Professional Development and Transitional Leaves for Academic Professional and Administrative Employees

Eligible academic professional and administrative (P&A) employees (93xx, 96xx, and 97xx) are provided opportunities for professional development leaves, to include mini, short-term, and extended leaves. Senior administrators may be granted an administrative transitional leave following a significant period of administrative service. Excluded from coverage are professionals-in-training, graduate assistants, civil service and union-represented staff, and “Without Salary” appointments. Specific eligibility for these leaves varies according to job classification, type of leave, and years of service. Leaves pursuant to this policy are not entitlements and do require approval. Units are expected to offer opportunity for professional development to eligible P&A employees and to have guidelines and procedures that provide more specific detail regarding leave opportunities.

Professional Development Leaves

Appendix A: Professional Development Leaves for Academic Professional and Administrative Employees provides information regarding types and duration of leaves, salary and benefits provided during leaves, and service eligibility requirements.

Activities undertaken during a professional development leave must be demonstrably related to the betterment of the P&A employee's unit or professional competence. Development activities may include:

• Study: Studies substantially related to the position or positions;
• Internships: (a) Exchange and/or loan programs or (b) Unpaid internships;
• Research: (a) Leading to or resulting in publishing and (b) Contributions to the field of applicant's current employment; and
• Other: special studies, investigations, research, scholarly writing, artistic projects, and curriculum development.

Involvement in professional organizations, including attending and presenting at local, regional, or national meetings, is an expectation of P&A employees and does not constitute professional development leave under this policy.

While on leave, P&A employees are relieved of all regular University duties because typically these are taken as 100 percent leaves. It is the responsibility of the unit granting the leave to determine if and how funding and replacement costs will be provided. No central monies are available.

Eligibility for Leave

Mini, short-term, and extended leaves may be granted to professional and administrative employees with a notice of appointment that is (1) a minimum of nine months at 100 percent time; or (2) twelve months at 75 percent time or greater. Professional development leaves are awarded based on years of service, criteria established within each unit, and approval by the responsible administrator. Criteria are to include standards by which to evaluate the merits of the proposal and an assessment of the availability of resources to support the leave. Refer to the Procedures section in this policy for specific information on counting years of service.

Income and Benefits during Leave

Salary and Benefits:

• Mini-Leave: Full salary and full benefits.
• Short-Term Leave: One-half to full salary (at unit discretion) and full benefits
• Extended Leave: One-half salary and full benefits.

 

Income Augmentation: With the approval of the responsible administrator, P&A employees on an extended leave may augment their income approximately to the level of their regular University of Minnesota salary, provided that the activities yielding the additional compensation are consistent with the purpose of the leave. University-approved consulting activities that do not conflict with the purposes of the leave and comply with University policy will not be included in determining the level of permissible income. Expenses related to the purpose of the leave may also be taken into account in determining the level of permissible income. While on a professional development leave, P&A employees may accept grants or scholarships to defray travel, study, or research expenses.

Obligations

1. P&A employees granted a professional development leave must return to the unit granting the leave for a period of time equal to the period of the leave, unless provided a written waiver by the unit administrator.
2. P&A employees who do not return or return for only a portion of the time due and have not been granted a written waiver by the responsible administrator must reimburse the University for all or a prorated amount of the salary, retirement contributions, and value of benefits received during the leave. A written waiver by the responsible administrator/supervisor at the time of notice will be granted P&A employees receiving a notice of non-renewal during the period of the professional development leave. In such cases, employees are not required to return to their unit for a period at least equal to the period of leave and are not required to reimburse the University for the amount of salary, retirement contributions, and all other fringe benefits received during the leave pursuant to this policy.
3. Upon request and within one month after the conclusion of the leave, a summary report of leave activities is to be submitted to the responsible administrator/supervisor.

Implications of Notice of Non-Renewal During Leave

If a notice of non-renewal is received during the time of the professional development leave P&A employees are not required to return to their unit for a period at least equal to the period of leave if one or more of the following apply:

• The notice period is shorter than the period of the leave;
• The P&A employee, if eligible, opts to participate in the Academic Staff Non-Renewal Program; or
• The P&A employee resigns during the period of the leave or during a return to service time prior to the end date of the appointment. Under this circumstance, the P&A employee is not required to reimburse the University for the amount of salary, retirement contributions, and all other fringe benefits received during the leave.

