Staff Advisory Council Professional Development Program
Applications are accepted until Friday, August 30, 2024 at 5:00pm
Up to $500 professional development funding per employee
Intro Heading link
Introduction
Due to the generosity of the Office of the Chancellor, SAC is pleased to announce the Spring 2024 Staff Advisory Council Professional Development Program (PD). The SAC Professional Development Program is an educational program at UIC that will provide funding to Civil Service Employees to build their knowledge and skills related to their current job responsibilities. All participants will work with their supervisors and home units to select learning opportunities that can enhance their job performance. The program will be administered by the SAC Professional Development Committee. This group will facilitate the selection, receipt and review of applications, notification of awardees, and disbursement of funds. Solicitation of applications will be done through email announcements on the CIVILSERVICESAC listserv and posting on the SAC website.
Step by Step Process to request funding:
- Application. Webtools Form will be used to manage the submission process. If release time is necessary, approval by the employee’s supervisor is required. Applicants should ensure they have received approval by their supervisor and business manager prior to submission of application. For guidance, please contact uicsac@uic.edu or call 312-413-5053 prior to submitting your application online. APPLICATIONS MUST BE COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED ONLINE BY Friday, August 30, 2024 AT 5:00PM TO: SAC_PD_APPLICATION.
- Review Process and Notification on Status of Application. Each application will be reviewed by the SAC Professional Development Committee. The employee and their supervisor will be notified by email of the status (i.e. approved or denied of their application) by September 10, 2024.
- Payment by your department, Program Evaluation and Fund Transfer. If awarded the funds, the employee will request their Business Manager to pay the awarded funds for the certification, workshop or conference. Costs must be incurred by Tuesday, December 31, 2024. Receipts need to be submitted to marrio1@uic.edu by Monday, January 27, 2025. The employee will be asked to complete a short program survey form online (SAC PD Evaluation) once their professional development has completed. A fund transfer to the department will be completed, once SAC has received all appropriate documentation related to the activity and the program evaluation has been submitted online. SAC will submit the number of recipients, program evaluation details to the UIC Chancellor’s office.
Application Process Heading link
All UIC Civil Service employees who hold an appointment of 50% or more full-time employment at UIC are eligible to participate. This program will provide professional development (PD) funds for Civil Service Employees. PD Funding is available for distribution up to $500/person. Recipients are eligible to receive this award one time only. Previous winners of the SAC PD funds are not eligible to apply. Applications are due by Friday, August 30, 2024 at 5:00 P.M. for consideration. Applicants will be notified of their status by Tuesday, September 10, 2024. All costs must be incurred by Tuesday, December 31, 2024. Receipts are due before Monday, January 27, 2025.
Please apply for your development activity at least 3-4 months before the date of your program or activity or conference. If more than 5-6 months away, please apply for the next funding cycle. If your professional development is scheduled between October – March , please apply for the Fall cycle. For those that have a professional activity that starts between April through mid September, please apply for the Spring funding cycle that opens in January or February. Those that have workshops or programs that start during the application period (January – February) would not be eligible since your development activity will be occurring or has already occurred. Remember applicants will be notified of their funding request by September 10, 2024. So if your professional activity is close to early February, it would difficult to receive a reply regarding funding quickly.
Past activities for funding does not qualify. This award only applies for future funding. The funding request is for those that have not received funding before. Previous awardees do not qualify for additional funding.
It is important to note that payment is made by your department business manager. The chrome river documents and receipts are then needed to transfer the money back to the department. Transfer of funds back to your department is made by JV fund transfer if proper documentation is received.
Examples of Eligible Activities:
- Registration for training workshops
- Conference cost and/or travel
- Professional certifications (e.g. Project Management Professional Management Certification Exam)
- On-line classes/ courses (e.g. UIC Extended Learning)
- Membership or Subscription to a professional organization
SAC PD Application Review Process Heading link
Review Process: Each application will be reviewed by the SAC Professional Development Committee for the following information before funding is considered:
• Eligibility of the applicant (previous winners are not eligible). Approval by your department supervisor and business manager is required.
• Knowledge/Skill that the applicant is developing
• Appropriateness of activity in relation to professional development core competency (see annual review form)
• Justification for the activity (please let us know your background information and how this professional activity would benefit you and your department)
• Budget amount requested (up to $500 funding per employee transferred back to your department unit)
Award and Department Reimbursement Process Heading link
If you are awarded the PD funds, your department will need to sponsor the payment initially and be reimbursed by fund transfer through a CFOAP by the Staff Advisory Council after your professional development has completed. Your department Business Manager can pay for your PD via pcard, purchase order, voucher or via Chrome River (expense management). No fund transfer will be given to an individual for professional development but only through the department CFOAP. More details will be given regarding the award for those that are granted funding. JV transfers are processed in February for Fall PD funding and early June for Spring PD funding. Please ensure that the chrome river expense report is submitted by the deadline.
Awardee Feedback Heading link
If you receive the award, please give SAC your feedback experience on how the award was able to help you, your department and UIC.
Contact
For questions regarding the SAC PD application, process and concerns, please contact uicsac@uic.edu or 312-413-5053.
Please see examples of professional learning activities at UIC.