the fee waiver program. Employees taking CSU courses in addition to the CSU fee waiver courses shall pay the difference between the full State University Fee and the part-time State University Fee. A participating Unit 4 employee enrolled in a doctoral program shall be eligible for a partial fee waiver equivalent to the part-time Graduate Tuition Fee, and shall be responsible for paying the difference between the applicable Doctorate Fee and the part-time Graduate Tuition Fee.
16.7 Participation in the fee waiver program shall entitle an employee to instructional services but not to student services.
16.8 Provided the operational needs of the employee's department are met in an orderly and normal manner, an employee shall be granted reasonable release time for one (1) on-campus course per semester/quarter taken pursuant to provision 16.5 of this Article.
16.9 An employee on a leave of absence who, pursuant to provision 16.5, is eligible to request a fee waiver may request a fee waiver for enrollment in more than two (2) courses per semester/quarter.
16.10 In order for an employee to continue participating in this program, normal academic standards shall be maintained. Courses taken on the fee waiver program shall be taken for credit and not audited.
16.11 A record of completed courses may be placed in the employee's official personnel file.
16.12 Dependent Fee Waiver
  1. An employee eligible for participation in the CSU Fee Waiver Program as defined in provision 16.5 may transfer their existing fee waiver benefit entitlement to only one person at a time who is a spouse, dependent child up to age 25, or registered domestic partner of the employee, subject to the following conditions:
    1. The courses are taken by a spouse, dependent child, or registered domestic partner who is matriculated toward a degree and the courses are for credit or progress toward the degree’s requirements; and
    2. This fee waiver benefit does not apply to out-of-state tuition or tuition fees for self-support programs.
  2. Participation by an eligible employee’s spouse, dependent child, or registered domestic partner is subject to each CSU campus’ standard admission and registration policies and procedures. Eligibility criteria for registered domestic partners shall be those used to determine such eligibility for health benefits.
  3. The following fees shall be fully waived for a spouse, dependent child, or registered domestic partner of the employee:
    • Application Fee
    • Identification Card Fee (if mandatory)
    • State University Fee for the courses taken in the fee waiver program.

    The State University Tuition Fee shall be waived for employees for the units of courses taken in the fee waiver program. Employees taking CSU courses in addition to the CSU fee waiver courses shall pay the difference between the full State University Fee and the part-time State University Fee.

    A participating spouse, dependent child up to age 25, or registered domestic partner employee enrolled in a doctoral program shall be eligible for a partial fee waiver equivalent to the part-time Graduate Tuition Fee, and shall be responsible for paying the difference between the applicable Doctorate Fee and the part-time Graduate Tuition Fee.2

  4. All other fees shall be paid at the regular rates by a spouse, dependent child, or registered domestic partner of the employee.
  5. A spouse, dependent child or registered domestic partner of the employee shall be entitled to student services in addition to instructional services.
Training
16.13 An employee wishing to participate in training, including workshops, seminars, short courses, professional meetings, or other professional activities, may submit a written request to the appropriate administrator. Such a request may include release time with pay, flexible working hours, tuition, and travel. The appropriate administrator shall respond to such requests in writing.
16.14 When an employee is required by an appropriate administrator to take work-related training, the employee shall be granted release time for such training if it occurs during working hours. When an employee eligible for overtime is required by an appropriate administrator to take work-related training during non-working hours, the employee shall be granted overtime pay or compensatory time off (CTO) pursuant to Article 28, Hours of Work.
16.15 An employee may request release time for the purpose of taking examinations to acquire or maintain a required specialized license or certificate.
16.16

A full-time permanent employee may request at the Human Resources Office or be offered the opportunity for a temporary assignment in a higher level position on a training and development basis.

Upon request, an employee serving on such a temporary assignment shall be provided with a letter of verification of such service. A copy of such a verification letter shall be placed in the personnel file of the employee.
16.17 Employees may prepare and present training proposals for bargaining unit employees. The Union also may submit such proposals to the Human Resources Office.
16.18 The appropriate administrator(s) shall consider any training proposal(s), and respond in writing regarding the training proposal(s).
16.19 Upon request of the Union, the appropriate administrator(s) shall meet with the Union and a reasonable number of affected employees to discuss the training proposal. Such a meeting shall be held at a time and place mutually agreeable to the appropriate administrator and the Union.
Professional Development Leaves
16.20 An employee may request, pursuant to Article 22, Leaves of Absence Without Pay, of this Agreement, a professional development leave without pay directly of benefit to the campus. Such requests may include leaves to:
  1. undertake specific projects, research, or scholarly activity;
  2. undertake professional activity or research subsidized by a grant;
  3. participate in a work experience program;
  4. pursue an educational program, advanced degree or other specialized training related to their professional development.
16.21 An eligible employee may request a leave pursuant to Appendix I of this Agreement.
Continuing Education
16.22 Continuing Education training is only that training necessary to meet degree and licensure/certificate requirements mandated as an employee's condition of employment.
16.23 An employee eligible for Continuing Education training may request to participate in such activities in accordance with campus procedures and provision 16.13 above.
2The CSU agrees that an individual who is currently enrolled in a CSU Doctor of Education program shall continue to be eligible to receive the current fee waiver benefit for the remainder of the program provided that they remain in good academic standing within the program.
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