North Carolina Community College System
Faculty Upgrade Allotment Program
(Formerly known as TIER A)

GENERAL GUIDELINES

In determining how to use the Tier A formula allocation, please consider the following guidelines:

1. Colleges may use these funds to provide professional development and training opportunities for any full-time or part-time college employee.  All position categories are eligible to use these funds except presidents and those vice presidents who report directly to the president.
   
   The specific focus of these funds is to provide community college employees training opportunities that relate to: teaching subject matter content, instructional/technical skills upgrading, career skills, or improving development needs.
   
   
2. Colleges are required to use one-third of Faculty Upgrade funds for Return-to-Industry (RTI) training. RTI is defined as those activities that provide on-the-job training, hands-on structured experiences in private/public industries, or seminar/workshops sponsored by industries/businesses. RTI training has been the foundation of this categorically funded program.
   
   These funds can be used to pay hourly salaries of instructors who are participating in RTI training opportunities in a time frame that is above or outside their  regular contractual agreement. 
   
   Funds can be used to pay hourly salaries of "substitute" instructors while permanent faculty or staff, who are under contract agreement, are participating in a training activity. These funds must be documented on a part-time hourly basis and should not supplant salaries of part-time faculty who are on the payroll. Funds cannot pay salaries of substitutes while faculty/staff members are on any form of leave or if the positions are vacant.
   
   
3. The remaining two-thirds (2/3) of these allotted funds can be used for faculty/staff upgrading (FSU) activities. These funds are to offer a variety of learning experiences in advancing skills and retraining programs. Opportunities may include training such as:
   • attendance at special schools which provide credit, certification, or instruction;
   • workshops and studies leading to accreditation, special certifications, and SACS requirements;
   • minimal training contracts for outside presenters for special college-wide faculty/staff development programs, such as cultural diversity or retention;
   • during the biennial Instructors' Conference, colleges may use up to 25% of faculty/staff upgrading funds to support participation of employees at this major system conference training event;
   • faculty retraining expenses for expanding teaching roles and learning innovative teaching methodologies;
   • specialized training for leadership training and skills in college administration; and, 
   •  small training stipends for part-time instructors to receive instructional skills training.
     
   
   
   
4. Tuition, books, and fees are legitimate expenses for faculty/staff completing SACS requirements, subject area certification, working toward a degree, being retrained to teach a new subject, or increasing knowledge for a teaching or skill-related subject area.  Funds for educational travel must be limited. Local disbursements must be consistent in written application/procedures.
   
   
5. Colleges MUST use a Faculty/Staff Development Committee or a representative group of faculty and staff to assist in the development and operation of these funds. Identify members/titles of the group in your final report.
   
   
6. Out-of-country training opportunities are strongly discouraged and must be requested in advance and separately. If the learning experience is directly related to one's discipline or job experience, a waiver may be granted with written request in advance.
   
   
7. No Faculty Upgrade allotment funds are available to pay employees for the administration or supervision of faculty upgrade activities. Employees coordinating this program may receive travel expenses for necessary program training and development activities, including exempt vice presidents.