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Santa Monica College Faculty Association
1900 Pico Blvd.
Liberal Arts, Room 140
Santa Monica, CA  90405
Phone 310-434-4394
FAX 310-434-3601

President: Mitra Moassessi

Executive Secretary: Janet Watts

www.SMCFA.org

April, 2002, volume 12, Issue 4 - Professional Development : State to Cut Funds for 2002-2003 PDF Print E-mail
By Ruth Logan,

Chair, Professional Development Committee

      The governor of California has proposed dealing with state-level budget problems by cutting some of the money usually distributed to community colleges.  SMC’s professional development plan could suffer greatly from reductions to our allotments for professional development and technology training.  A major responsibility for the college is to ensure that students receive the best quality instruction and support services.  The information and skills that we impart to students must keep current with the new developments in all our fields as well as with up-to-date pedagogy and technology.

      This college, like many others, uses a mix of activities to keep our faculty, classified staff, and administration current.  Many people attend conferences in order learn about, and contribute to, their fields.  Financial support for these conferences has consumed the majority of SMC’s AB 1725 professional development money for many years, and the amount available has perpetually been too small to meet the needs of all employees.  This situation will be even worse due the governor’s recent cuts.  It is surely not wise to neglect conference attendance, nor is it reasonable to rely solely on instructors and staff paying for their own conferences (although many do contribute, even now, because of our limited budget).

      The Professional Developmental Committee and the Technology Training Grant have also provided the funding for the institution-wide professional development activities, such as the recent day in March on Information Competency, and for all the classes and support for computer users.  Individuals and groups have also been able to get funding from the PDC for special projects.  Without these funds, how will such projects and events get funded?

      If SMC is going to continue to offer quality instruction and support, we must seek and find funds from within the college to allow all of our professionals to be experts in their fields.  The future of our college depends on our finding the ways and means to continue meaningful professional development activities.
  		 

 

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