Professional Learning Committee Travel Funding Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

 

What travel is eligible for funding?

Staff Development can support travel expenses to conferences or other professional activities equivalent to a conference (i.e. conventions, workshops, trainings, speaker series, etc.) that staff would like to attend. Staff Development defines a Professional Activity as: a structured professional learning event facilitated by experts.

Please note that Staff Development does not fund certificate programs.

 

Who approves travel funding?

The Professional Learning Committee will consider applications for attendance at discipline-specific and general interest conferences/professional activities.

Professional Learning Travel Applications are only approved at the Professional Learning Committee meetings which occur on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the regular semester.

The first PLC meeting of Fall ’24 is September 12th, 2024. Travel Applications will be accepted until Friday, December 6th; the last PLC meeting is December 12th, 2024. If you plan to attend a conference that will occur between December 6th and February 21st, 2025, you should submit your PAR before the December 6th deadline.

 

Who do we fund and how much?

The Professional Learning Committee will fund up to $2,000.00 per fiscal year per applicant until the Staff Development travel budget has been exhausted.

We fund all of the following employees:

  • Full Time Faculty
  • Adjunct Faculty
  • Managers
  • Classified Professionals
  • Professional Experts (who have at least a semester long contract)

 

How to apply?

Read the following document:Procedures for Professional Activity Requests (PAR)

Once you have completed and signed your Professional Activity Request Form and completed a Dissemination Plan which has been signed by your Immediate Management Supervisor (IMS), please submit all your materials online via this link: https://forms.office.com/r/JgxLy60gix

If you have any questions please email staffdev@fullcoll.edu. We highly suggest you leave enough time to complete the approval process before the scheduled conference date so you are notified of approval/disapproval. We do not do retroactive approvals on travel requests.

How to Apply

 Read the guidelines and regulations.

Complete a Professional Activity Request (PAR) and Dissemination Plan

Submit Your Materials to Your Immediate Management Supervisor (IMS) for Approval

  • Submit your PAR and your personalized Dissemination Plan via email to your IMS. 
  • Your PAR must have your IMS signature in order to be eligible for review by the Professional Learning Committee.
  • All PARs without a signature will be considered incomplete. 

Submit Your Materials via Microsoft Forms to PLC

What’s Happens Next?

  • If your travel application is incomplete or Staff Development has any questions you will hear from us via email shortly after your submission.
  • If your PLC Travel Funding Application is complete it will be added to the next PLC Agenda. It takes two-three weeks to hear back from Staff Development regarding your application.
  • If your PLC Travel Funding Application and Dissemination Plan are approved by the Professional Learning Committee for reimbursement, you will receive an email from Staff Development with further instructions on your approval.
  • If your request is denied, you will receive an email from Cynthia Guardado, the Professional Development Coordinator. 
  • Once you’ve returned from the conference, please send all of your receipts for reimbursement to Staff Development staffdev@fullcoll.edu.

 

Summary of Expectations for Travel Requests


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Submit your request 6-8 weeks before your travel

Fill out the Professional Activity Request Form and submit to the committee 6-8 weeks before your travel. The committee meets every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the Month.The Professional Learning Committee will not approve retroactive requests (those that come to them after the conference date has passed).

Submit to the Professional Learning Committee (PLC) for Review and Feedback

After submitting, your PAR will be reviewed by the PLC at the next scheduled meeting. Each member of the PLC committee will discuss and vote on your PAR. If your PAR is denied, you may receive a follow up email with feedback and a request for resubmission. 

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Share what you learned

Submit a Dissemination Plan and share what you learned at the conference within six months to one year following the funded conference or seminar.

Book travel

Make sure all of your reimbursable expenses under your name, or you will not be reimbursed.

Pay registration and related expenses in advance

You will be reimbursed by the district when you return.

Upon completion of travel to conference/professional activity


Reimbursement requests must be submitted within 30 days of the completion of travel or by June 10th, whichever comes first.

Submit copies of required supporting documentation to staffdev@fullcoll.edu. Errors or omissions generally cause delays in getting reimbursed so please refer to the steps below and contact Staff Development at staffdev@fullcoll.edu for assistance.

