Evidence of Compliance: 

The Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at California State University, Long Beach supports and encourages continuous faculty professional development, ensuring that all full-time faculty have the tools, knowledge, and networks necessary to support student learning, contribute to scholarly communities, and advance the program’s mission.

A. On-Campus Professional Development

Faculty have access to year-round programming through the CSULB Faculty Center for Professional Development, which offers:

• Workshops on inclusive teaching, digital pedagogy, and curriculum design

• Writing retreats and publication seminars

• Individual consultations and learning communities

• Specialized programming focused on equity, community engagement, and high-impact teaching practices

These resources are available to tenure-line and lecturer faculty and contribute to a culture of reflective and evidence-informed teaching. See faculty CVs for specific examples of on-campus professional development. 

B. Off-Campus and Discipline-Based Development

All full-time faculty in the department actively participate in off-campus professional development, including conferences, community-based research presentations, and leadership roles within professional organizations. Most faculty attend two or more conferences per year and regularly present peer-reviewed work.

C. Recent Examples of Faculty Conference Participation (2023–2025) - See chart below for a sample.

These presentations reflect a strong diversity of topics ranging from therapeutic recreation and sustainable tourism to equity in leisure services, aging, experiential learning, and innovative public engagement strategies.

D. Alignment with Program Mission

This ongoing professional development enables faculty to:

• Stay current in research and applied practice in recreation, tourism, and recreation therapy

• Integrate emerging topics (e.g., sustainability, virtual reality, social justice) into curriculum

• Build relationships with practitioners and agencies that support internships and community-based learning

• Contribute to a culture of collaboration, mentorship, and academic leadership

The depth and frequency of faculty participation in development activities demonstrate the department’s commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and community engagement, consistent with its mission and COAPRT expectations.