Professional Growth Increments (PGI)

It is the policy of the Sonoma County Junior College District to provide incentives to faculty for continued professional growth through the Professional Growth Increment (PGI). The PGI shall be in the form of a regular salary enhancement for those faculty members who demonstrate continuous professional development in or closely related to their discipline or FSA’s, or related to their responsibilities for shared governance. Activities completed as part of regular faculty job duties or compensated by the District monetarily, such as reassigned time, release time, and categorical funding, will not be considered for PGI credit. PGI activities are above and beyond contract responsibilities for College service and professional service and development. A Professional Growth Increment (PGI) Committee shall oversee the implementation of this policy and recommend to AFA and the District alterations in the following provisions as found necessary.

For complete AFA/District Contract Article 21: Professional Increments visit AFA website.

 

Below are links to documents needed for PGI Application Process:

PGI Application Form (excel version)

Article 21 - 2023

 

PGI approval process: 

Faculty will receive eligibility notice via email from VPAA office in May indicating they may apply in August or January for Step 20, 24 or 28.

Faculty will submit all materials along with the PGI application (summary of all activities) by date indicated in May notice to Supervising Administrator. Minimum 10 units are required from the Menu of Activities criteria.

If approved, Supervising Administrator will sign and route the PGI Application via Adobe Sign to VPAA and VPAA EA for signatures and cc faculty member in Adobe Sign.

Supervising Administrator will also forward all application materials to VPAA in the form they were received (link to filed depot, binder, etc.)

If approved by VPAA, VPAA EA will create Board of Trustees agenda item and PAFs to reflect the new step.

 

 

PGI Menu of Activities (printable version here)

No more than 7.5 of the 10 required PGI units may be completed in any single category (A–K). 

Category A: Academic Units

  1. Upper division or graduate-level units from an accredited college or university may be claimed for PGI credit.
  2. Lower-division units (taken at SRJC or another accredited college) may only be claimed for PGI if they are outside of the applicant’s major or teaching area. Coursework should have a direct and demonstrable relationship to the faculty member’s professional development.
  3. The same units may not be used for both a PGI step and a salary class advancement.

Each semester unit (or 1.5 quarter units) of qualifying academic credit equals three (3) PGI Growth units.

Documentation:

  • Evidence of course completion such as: an official transcript, grade report, or a letter or email from the instructor of each course attesting to the Faculty Member’s successful completion.
  • For lower-division units, submitters should also include a statement of how the units relate to their professional development.

 

Category B: Certificates of Completion

For courses offered by professional societies, colleges, universities, or other educational institutions which grant certificates of completion rather than academic units. Includes SRJC trainings such as:

  • Online Special Expertise
  • Leadership Academy

Fifteen (15) classroom or seminar hours equals one (1) PGI Growth unit.

Documentation: Official certificate or letter of completion, which must include number of hours.

 

Category C: Attendance at Professional Events

Attendance at events relevant to one’s academic, professional, or vocational area or their responsibilities for shared governance may be claimed for PGI credit. Such events include:

  • Seminars, conferences, symposia, or workshops
  • Professional societies at which papers, speeches, etc., are presented
  • SRJC Communities of Practice (CoP)
  • Concerts, stage plays, or other performances
  • Exhibits at museums or galleries
  • Study trips or visits to historical sites
  • Puente training
  • Guided Pathways training

Each fifteen (15) hours of documented attendance equals one (1) PGI Growth unit.

Credit for events of less than 15 hours may be claimed on a pro-rata basis.

Documentation:

  • Proof of attendance, such as: a printed program, receipt for attendance fees, ticket stub, or approved travel request.
  • A brief statement of how the activity relates to your professional development.

 

Category D: Independent Work or Study under Fellowships and Grants

Each fifteen (15) hours of documented work/study equals one (1) PGI Growth unit.

Credit for less than 15 hours may be claimed on a pro-rata basis.

Specific Examples:

  • Full participation as a Faculty Sponsor in the SRJC MESA Program equals four (4) PGI Growth units per year.

Documentation: Copy of the grant description and email or letter of appointment.

 

Category E: Independent Work and Study Resulting in Publication of an Article

Publication of an article in a professional journal or similar publication equals three (3) PGI Growth units. Published articles should have undergone a peer review or editorial process and be available through a library database search.

Documentation: Copy of the article with publication information.

 

Category F: Independent Work and Study Resulting in Presentation of a Paper

Presentation of a paper at a regional, state, national, or international meeting of a professional society equals three (3) PGI Growth units.

Documentation: Copy of agenda or conference program listing the presentation. Copies of mail or email correspondence inviting the applicant to present.

