Use of Professional Development Funds

Purpose

To establish clear, equitable, and consistent guidelines for the use of professional development funds across the College of Health Sciences and Professions (CHSP), ensuring alignment with the college's academic mission and support for growth in teaching, research, clinical practice, leadership, and service.

Policy

Professional development funds are intended to support the ongoing professional growth of faculty and staff. Allowable expenses include activities that enhance professional knowledge, skills, credentials, scholarship, teaching effectiveness, clinical practice, leadership development, and service to the profession.

Procedures and Guardrails

1. Allowable Expenses. Allowable expenses may include, but are not limited to:
   • Conference registration and travel related to professional responsibilities
   • Continuing education courses, certifications, and training programs
   • Professional workshops, seminars, and leadership development programs
   • Research, teaching, clinical, or administrative skill development activities
   • Professional license renewals
   • Membership fees for professional associations
   • Subscriptions to discipline-specific professional resources
   • Publication and dissemination costs directly related to scholarly activity
2. Limitations
   • To ensure professional development funds primarily support growth and development activities, no more than 50% of an individual's annual professional development allocation may be used for professional license renewals, professional memberships, and subscriptions combined unless:
     1. The accrediting body explicitly requires institutional support for such expenses; or
     2. An exception is approved in advance by the Dean's Office.
3. Oversight
   • Units are responsible for maintaining documentation of all professional development expenditures in accordance with university policies and procedures.
   • Spending outside these guidelines may result in ineligibility for future professional development funding.