ADAPT Frequently Asked Questions

The Adjunct Development and Professional Training (ADAPT) program is a structured professional development initiative designed to support adjunct faculty in their teaching and professional development. Through a series of tracks, participants explore key areas, such as effective pedagogy, classroom management, student engagement, instructional technology and inclusive practices. The tracks encourage reflection, collaboration and the application of new strategies. Upon completion, adjunct faculty earn recognition for their commitment to teaching excellence and may be eligible to receive a stipend as part of the program. Beginning Fall 2025, it replaces the previous Adjunct Stipend program.

All Tri-C adjunct faculty, lecturers and part-time counselors and librarians are eligible to participate in ADAPT.

ADAPT is structured into three tracks:

• Track I: First-Year Cohort (ADJ1105): For new hires and rehires who have been away from the College for more than one year. Completion of required activities and training.
• Track II: Second-Year Cohort (ADJ1106): For adjuncts in their second year. Launches Fall 2026. Until then, second-year adjuncts for this AY 2025-2026 move directly to Track III.
• Track III: Third-Year and Beyond (ADJ1107): For adjuncts with three or more years of service at Tri-C. Participants complete 10 Stipend Eligible Units (SEUs) per year across at least two categories.

Stipend Eligible Units (SEUs) represent credit for completing eligible professional development activities. Examples include workshops, committee service, teaching innovation or community engagement. SEUs track both engagement in professional development and eligibility for stipend compensation.

• One extra unused SEU may carry over to the following year.

For Track III, you must complete 10 SEUs each year to submit a stipend request. Adjuncts in their first or second year must complete the required training and activities for their track (Track I or Track II) to be eligible.

Adjunct faculty who complete their designated ADAPT track each year will:

• Earn an ADAPT Certificate of Completion
• Be eligible for a $500 stipend

Track I: Must be completed and submitted within one year of the hire date.

Track II: Must be completed and submitted by the second anniversary of the hire date.

Track III: Transitions to an academic year basis and will run from July 1 through April 15. Track III must be completed and submitted any time before April 15 each year so the stipend can still be paid out before the end of the academic year.

• Requests submitted after April 15 will be processed in the fall, so they will then count toward that next academic year’s payout.
• Payroll does not process stipends during the summer.

• A new track system aligned to years of service
• Increased SEU requirements for Track III (from five to 10 SEUs)
• New College, Campus and Community Impact category (committee work, student support, campus service, etc.)
• Expanded eligible professional development activities

The increase reflects Tri-C’s commitment to broadening professional development opportunities and ensuring adjunct faculty benefit from a well-rounded experience. With the addition of a new SEU-eligible category, expanded workshop offerings and approval options for external activities, there are now more pathways than ever to reach 10 SEUs. This ensures professional growth is ongoing and tied directly to enhancing teaching quality and student success. In addition, it more closely aligns the time commitment for completing each of the three tracks.

SEU-eligible categories include:

• College, Campus and Community Impact: Committee service, student organization advising, campus volunteering, Commencement participation and beautification events
• Curriculum, Outcomes Assessment and Transfer: Course and program assessment work, assignment library development, workshops and rubric creation
• Faculty Scholarship and Engagement: Adjunct Faculty Conference, Boot Camp, New Hire Orientation, book clubs, colloquia, learning communities and grants
• Student Success and Completion: Training on student resources, classroom management, behavior reporting and ESL conversation partnership
• Teaching and Learning Strategies: Workshops on pedagogy, FYE training and instructional design consultations
• Technology for Teaching: Consultations with ID&LE or OLAT and training on classroom and online instructional technology

Yes. You may carry over one unused SEU into the following year.

You have one year from your hire date to complete the required curriculum for Track I and then one additional year to complete Track II by the second anniversary of your hire date. If you miss a scheduled session during the year, you may attend the next available session in the following fall or spring semester.

Contact the session facilitator and ask them to update the attendee roster in COMPASS.

You will receive a confirmation message once your request is submitted.

• If you do not receive confirmation or see an error, you will need to resubmit.
• For the best results, use a Chrome or Firefox browser.
• Tip: Consider filling out the form in Word first and then copying and pasting it into the request form.

Stipend requests submitted after the deadlines will be processed in the following year and applied to that year’s stipend payout. It is very important to submit your request before the deadline.

• Track I: Before the first anniversary of your hire date
• Track II: Before the second anniversary of your hire date
• Track III: Before April 15 each year (the program runs July 1 – April 15). You can submit your request at any time during the year once you have earned your 10 SEUs. The final deadline for the year is April 15.

Yes.

• For new hires starting in Fall 2025 or later, it is recommended that you complete Track I before Track II and Track II before Track III.
• For Track III participants, the program is voluntary every year. You may choose not to participate one year and still join in the next.

Submit the ADAPT Workshop Eligibility Request Form online to obtain possible approval of external professional development activities.

Visit the ADAPT program website to access:

• Program Guidelines and Stipend Request Form
• Workshop Eligibility Request Form
• Stipend Eligible Categories and Activities List
• Faculty Development Calendar

Contact the Adjunct Services managers at AdjunctServices@tri-c.edu or an Adjunct Services manager at your campus:

• Eastern: Sonja Elekhtaby or 216-987-2335
• Metropolitan: Karen Cross-Hatten or 216-987-4013
• Western: Angela Baker or 216-987-5226
• Westshore: Dennis Joyce or 216-987-0236