Professional Advancement
Professional Advancement Committee Members:
- John Bromma
- Marne Foster
- Richard Gholson
- Tara Gilboy
- Carolina Gonzalez
- Robert Jackson
- Francisco Manzano
- Kenny Parker
- Richard Weinroth, Chair
Professional Advancement Can Be:
- Conferences, Seminars, or Workshops (30 hours of attendance = 1 unit)
- Presenting at conferences and workshops (15 hours of presentation = 1 unit)
- SDCCD Online faculty training is classified under conferences/seminars/workshops and earns 1 unit towards professional advancement
- Coursework from accredited institutions
- 3 quarter units = 2 semester units
- Scholarly and Creative Works
- Professional Work Experience or Internship
Professional Advancement Process:
- Submit a professional advancement proposal. Make sure to have your program chair and dean sign the proposal before emailing the form to Janay Patton. Only one category can be used per proposal. For example, all coursework should go on one proposal, and all conferences and workshops should go on another.
- Conferences, Seminars, or Workshops: submit the original flyer, publication, social media announcement, or advertisement with the proposal.
- Coursework: submit course descriptions with the proposal.
- Scholarly and Creative Works: submit the scholarly or creative work and a professional advancement proposal.
- Professional Work Experience or Internship: submit a work experience or internship proposal and a professional advancement proposal.
Although professional advancement proposals can be submitted after the professional advancement is completed, it is recommended to submit the proposal before pursuing coursework or conferences/seminars/workshops to ensure the committee approves the professional advancement.
- Upon approval from the professional advancement committee and completion of professional advancement, submit a report of completion. Make sure to have your program chair and dean sign the proposal before emailing the form to Janay Patton.
- Conferences, Seminars, or Workshops: submit a log of hours and schedule for conferences/seminars/workshops with the report of completion.
- Coursework: send electronic official transcripts to Janay Patton (jpatton@sdccd.edu) or mail to:
- San Diego College of Continuing EducationAttn: Janay Patton4343 Ocean View BlvdSan Diego, CA 92113
- Official transcripts must be unopened. To ensure your transcripts remain official, please have them emailed or mailed directly to Janay Patton.
- After review and approval from the professional advancement committee, the forms are submitted to the District for processing.
- 15 units of professional development can move faculty to the next class level on the salary placement schedule.
***Processing times depend on when forms are submitted.
Sabbatical Requirements:
- Eligibility occurs after 6 consecutive years of satisfactory service to the District
- Faculty who have completed a sabbatical leave are ineligible until the completion of an additional 6 consecutive years
- For the 2026-2027 sabbatical application period, faculty hired on or before June 30, 2020, should be eligible for sabbatical
Sabbatical Deadlines:
The 2026-2027 sabbatical application period opens January 2026.
- 2026-2027 Sabbatical Leave Applications due to program dean by February 20, 2026.
- 2026-2027 Sabbatical Leave Applications approved by the program dean are due to Janay Patton by March 6, 2026.
- Sabbatical applications are only accepted once during the academic year. The application period for sabbaticals opens every January.
- Before the professional advancement committee members score the sabbatical applications, they are redacted to remove identifying information such as names, department, and specific assignments or positions.
Professional Advancement Committee Meeting Dates:
Submit forms and documents by noon on the Thursday before the PAC meeting:
- September 9, 2025
- October 6, 2025
- November 3, 2025
- December 1, 2025
***Meeting dates are subject to change
***The SDCCE Professional Advancement Committee will not meet during the Summer (June - August).
Presentations
- Fall 2025: Professional Advancement and Sabbatical FLEX Session Presentation
- Fall 2025 Professional Advancement and Sabbatical FLEX Session Recording
- Spring 2024: Professional Advancement and Sabbatical FLEX Session Presentation
Professional Advancement Forms
- Professional Advancement Proposal (updated)
- Professional Advancement Report of Completion (updated)
- Professional Advancement Log of Hours
- Work Experience or Internship Proposal
- Licensure/Certification Fee Reimbursement Form
- Revision to Professional Advancement Proposal
- Sabbatical Application
- Sabbatical Ranking Sheet (used by professional advancement committee members to score sabbatical applications)
- Faculty CBA
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who should I contact for professional advancement or sabbatical questions?
A: Email Janay Patton and cc Richard Weinroth for professional advancement and sabbatical questions.
Q: How many foreign language courses can I take?
A: Faculty can take a maximum of 4 foreign language courses. These lower-division courses can be taken within the district.
Q: Can flex workshops and activities be used for professional advancement?
A: No, flex workshops can not be used for professional advancement.
Q: When an instructor goes from adjunct to contract faculty, does the 6 years for sabbatical continue or does the time start over?
A: Once an instructor transitions from adjunct to contract, the count starts over. The 6 years will be counted from the time the instructor became contract.
Q: Can a faculty member take a sabbatical while undergoing the tenure track process?
A: No, faculty undergoing the tenure track process are not eligible for a sabbatical because they have not served the 6 years needed to be eligible for a sabbatical.
Q: How many scholarly and creative works units can be used for professional advancement?
A: 7.5 scholarly and creative works can be used per classification for professional advancement.
Q: Can lower division courses be used for professional advancement?
A: Lower division courses in disciplines of foreign language, computer-related technologies, and topics related to cultural competencies, diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility can be used for professional advancement.
Q: Is a master's degree required for professional advancement?
A: Yes, a master's degree is necessary to use coursework, conferences, workshops, and creative and scholarly works for professional advancement.
Q: What department should I contact about my salary class or how many units I have earned?
A: The District's Compensation Office will be able to let you know your current salary class, how many units you have earned, and how many banked units you have. The Compensation Office can be reached at sdccdhrcomp@sdccd.edu or 619-388-6576.
Q: If I submit more than one proposal for coursework, can I combine the units on one report of completion once the courses are completed?
A: No. If different proposals were submitted for coursework, each proposal should have its own report of completion. Units should not be combined on a single report of completion if they were submitted under different proposals.
Q: Can a professional advancement proposal be submitted after coursework or a conference/workshop has been completed?
A: Yes, a proposal can be submitted after coursework has been completed or after a conference/workshop has been attended. However, it is recommended that a proposal be submitted before pursuing these activities to ensure committee approval.