Guidance for Approval of Paid Professional Development Leave
and/or Expense Reimbursement
The purpose of this document is to clarify the conditions for and process of approving expense reimbursement and paid leave for faculty and staff professional development opportunities that the College does not initiate.
The Employee must complete the request for Professional Development Form.
The Employee’s request will be reviewed for approval to be absent from work and to reimburse expenses. The Cabinet member or President will have the final approval. In some circumstances, additional information may be requested.
When reviewing the request, the Cabinet member shall consider the following:
- Supervisor’s Support
- The departmental budget capacity/cost
- Is it related to or included in their Professional Development Plan?
- The number of opportunities already offered to the Employee.
- Equitable opportunities for others in the department
- Relevance of the professional development agenda to the work of the position
- Days the Employee will be gone.
- Availability of a suitable alternative delivery for course content for the days that will be missed.
- Whether the opportunity can be fiscally justified or if a more efficient alternative is available (i.e., in-state; closer location; bringing a presenter to campus; mode of travel).
- How and when will the Employee share the information gained from the professional development experience and incorporate it into the College or department at Iowa Lakes?