Policies & Procedures

Procedure 4.8.2 College-Level Employee Development - Staff

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

1. Professional/Personal Growth
   1. Goals
      1. Provide a quality program of coordinated and continuous development for all eligible staff.
      2. Promote each individual’s professional and personal growth.
      3. Promote Anoka-Ramsey Community College’s goal to become a “College of Choice” and Anoka Technical College’s goal to “become an employer of Choice.”
      4. Provide staff development training opportunities in a variety of venues.
   2. Objective
      1. Improve job performance and productivity.
      2. Improve interpersonal communication.
      3. Improve opportunities to further career goals.
      4. Encourage participation in staff development activities.
      5. Improve opportunity for lifelong learning.
      6. Improve opportunity for personal growth.
2. Academic Pursuits
   1. Goals
      1. Provide employees the ability to pursue academic credit courses that leads to a degree.
      2. Promote/encourage importance of higher education for all staff.
      3. Promote the goal of Anoka-Ramsey Community College’s and Anoka Technical College to become “College of Choice”
   2. Objectives
      1. Enhance the academic achievements of all eligible staff members.
      2. Promote lifelong learning opportunities and academic attainments.
      3. Support personal /professional development for all eligible staff members.

ELIGIBILITY

1. Employees
   1. Eligible employees:
      1. Members of AFSCME, Commissioner’s Plan, Managerial Plan, MAPE, or MMA.
      2. Staff who have completed six months of employment or initial probation with Anoka-Ramsey Community College or Anoka Technical College are:
         1. Full-time unlimited
         2. Part-time unlimited
         3. Full-time seasonal
         4. Part-time seasonal
         5. Ineligible employees:
            1. Intermittent, temporary, and emergencies (may participate in group activities offered for the entire staff).
            2. Employees on leave of absence.
            3. Employees in their initial six months of employment with Anoka-Ramsey Community College or Anoka Technical College.
            4. Activities
               1. Eligible Activities:
                  1. Credit Courses (employee must pay for the class; reimbursement will be upon proof of completion of class with a C or better).
                  2. Seminars, workshops, and non-credit courses.
                  3. Job-related training defined as clearly and directly related to the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to attain, maintain or improve competence in performing current job responsibilities.
                  4. Personal enrichment training that helps prepare an individual for future endeavors and prepares employees to perform at higher levels or at a more complex responsibility level than in the position they currently hold.
                  5. Other learning opportunities that are approved by the supervisor, the Staff Development Committee and the Chief Human Resources Officer
                  6. Non-Eligible Activities:
                     1. For example, any Religious, Theology or Spirituality-based course or conference
                     2. Contact Human Resources for any additional questions.

FUNDING/REIMBURSEMENT

1. Funding/reimbursement monitored by the Staff Development Committee:
   1. Total amount available each year is set at the beginning of the new fiscal year by Administration.
   2. Funds are available on a first come, first served basis, until depleted.
   3. The amount available to each employee is $400 per fiscal year for professional/personal growth opportunities and $400 per fiscal year for academic pursuits. (Can be a combined amount of $800 per fiscal year for academic pursuits.)
   4. Funding/reimbursement will include tuition, fees, and related expenses (books, materials, etc) for personal enrichment/academic pursuit.  There will be no reimbursements from Staff Development funds for tutorial expenses, audits, travel, or meals that are related to academic pursuit.
   5. Professional pursuit reimbursement may include conference registration costs, travel costs, mileage, meals, and lodging.
   6. Classes, seminars, etc. taken during summer will be funded in the fiscal year in which the course is completed.
   7. Part-time employees will be funded/reimbursed the same percentage as their work assignment.
   8. Books may be returned for refund at book buyback with the money being returned to the Staff Development Fund.
2. Funding/reimbursement not monitored by the Staff Development Committee:
   1. Tuition Waivers
   2. Wellness Committee (applicable to Anoka-Ramsey Community College only)
   3. Departmental Opportunities

Additional Information

See Staff Development Handbook for complete details.

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History:

12.2013 Adopted and aligned