Rescinding a Leave

A professional development leave may be rescinded if P&A employees are given notice of non-reappointment (for an academic professional employee on a probationary [H] appointment) or termination of appointment.

Administrative Transitional Leaves

Senior administrators who are assuming or resuming faculty or professional roles may be provided a transitional leave to refresh and increase expertise in teaching and research in the individual's discipline following a significant period of administrative service. Administrative transitional leaves are awarded when consistent with the overall goal of this type of leave and upon approval of the responsible administrator and the president or delegate. An administrative transitional leave may be a 100 percent time leave or leave at a lesser percentage of time and is normally not to exceed twelve months, with most being from three to six months in length. Appropriate activities to be undertaken during the leave are similar to those of the faculty or P&A professional development leaves: special studies, investigations, and research.

Eligibility for Leave

Administrative transitional leaves may be granted to senior administrators appointed in the 9300-9330 job classifications. (Refer to Appendix B: Senior Administrator Job Classifications.) Generally these include key administrative officers who also hold tenured faculty appointments in academic units or continuous appointments as academic professionals. Normally, transitional leaves are awarded only to those who have had at least three consecutive years of administrative service in central campus, collegiate, or administrative offices. The president or delegate may extend this leave opportunity to other administrators such as collegiate department heads.

Income and Benefits during Leave

Salary and benefits are typically paid at the level of the assumed or resumed faculty or professional position rather than at the administrative salary level. Salary while on the administrative transitional leave may be negotiated between the individual and the appropriate senior officer where the individual will work, subject to approval by the unit administrator.

While on leave, the individual may continue to engage in University-approved consulting activities, but may not receive additional pay beyond that received for University-approved consulting for performing duties associated with the faculty or academic professional position. Any exceptions to this provision are to only be granted by the president or delegate.

Obligations

1. Administrators granted a leave are required to return to their respective faculty or academic professional position for a period at least equal to that of the leave.
2. Administrators who do not return or who return for only a portion of the time must reimburse the University for all or a prorated amount of the salary, retirement contributions, and value of benefits received during the leave unless provided a written waiver by the president or delegate.
3. Administrators granted a leave are to provide upon request documentation of their leave activities to the responsible administrator to whom the person reports following their leave.

Restrictions

The administrative transitional leave cannot be combined with any of the following leaves except with permission of the president or delegate.

• Administrative Policy: Phased Retirement Program
• Faculty and P&A development leaves under Board of Regents Policy: Employee Development, Education, and Training

This policy implements Board of Regents Policy: Employee Development, Education, and Training. Professional development and transitional leaves are provided by the University as an opportunity to develop or enhance knowledge, skills, and performance of academic professional and administrative (P&A) employees and to prepare senior administrators to assume or resume faculty or professional roles following a significant period of administrative service. The professional development leave benefit is important for attracting, hiring, and retaining highly competent P&A employees. Maintaining or increasing expertise in rapidly changing fields, both in teaching and research, is an important outcome of the administrative leave benefiting the individual, students, and the institution.

• Obtaining a P and A Professional Development Leave
• Obtaining an Administrative Transitional Leave

• UM 1632: Administrative Transitional Leave (PDF)
• UM 1632: Administrative Transitional Leave (DOC)
• UM 1633: Professional Development Leave for Academic Professional and Administrative Employees (PDF)
• UM 1633: Professional Development Leave for Academic Professional and Administrative Employees (DOC)

Subject	Contact	Phone	Fax/Email
General Information or Procedural Assistance	Primary: Responsible administrator/supervisor Secondary: Local campus, college, or administrative unit HR administrator Other (as needed): Office of Human Resources specialist or consultant	Office of Human Resources Specialist and Consultant List	Office of Human Resources Specialist and Consultant List
Document Processing	HRMS Key Contact Office of Human Resources Call Center	HRMS Key Contact List 612-625-2016	HRMS Key Contact List

Academic Professional and Administrative Employee

In the context of this policy, an employee whose primary position at the University is classified within the 93xx, 96xx, or 97xx job code and title series.

Benefits

Medical, dental, life, and disability coverage and contributions to the employee’s retirement plan.

Salary

The P&A employee’s regular University salary at the time the leave is initiated.

