Classified Staff Development Funds

Casper College supports both job-related and personal development activities for classified staff employees, realizing that education and training are fundamental to personal and professional growth.

As far as funding, it is the responsibility of an employee’s department to ensure that its employees attend any training necessary to perform their job duties. The Classified Staff Development Fund provides opportunities beyond this basic premise and seeks to assist employees with career/job-related development, personal education, training opportunities and travel expenses.

The Classified Staff Development Fund is intended to provide support for as many individuals as possible using the following means:

• Provide a higher level of understanding and performance within current positions.
• Improve skills and knowledge that can be immediately applied at work.
• Encourage growth and career development of employees.
• Provide opportunities for promotion and/or lateral moves contributing to the employee’s career satisfaction.
• Provide a greater sense of responsibility for managing one’s own career, contributing to self-confidence.
• Assist employees who seek to meet essential education requirements; therefore, new position opportunities within the college.
• Increase motivation and job satisfaction.
• Promote personal growth and increase personal well-being.

Eligibility

All benefited staff employees are eligible to receive support for professional or personal development activities, providing their job performance is rated as satisfactory and they have been employed for at least six months before the semester, conference, non-credit class or other expense begins.

Procedures

Classified staff are encouraged to submit an application and all incidental paperwork (e.g., workshop or conference registration and itinerary, course registration, etc.) and receipts showing payment to request funding, if they plan to attend workshops, courses or conferences in support of their professional or personal development goals.

Funds may be granted for an employee to work towards the completion of a degree program that contributes to their department or the institution after ALL other available funding options have been exhausted.

Fund Limitations

• Membership fees will not be awarded through these development funds.
• Continuing education courses for the maintenance of state licenses, which are a requirement for employment in the employee’s present position, are not considered professional development programs and do not qualify for fee reimbursement.
• Individual funding may not exceed $300 per fiscal year.
• The expense for which the staff member is seeking reimbursement must have been incurred in the same fiscal year from which the award will be granted.

Fund Exceptions

• Special Consideration: The Committee may make exception to limitations if they believe that the requested funds will be used for development of staff personnel. If applying for an exception, please indicate so on the application with explanation and supporting documentation.
• Funds may be used to reimburse departmental budgets only after exhausting ALL other funding sources. Supervisor signature is required on the application to verify this.

Applications

• Requests for Staff Development Funding are made by completing the Staff Development Funds application form. Applications must be filled out completely and have appropriate applicant and supervisor signatures and documentation. Supervisor signature is required only if the funding request is professional or job related. A complete application should include copies of brochures, receipts showing out-of-pocket payment for purchased materials or registration fees, or descriptive marketing materials outlining the activity pertaining to the request if applicable.
• Only complete applications will be reviewed by the committee. If possible, proposals should be submitted in advance of the activity. Some exceptions may occur such as a reimbursement for materials purchased at a conference, or materials already purchased for a current class. The deadline for submitting proposals is the 10th day of each month. Proposals submitted after that deadline will be held until the next month. Proposals should be submitted to the Staff Development Committee Chair.

Meetings, Decisions and Notification

• The committee will meet on a monthly basis during the academic year and as needed during the summer. Applications will be reviewed within ten days of the submission deadline date.
• The committee may request additional information from the applicant to fully understand the nature of the activity/program. The applicant will be notified of the date their application is being evaluated and if they wish to attend the meeting to clarify their request in person, they are encouraged to do so.
• The committee will notify applicants of its decision following each meeting by returning the application to the applicant with committee considerations and decisions noted.
• Awards are based on the merit of the request and availability of funds. Preference will be given to those activities/programs for which other funding is not available and to those individuals that have not been funded in the past. Preference will also be given to proposals which support the mission and goals of Casper College.
• Awards run concurrently with the Casper College fiscal year, July 1-June 30.

Committee members

The Classified Staff Professional Development Fund Committee will be comprised of a three-member subcommittee of the Staff Alliance. Terms of service are staggered and two years in length.