FFU Professional Development funds
As of our first Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBAs) in 2018, we negotiated a yearly fund of $50,000 to support and promote the professional development of eligible FFU faculty. As of our 2025 CBA, both full-time AND part-time FFU faculty can apply for up to $1000 per academic year to reimburse travel, registration, and lodging expenses for conferences, workshops, and classes related to the their pedagogy and discipline. We encourage ALL eligible FFU faculty to take advantage of these funds! Click here to learn more and contact the FFU Professional Development Committee with questions at fordhamfacultyunitedprofdev@gmail.com.
Changes in 2025-2026
- New institutional email: FFUProfDev@fordham.edu.
- Applications are now approved on a rolling basis.
- There’s a simplified and streamlined form to request reimbursement (see below).
- Part-time faculty, as of our current CBA ratified in 2025, have the same allowance as full-time members: $1000 per academic year.
Eligibility
- Applicants must have completed their probationary period. For part-time (adjunct) faculty, see here; for full-time, see here.
- Applicants must be employed at Fordham at the time of the professional development event.
- The professional development event must be a conference, workshop, or classes related to the faculty member’s pedagogy or discipline. (Reimbursement generally covers travel, registration, and lodging).
- If the event is outside the country, applicants must obtain Dean’s approval prior to the event (which is different from registering on the travel register). Approval can be requested via email – a list of deans can be found here.
Prepare for your application. Learn about eligibility, required documentation, and documentation format using this pre-screening form. Note that a pre-approval application is not required, but we strongly recommend you use the form as a checklist tool for self-evaluation to prevent reimbursement denials and minimize the risk of resubmission due to documentation issues.
International travel. Note that international travel must be approved by your School Dean before traveling, in order to be eligible for reimbursement. See above.
Submitting expenses. After the expenses have occurred, and after you have verified your eligibility, you can apply for reimbursement using the reimbursement form by clicking here. If your documentation doesn’t meet the guidelines your application cannot be processed. For questions, please contact the Professional Development Committee at fordhamfacultyunitedprofdev@gmail.com.
Paid semester-long leave for full-time FFU faculty
In addition to Professional Development Funds, our union has negotiated two paid semester-long leaves for full-time faculty each academic year. The leaves are designed for professional development opportunities or projects related to faculty teaching and/or artistic or professional practice. The Provost’s office puts out the call for applications usually in January for the following academic year. Eligible faculty applicants can apply for one of the two upcoming semesters (excluding summer) if they have taught at Fordham during at least five academic years.
For questions regarding Professional Development Funds or the Paid Semester Leave, contact the FFU committee directly at fordhamfacultyunitedprofdev@gmail.com.
Fordham Faculty United 