IPDAs are explained in Article 19. The IPDAs were created out of the Article 19 travel funds in previous contracts. The foundation funding was at the $500,000 per year previously allocated for travel awards. The purpose of the IPDAs was to set up guaranteed funding for professional development for all members. As such, professional development has been expanded to many members who previously received little to no support from the travel funds in previous contracts. This represented an expansion of the benefit, and the IPDA’s aggregate actual cost is around $1.3m per year.
AY 2016-17 was the first year for IPDAs and is a transition year into the new system. The understanding at the bargaining table was that departments had to fund a minimum of what is allotted each year in the IPDA, and funding professional development beyond that minimum was discretionary.
Members can roll IPDA funds for 4 years, after which they revert to the Dean’s office and they can allocate the rolled over funds as they fit for the same purpose.
Your funding for next year will be the $1000 plus whatever rolled over from 2016-17 plus whatever additional amount out of discretionary funding you unit may be willing to provide for the opportunity.
To request IPDA funding, send a memo in writing in supervisor requesting IPDA funding. Describe the professional development opportunity is sufficient detail so your supervisor and the Dean’s office can see that the opportunity is consistent with purpose for which the funds were allocated in Article 19.