from Inquiry, Volume 3, Number 1, Fall 1998, 24-26
© Copyright 1998 Virginia Community College System
Abstract
The Germanna Community College Support Staff Association has developed a comprehensive professional development plan for support staff.
Although the faculty at Germanna Community College has always been very active in professional development, activities for the support staff have been sporadic and less organized. Because Germanna has a very active support staff association, with a high rate of interest and participation, this group has been empowered to create a professional development plan for the support staff at Germanna.
In the 1996-97 school year, the Germanna Support Staff Association (GSSA) set out to establish a Professional Development Advocacy Board. The purpose of the Board was to provide to all members fair and equitable professional development opportunities, promote personal growth, and support appropriate professional development activities such as seminars and training activities to help improve morale and performance.
The Board consists of one representative and one alternate from each of the five areas of the College: Business & Finance, Office of the President, academic areas, Student Services/Counseling/Financial Aid, and Information Services. The members serve two-year terms. Once the representatives have served a two-year term, they are ineligible for membership on the board for one year.
The Board set four major objectives: 1) to provide the appropriate application form and information packet; 2) to evaluate applications for professional development fairly and equitably and notify each GSSA member of the Board’s decision in a timely manner; 3) to notify GSSA members periodically of monies remaining; 4) to set deadlines for the monies to be spent as per guidelines from the Business Office and notify all GSSA members of said deadlines.
After the support staff chose its first Board, which reports to the Human Resource Officer, a line item budget was developed and presented to the Dean of Finance for the 1998-99 school year. The Board recommended that $200 per member be allocated for a total amount of $12,200; however, the school approved a budget of $8,000 which was then distributed equally among the GSSA members.
The Board decided that every GSSA member desiring to use the professional development funds must have an Individual Development Plan (IDP) on file. To be fair to all members and give them an opportunity to develop their IDP, the Board voted to allow members to have access to the funds from July through December 1997 without an IDP. After January 2, 1998, an IDP would be required for members to use the professional development monies.
In August of 1997, the Board devised a plan to meet with every staff member to help develop his or her IDP. Using a sample IDP, the Board went over the various areas of the IDP, answering questions and providing suggestions. By April 1998, more than half of the GSSA members had an IDP on file, and the remaining members were developing theirs.
The Board voted that after February 1, any member could use the remaining funds. A memo to that effect was distributed to the membership. The Board also discussed how best the remaining funds could be used. It decided to fund the expenses of interested staff members to attend the New Horizons conference. In addition, the Board also voted to have the Continuing Education Department conduct three computer classes for a total cost of $1,000. The classes were held during spring break in March and consisted of Word II, Excel II, and Microsoft Publisher training. Two classes were held at the Locust Grove Campus and one at the Fredericksburg Area Campus. All classes were filled, and most were successful. At this same February meeting, the Board also voted that any funds remaining be used to start a video library at each campus.
By the end of the first full year, the GSSA Professional Development Advocacy Board was pleased with what had been accomplished. More than half of our members have an IDP on file and have taken advantage of the professional development monies. They have used their monies in a variety of interesting ways. Many have taken advantage of Continuing Education computer courses % from Windows 95 to Access I, II, III. Professional development funds made it possible for these members to also purchase the book to accompany the course. Those members unable to attend a class have purchased computer books to use at their desks to become more computer literate. Staff members also attended seminars such as "Grammar and Usage," "Powerful Communication," "Conquering Workplace Negativity," as well as the "True Colors" presented on the Fredericksburg Area Campus by the VCCS Support Staff Commission. Human resource personnel were able to attend a conference relative to their job called "Coping with Payroll Hotspots," and another staff member used the funds to become a Notary.
Recognizing the success of this professional development program for support staff, the GSSA has requested $15,000 for the 1998-99 school year, and many staff members already have activities lined up. The GSSA Professional Development Advocacy Board looks forward to another exciting and challenging year, with a goal to get every GSSA member involved in professional and personal development.
Sandy Allen is Secretary Senior for the Dean of Instruction at the Fredericksburg campus of Germanna Community College. Previously, she was secretary to the Division Chair for Business, Technology, and Nursing. She recently completed an Associate degree in Education and is the mother of three and grandmother of five.