Required Supporting Documentation:


Registration: the conference flyer (including agenda) and original registration receipt indicating that payment has been received.

Transportation (Flight/Mileage/Train): the itemized original receipt indicating that payment has been received or a credit card statement showing your name and charge and itinerary.

Taxi, Shuttle, Rental Car, Parking: original receipts

Lodging: List each date. The itemized original receipt or a credit card statement showing your name and charge. Please note you will only be reimbursed for the cost of each night of your stay. Additional expenses such as room service, food, and other optional hotel expenses will not be reimbursed. Per District and Business Office Policy, the conference must be 50 miles or more away from Fullerton College in order to apply for hotel lodging. Conferences closer than 50 miles will not be approved for hotel reimbursement.

Mileage: If driving to the conference, please provide the mileage and map of Fullerton College to the conference and back. You will only be reimbursed this mileage when driving yourself. (Special circumstances may include living close to the conference and driving from home and back. Please contact Staff Development staffdev@fullcoll.edu for more information)

Effective January 1st, 2024:

  • Mileage reimbursement is $0.67 cents per mile (Increase 1.5 cents from the current rate of $0.655 per mile) — do not round up or down mileage, for example if the miles come out to be 37.5 list 37.5 do not round up or down.

Meals: List each meal for each date separately. No receipts are needed for meals as you are reimbursed at the Rates for Reimbursement Per Diems. Meals included as part of the conference fee will not be reimbursed. You must include a copy of the conference agenda with meals highlighted if you are claiming reimbursement for meals. 

Effective January 1st, 2024:

Please see the NOCCCD website for our updated 2024 Meals per diem rates.

Important
All receipts for registration, lodging, airfare/train fare must have your name on the receipt (not handwritten on) —if you are requesting reimbursement.

Tips for Reimbursement


  • To ensure you are fully reimbursed for your travel, please overestimate your expenses (many hotels have fees that are not disclosed when you make the reservation). This is important because we can only reimburse the total amount you included on your PAR.​
  • You will be reimbursed for the total on your receipts. For example, if your PAR estimated $1800 but you only spent $1600, you will only be reimbursed for $1600.​
  • Hotel receipt- a copy of the hotel invoice that includes all daily charges and a remaining balance of $0. Please note that your hotel receipt must say one occupant in order to get your full reimbursement.
  • Lyft/Uber/Taxi/etc. receipt(s)- your name, receipts with a visible pickup and drop off location. If you are attending night events, please keep a copy of the event flyer or the event details from the conference program.
  • Airbnb’s are allowed by the district but not preferred.​
  • Receipts for food are not needed, you will be reimbursed based on the per diem meal rates. Please refer to district website: NOCCCD | Reimbursement Rates or our Reimbursement Rates page on our website for accurate reimbursement.

Frequently Asked Questions


What happens once my travel is approved?
Once activity/travel is approved by the appropriate VP, the Staff Development admin will generate the RQ in Banner. Staff Development will also send confirmation of the assigned PO# and, upon completion of the activity/travel, electronic versions of the necessary travel reimbursement forms and instructions.

What if my travel is rejected?
If the application has been rejected, it may be possible for applicants to revise and resubmit upon consultation and review from the Professional Learning Committee. 

How long does approval take?
Staff Development Funding applications take about 2-4 weeks to approve. To ensure that your application gets considered, submit your Travel Request Forms with Dissemination Plans the week before the next PLC meeting.

What is the approval process?
Applications require review and approval by your Immediate Management Supervisor/Area Dean. Once receiving approval, the staff member must submit their PAR and Dissemination Plan via the Microsoft Form. Funding applications are then reviewed and voted on by the Professional Learning Committee. The deadline to submit your application and be put on the next meeting agenda is the Friday before the next meeting. The Professional Learning Committee Meetings are on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of each month.

Once the application has been voted upon by the Professional Learning Committee, applicants will be notified of the result by the Monday following the meeting during which the application was considered. If the application has been approved by the committee, it will proceed to the appropriate Vice President for final approval. If the applicant is denied, the Staff Development coordinator will reach out and may provide further instructions of resubmission.