Faculty Learning Communities: A Classification Scheme for FLC Models

Constants across all models:

• Size: cannot get too big or small: Five to 15 participants (8-12 are recommended)
• Community: The ten necessary conditions for community must be established
• Attendance/Participation: Expected at all functions and activities
• Evaluation/Assessment: Program components, faculty development outcomes, and student learning
• Budget amounts below: Do not include “overhead” costs of office and office staff
• Leadership: By FLC program director and FLC facilitators
• Scholarship of teaching and learning: Each individual or FLC should have a project and present results
• Calendar: Year-long
• Projects: Individual and/or group

Subcompact:

• Budget: $0-$1,999
• Program Components engaged in this FLC: limited, 6-11
• Programming: internal, brown bag lunch meetings
• Professional funds for participants: none
• Rewards: intrinsic
• Examples: Indiana University Southeast

Compact/Economy:

• Budget: $2,000-$4,999
• Program Components: 11-16 in number
• Programming: internal, refreshments at meetings
• Professional funds for participants: zero to $249 per person
• Rewards: book
• Example: Claremont Graduate University

Intermediate:

• Budget: $5,000-$9,999
• Program Components: 16-21
• Programming: meals at some meetings, a one-day off-campus retreat
• Professional funds for participants: $250-$499 per person
• Rewards: book, certificate from or reception with the provost, fast track consultation
• Example: The Ohio State University

Full Size:

• Budget: $10,000-$19,999
• Program components: 21-26
• Programming: meals, overnight off-campus retreat, attend local conference as a community
• Professional funds for participants: $500-$999 per person
• Rewards: book, campus recognition ceremony, letter from the provost
• Example: Shawnee State University

Hummer/Rolls:

• Budget: over $20,000
• Program components: 26-30
• Calendar: year-long with some commitments beyond, for example meeting formall or informally in following years to continue a project or community
• Programming: meals, overnight off-campus retreat, attend national conference as a community
• Professional support: $1,000 or more per person or one course reassigned time
• Rewards: book, prestigious program, recognition, participation a plus for promotion and tenure
• Examples: Kent State University, Miami University