The number of Professional Development Activity Days is bargained as part of the faculty contract with the District. Attendance at PDA Days is required for all full-time faculty and on a pro rata basis for contract faculty and adjunct faculty who are scheduled to teach a full semester course on the scheduled days. Regular Faculty have an obligation of 12 mandatory hours and 12 flexible hours per academic year. Adjunct faculty may complete their professional development obligation any time during the semester in which they are assigned to teach a semester length class. The college is required by the Chancellor’s Office to maintain attendance records for the days; faculty who do not turn in a PDA Verification form are required to turn in a valid absence form.

A shared governance committee consisting of faculty, classified and management staff develops the program for PDA Days. These days consist of a general session, workshops conducted by SRJC faculty and staff as well as off-campus presenters. Speakers and workshops are sought out and selected on the basis of their relevance to the professional and institutional needs of the SRJC community. Evaluations are collected for all sessions and used in determining future program offerings. Many sessions are videotaped.

A “focus” or theme may be identified for all of a day or a portion of a day. This theme will be selected by the Staff Development Coordinating Committee, working with the Professional Activities Days Committee, for relevance and importance to the college.

An orientation program for new regular classified employees generally occurs once in the Fall and Spring semesters. The program consists of get-acquainted activities, welcome by administrators, informational presentations by classified leaders and representatives from various departments, a tour of the campus, and a question and answer session on issues of importance to classified staff. Lunch is provided for new classified staff, their supervisors, classified senators and the administrative staff. Each new classified member receives a handbook of information about Santa Rosa Junior College.

Management Team members receive an individual orientation to the college.  It consists of a review of the orientation binder, a guided tour of the campus, and when appropriate, a review of the AFA and SEIU contracts.

Each August, the New Faculty Orientation Committee presents a one day orientation session for new full-time faculty.

The program takes place on the day before the first Professional Development Activity Day for Fall, and consists of get-acquainted activities, informational presentations by faculty leaders and administrators, a tour of the campus, and a question and answer session on issues of importance to new faculty. Lunch is provided for new faculty, their department chairs, and the administrative staff. Each new faculty member is given a handbook of information about Santa Rosa Junior College policies, procedures, and services and is assigned to a mentor if they so desire.

An extended New Faculty Development Program, which consists of a series of workshops and discussions, is conducted throughout the year.

To provide on-going support for new faculty. Creation of seminars for new faculty to provide:

• information on college policies pertinent to new faculty, especially district tenure review procedures;
• understanding of SRJC organizational structure & culture;
• familiarity with college teaching resources;
• exposure to off-campus sites;
• instruction in teaching techniques;
• assisistance with classroom management issues;
• educational technology training;
• a safe, supportive environment in which to explore issues common to new faculty;
• additional acivities which include group or individual visits to a variety of meetings: Board, Academic Senate & selected committees;
• voluntary participation in an Instructional Skills Work shop.

PARTICIPANTS: Faculty
LENGTH: 24 hours, over a period of 4 days
FACILITATORS: Two trained ISW Facilitators
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 5

• To provide faculty with a safe laboratory environment in which to practice innovative teaching strategies with peers;
• To give faculty the opportunity to develop a strong support system so they can continue to receive peer feedback on teaching.

• Review basic ideas about teaching and learning;
• Design, develop and deliver three mini-lessons;
• Receive written, oral and video feedback from peers;
• Practice delivering effective feedback in a variety of contexts.

The ISW model was developed in 1978-79 in British Columbia, Canada. Since that time, faculty in more than 100 colleges and universities in the US and Canada have participated in the ISW program.

After completing an ISW, or concurrent with participation, faculty can be trained as ISW Facilitators. After completing Facilitator Training, or concurrent with participation, faculty can be trained as ISW Facilitator Trainers.

PARTICIPANTS: Administrators, managers, classified staff
LENGTH: 24 hours, over a period of 4 days
FACILITATORS: Two trained PSW Facilitators
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 5

• To give participants a safe laboratory environment in which to conduct individual experiments in giving effective presentations;
• To give participants the opportunity to develop a strong campus- based support system so they can continue to receive peer feedback on their presentations.

• Review basic ideas about presentations;
• Design, develop and deliver three mini-presentations;
• Receive written, oral and video feedback from peers;
• Practice delivering effective feedback in a variety of contexts.

The PSW model was developed in 1990 at SRJC. It is a variation of the Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) model developed in Canada.

The PSW model was developed in 1990 at SRJC. It is a variation of the Instructional Skills Workshop (ISW) model developed in Canada.

The Great Seminar Series is an event that stimulates professional growth by bringing classified staff, managers and department chairs together in a relaxed atmosphere to explore and develop areas of mutual interest in the workplace. Specific agenda topics evolve from an on going needs assessment as the seminar progresses. The seminar generally occurs every two to three years.

The Great Seminar series began with a one-day seminar for classified staff during Professional Development Activity (PDA) Days, Fall 1995. In the spring of 1998, it expanded to a two-day event at an off campus location, and in the summer of 2000 was expanded to include managers/administrators. With that success, the event was expanded further in 2003 to bring together classified staff, managers/administrators, and department chairs.

The series has proven to be very successful, providing an important avenue for communication and problem solving.

Seminars:
I    Building Community, 1995
II   Dynamics for Change, 1998
III  The Next Step, 2000
IV   Effective Partnerships, 2002
V    Hope in Hard Times, 2003
VI   Moving With Change , 2005