GCC adjunct faculty are paid to engage in professional development each year.  This professional development is known as Flex Obligation.  Since faculty members are prepaid for Flex, it's important to fulfill the Flex obligation within the school year.  Flex obligation can be fulfilled by attending lectures and workshops on campus, various conferences (make sure to retain the conference receipts and name badge for verification), Guild meetings, meetings within your division, and so on.  In fact, check your email on any given day to find a list of upcoming GCC events that qualify for Flex.

The number of Flex hours you need to fulfill each year is the average (add and divide by two) of the number of units taught in Fall and Spring.  For example, if you have taught 5 units in Fall and 9 units in Spring, your total flex obligation for the year would be hours of Flex.  If you just taught one semester, the Flex requirement is just the number of units divided by 2.  For example, if you did not teach in Fall and taught 9 units in Spring, the Flex requirement would 9/2=4.5 hours of Flex.

As you attend events, you will be given Flex forms or digital badges.  Hold on to your Flex forms!  At the end of the Spring semester, prepare your Flex submission.  Flex for the academic year must be completed via the Vision Resource Center (VRC) by May 15th.  If your completed Flex submission is not completed by June 30th at the absolute latest, a week's pay may be deducted from your paycheck.

Visit the Flex page for more information including answers to some commonly asked questions such as how to submit Flex.

Questions and Answers about Flex

How can I get Flex when an event (e.g. Division Meeting) does not give out Flex forms? 

Fill out the Adjunct Attendance Verification Form and get the department or committee chair to sign.  

What if I misplaced or never received a Flex form from an event that was handing them out?

Sometimes the person who hosted the event will have extra forma, so contact them first. Otherwise, fill out the Adjunct Attendance Verification Form and get the person who hosted the event to sign. The event host will compare your name to the list of people who signed in at the event to verify your attendance, so make sure you always sign in!

What if I can't get to campus for an in-person event for Flex?

You can also earn Flex by doing some of the online training available at the Faculty Development: Online Activities page. This works especially well if you are in a bind at the end of the semester or cannot easily make it to campus. 

How much Flex do I receive for attending a conference and how do I receive it?

You can get up to 6 hours of Flex per day for a full day at an approved conference. Since lunch is part of the networking and there is often a presenter, it is ok to include lunch as part of the 6 hours. 

Here are the steps for turn the conference in for Flex (note that procedures may be different due to Covid-19; check the official Flex page for details):

• Obtain a copy of your registration receipt
• Make copy of name badge from the conference
• Attach both of these to the Flex reporting form in May
• Note: copies of conference programs are insufficient proof that you attended the conference

How do I submit Flex?

As of Fall 2022, Flex will be submitted via the Vision Resource Center (VRC). Visit the Flex page for more information.

I have an idea for an activity that should qualify for Flex.  How do I get it approved?

1. First, make sure the activity is for professional development. Just doing extra work is not enough to justify Flex – it should be an activity leading to some kind of professional growth. Refer to the Flex page for a description of which activities are appropriate for Flex.
2. Run the activity by your Division Chair before completing the Flex activity.
3. Once you have completed the activity, fill out the Individually Planned Activity or Research Form
4. Get the Division Chair’s signature and submit with your Flex packet.