Senior Administrator

Appointees in classifications 9300 – 9330. Refer to Appendix B: Senior Administrator Job Classifications.

Unit

The campus, college, or administrative unit that employs the person.

Unit Administrator

The administrator who is charged with leadership and oversight of the campus, college, or administrative unit.

Year of Service

An academic or fiscal year of service as a P&A employee and as documented in the individual’s annual Notice of Appointment. An academic year will mean the equivalent of two semesters of employment at 67 percent time or greater. A fiscal year will mean the equivalent of more than two semesters of employment at 67 percent time or greater.

Professional Development Leave

Unit

• Makes opportunities for professional development leaves available to eligible P&A employees.
• Establishes unit criteria and procedures to be used in application, consideration, and approval for professional development leave requests.
• Provides for review and approval of professional development leave requests.
• Submits annual summary report on leave activity as required.

P&A Employee Requesting Leave

• Applies for a professional development leave if eligible and interested in accordance with established procedures.
• Prepares and submits a report on the activities of the leave as requested and in accordance with unit guidelines.

Responsible Administrator/Supervisor

• Awards professional development leaves.
• Reviews and approves any income augmentation requests in conjunction with a short-term leave of less than full salary or an extended leave as outlined under Procedures.
• Determines how the responsibilities of the person on leave will be covered.
• Under special circumstances, provides for a written waiver covering reimbursement of salary, retirement contributions, and value of benefits received during leave.

Administrative Transitional Leave

Senior Administrator Requesting Leave

• Applies for an administrative transitional leave and submit request and plan to the responsible administrator.
• Upon request, provides within one month of the conclusion of the leave some form of documentation or report on the activities and outcomes of the leave to the responsible administrator of the non-administrative position.

Responsible Administrator for the administrative position

• Approves administrative transitional leave request in conjunction with the president or delegate.
• Negotiates the length of the leave with the administrator requesting the leave.

Senior Officer for the faculty or academic professional position

• Negotiates with the individual the salary and benefits of the faculty or academic professional position.

President or Delegate

• Approves administrative transitional leaves in conjunction with the responsible administrator.
• Grants any exceptions to the additional pay provision as provided for in this policy.
• Under special circumstances, grants any waivers covering the reimbursement of salary, retirement contributions, and value of benefits received during an administrative transitional leave.
• Under special circumstances, grants permission to combine an administrative transitional leave with restricted leaves as noted in this policy.

Board of Regents

• Approves and negotiates terms of an administrative transitional leave for the president.

• Chart: Professional Development Leaves for Academic Professional and Administrative Employees (PDF)
• Senior Administrator Job Classifications (9300 - 9330)

1. Are P&A employees eligible for a professional development leave as defined in this policy while on disability leave?

   No, a professional development leave cannot be granted while a P&A employee is on disability leave.

2. Will a P&A employee on a professional development or administrative transitional leave who is otherwise vacation eligible, continue to accrue vacation time?

   Yes, under such circumstances P&A Employees who remain vacation eligible will continue to do so if they have not reached the maximum number of days (hours) permitted.

• Academic Job Codes and Titles
• Board of Regents Policy: Employee Development, Education, and Training

Amended:

May 2009 - General editing and formatting changes made to the policy. Clarification was made permitting administrative transitional leaves to be either full- or part-time.

Amended:

November 2007 - Policy converted to the new University-wide format for administrative policies.

Adopted:

March 2006 - Language contained in the Administrative Policy: Granting Professional Development and Transitional Leaves for Academic Professional and Administrative Employees incorporates policy information previously contained in Board of Regents Policy: Professional and Administrative Staff Development Leaves, the accompanying Administrative Guidelines and Procedures, and Board of Regents Policy: Administrative Transitional Leaves. This policy supports a new single Board of Regents Policy: Employee Development, Education, and Training that supercedes the several Board policies concerning development leaves.

The Extension Study Leave was eliminated as a separate leave, leaving the other three P&A professional development leaves to cover the purpose of the study leave.

Provision for an administrative transitional leave was extended to an additional classification 9330 Director (University-wide) in addition to adding language that allows the president or delegate to extend this leave opportunity to other administrators such as collegiate department head.

Forms were developed for both the professional development leave and the administrative transitional leave.

Effective:

May 2009