 

Category G: Independent Work and Study Resulting in a Presentation

  1. Works, public performances, or exhibitions directly related to the discipline of the faculty member which involve substantial creative time and resources to produce equal four (4) PGI Growth units. Examples include:
    • Art gallery exhibition of new original works created by the applicant
    • Performance of a new original stage play written by the applicant
    • Concert of new original music composed by the applicant
    • Screening of a new original film created by the applicant
    • Performing a major role in a theatrical production
    • The SRJC Tauzer Lecture
  2. Other lectures and presentations which require substantial preparation equal two (2) PGI Growth units. Examples include:
    • Arts and Lectures presentations
    • Work of Literary Merit (WOLM) lectures
    • Broadcast on local radio
    • Performing a minor role in a theatrical production
  3. For on-campus and local presentations, including PDA/flex for which no PDA/flex credit was given, each one-hour presentation equals 0.2 PGI Growth units.

Documentation: Proof of the event such as a playbill, program, slides of exhibit, letter of official acceptance, or exhibit/presentation description.

 

Category H: Other Independent Work and Study

Independent work and study not otherwise compensated by the District may be claimed for PGI in the following subcategories:

  1. Community service related to one’s discipline.
    • Thirty (30) hours equals one (1) PGI Growth unit.
    • Credit for less than 30 hours may be claimed on a pro-rata basis.
    • Documentation: Letter of appreciation, meeting minutes stating appointment, or other similar verification of activity, with documentation of hours claimed.
  2. Holding office in a professional organization directly related to one’s teaching discipline or professional responsibilities.
  • Service for a full year equals two (2) PGI Growth units.
  • Service for less than a full year may be claimed on a pro-rata basis.
  • Documentation: Letter of appointment or selection to the post.
  1. Faculty coordination of Career Education Advisory committees.
    • Faculty members serving as uncompensated Coordinators of CE Advisory committees may claim PGI credit for their work.
    • Fifteen (15) hours equals one (1) PGI Growth unit.
    • Credit for less than 15 hours may be claimed on a pro-rata basis.
    • Documentation: Committee agendas and minutes, documentation of hours claimed.
  2. Participation as a judge, clinician, adjudicator, coordinator, or curator at festivals, conferences or exhibits.
    • Fifteen (15) hours equals one (1) PGI Growth unit.
    • Credit for events of less than 15 hours may be claimed on a pro-rata basis.
  • Documentation: Letter of appointment or selection, with indication of activities and documentation of hours claimed.
  1. Work in business, government, industry or a professional area, which is relevant to one’s discipline for the purpose of maintaining currency and applying new concepts and skills. Includes teaching for another school or college.
    • Thirty (30) hours equals one (1) PGI Growth unit.
    • Credit for less than 30 hours may be claimed on a pro-rata basis.
    • Documentation: Written report of activities, documentation of hours claimed.
    •  

Category I.  Authorship, Publication, or Other Original Creative Work

  1. A privately produced classroom text, manual, workbook, or reference book for use in the author’s classes or by other instructors equals three (3) PGI Growth units.
  2. A published authored classroom text, manual, workbook, or reference book, which has been accepted and published by a recognized publishing house equals five (5) PGI growth units.
  3. A revision or update of a manual, workbook, or major published textbook equals two (2) PGI growth units.
  4. Publication or reproduction of original creative works, including musical arrangements and graphic designs.
    1. External publication of an individual artwork, musical composition, short story, screenplay, or other similar work equals three (3) PGI Growth units.
    2. External publication of a larger compilation (such as a collection of stories or drawings or a complete musical album) equals five (5) PGI Growth units.
    3. External publication of a novel or non-fiction book equals five (5) PGI Growth units.
  5. Development of teaching aids such as films, slides, videos, photographs, or portfolios equals two (2) PGI Growth units.
    • Reproduction of class handouts or lecture notes (such as a PowerPoint presentation) cannot be counted for PGI.

Documentation: Copy of original work with publication and copyright information as applicable.

 

Category J. Service on a Regional Accreditation Team

Service on a regional accreditation team equals three (3) PGI Growth units.

Documentation: Notification of appointment to team and copy of approved Travel Request Form (if needed).

 

Category K. Other

The following additional activities are currently approved:

  1. SRJC New Faculty Mentors Program
  • A full year of service in the program equals two (2) PGI Growth units.
  • Service for less than a full year may be claimed on a pro-rata basis.
  • Documentation: Letter or email of appointment, acknowledgment of program completion.
  1. SRJC Teaching Fellows Program
  • A full year of service in the program equals five (5) PGI Growth units.
  • Service for less than a full year may be claimed on a pro-rata basis.
  • Documentation: Letter or email of appointment, acknowledgment of program completion.
  1. Writing a proposal for a competitive external grant (e.g., HSI, NSF, etc.), if not otherwise compensated by the District, equals two (2) PGI Growth units.
    • Documentation: Copy of the grant application.

Other activities not listed above may be submitted in advance to the PGI Committee for consideration for addition to the PGI Menu of Activities.