Obtaining a Faculty Development Leave

Determination of Years of Service for a Single Semester Leave

Earning Service Credit

An academic or fiscal year of service must be earned within a regular faculty appointment or a contract faculty appointment. Service toward a single semester leave credit is earned during periods of paid or unpaid approved leaves of absence except those noted, as long as the individual still fulfills the definition of an academic year of service or a fiscal year of service described under the Definitions. Service credit is not earned during personal leaves taken for reasons that do not relate to the faculty member's discipline or University responsibilities, or time spent on a sabbatical leave. Although service credit is not accrued during these times, it is not considered a break in service. All other eligibility requirements as defined in this policy must be met.

Suspension or Loss of Service Credit

All service credit toward eligibility is suspended in an appointment year where there is strong evidence that the faculty member's appointment will be terminated prior to what otherwise would be the end date of the period of the leave plus the required return to service period. Accumulation of years of service toward a single semester leave is lost upon retirement or resignation or notice of non-reappointment, non-renewal, or termination of appointment.

Determination of Years of Service for a Sabbatical Leave

Earning Service Credit

An academic or fiscal year of service toward a sabbatical leave must be earned within a regular faculty appointment or a contract faculty appointment. Although service credit is not accrued during times specified under Service Credit Not Counted of this section, it is not considered a break in service.

Prior Service Credit Earnings

Prior academic service at another university in which sabbatical or other developmental leaves are granted may be credited toward years of service for a new faculty in consideration of a sabbatical leave. Normally no more than three years of credit will be granted for service at another institution.

Service Credit Not Counted

Time on a sabbatical leave is not credited toward a future sabbatical leave; however, for any sabbatical leave of a semester's duration, the second semester (or second half of the year, as appropriate) will be credited toward future single semester or sabbatical leaves.

Service credit is also not accrued during approved leaves of absence without pay, including, but not limited to an entrepreneurial leave; a personal/family leave; a leave to accept a fellowship or grant; a leave to accept a visiting or other appointment in another university, college, or business; or a leave to serve elsewhere on a teaching or technical assistance project not administered by the University; approved leave of absence with pay other than an approved single semester leave or other unit development leave.

Suspension or Loss of Service Credit

All service credit toward eligibility is suspended in an appointment year where there is strong evidence that the faculty member's appointment will be terminated prior to what otherwise would be the end date of the period of the leave plus the required return to service period. Accumulation of years of service toward a sabbatical leave is lost upon retirement or resignation, or notice of non-reappointment, non renewal, or termination of appointment.

Determination of Years of Service for an Entrepreneurial Leave

Earning Service Credit

An academic or fiscal year of service toward an entrepreneurial leave must be earned within a regular faculty appointment. Although service credit is not accrued during times specified under Service Credit Not Counted in this section, it is not considered a break in service.

Service Credit Not Counted

Credit is not accrued for future entrepreneurial leaves during a sabbatical or entrepreneurial leave.

Service credit is also not accrued during approved leaves of absence without pay, including, but not limited to a personal/family leave; a leave to accept a fellowship or grant; a leave to accept a visiting or other appointment in another university, college, or business; or a leave to serve elsewhere on a teaching or technical assistance project not administered by the University; approved leave of absence with pay other than an approved single semester leave or other unit development leave.

Suspension or Loss of Service Credit

All service credit toward eligibility is suspended in an appointment year where there is strong evidence that the faculty member's appointment will be terminated prior to what otherwise would be the end date of the period of the leave plus the required return to service period. Accumulation of years of service toward an entrepreneurial leave is lost upon retirement or resignation or termination of appointment.

Communication Regarding Faculty Development Leaves

The college/department is expected to provide to faculty policy and procedures relating to faculty development leaves. Normally, the department or college calls for development leave proposals early in the academic year for leaves to be taken during the following year.

Application for a Single Semester, Sabbatical, or Entrepreneurial Leave

Process, Procedure and Application

Each college/department will develop application, review and approval process and procedures for granting faculty development leaves.

Faculty meeting eligibility for and interested in either a single semester or sabbatical leave should complete the appropriate application form, UM 21: Faculty Single Semester Leave (PDF) or UM 6: Faculty Sabbatical Leave (DOCX) and submit it for review and action in accordance with college/department procedure. Tenured faculty members returning to a faculty role following the conclusion of a senior leadership appointment should complete the appropriate application form and submit it to the president.

Tenured faculty members requesting an entrepreneurial leave should complete the UM 1789 Entrepreneurial Leave (DOCX) form or follow the Administrative Policy: Outside Consulting and Other Commitments for leaves of 20 percent or less. Before completing an entrepreneurial leave request form, tenure-track faculty members should discuss their interest with their department head/chair. If a decision is made to pursue the granting of an entrepreneurial leave, the form UM 1910 (PDF), Extension of Maximum Period of Probationary Service for Tenure-Track Faculty, will also need to be completed to obtain approval to reduce a probationary appointment to less than 67%.

Supplemental Funding Request

Tenured faculty may apply for supplemental funding in support of a sabbatical leave.

Approval of Single Semester Leaves

The dean grants final approval for single semester leaves for regular faculty. For contract faculty, the department head/chair in conjunction with the dean determines availability of funds and approves such a leave. The president, in consultation with the appropriate dean, grants approval for single semester leaves for senior leaders returning to the faculty.

Approval of Sabbatical Leaves, Income Augmentation, and Supplemental Funding

Recommendation of Sabbatical Leaves

The department head/chair subsequent to whatever review has been devised by the department, describes in writing to the dean and to the faculty member requesting the leave the extent to which the work proposed for the leave will advance the career of the person and how it will further the work of the department or otherwise change it for the better. The department head/chair will also describe what arrangements can be made for carrying on the work of the department in the faculty member's absence.

Approval of Sabbatical Leaves and Arrangements

The department head/chair and dean determine if the work proposed by the applicant is worthy of a sabbatical leave; that it will advance the faculty member's career and, secondarily, will improve the department or college. The dean grants final approval for the taking and timing of the leave for tenured faculty. For contract faculty, the department head/chair in conjunction with the dean determines availability of funds, the worthiness of the work proposed, and approves the taking and timing of the leave. The dean confers with the department head/chair concerning arrangements to be made for continuing the work of the department during the faculty member's absence. The dean provides for the department additional funding or for transfer of effort from other departments, if necessary.

The president, in consultation with the appropriate dean, reviews and approves sabbatical leave requests from senior leaders resuming their faculty role.

Granting of Supplemental Funding

The executive vice president and provost, upon the advice of the dean, grants supplemental funding to colleges to offset the cost associated with replacement teaching or salary supplements.

Approval of Income Augmentation

Permission to engage in activities yielding additional compensation up to the level specified in this policy must be obtained from the department head/chair and dean.

Approval of Entrepreneurial Leaves

Approval of Entrepreneurial Leaves and Arrangements

The dean grants final approval for entrepreneurial leaves for tenured faculty members. For tenure-track faculty, the dean makes a recommendation to the executive vice president and provost who grants final approval. The dean confers with the department head/chair concerning arrangements to be made for continuing the work of the department during the faculty member's absence.

Upon being granted an entrepreneurial leave, the faculty member should notify the grant administrator under Sponsored Project Administration, as appropriate.

Decision on Time Of Leave

Single Semester Leave

The time at which an approved single semester leave is taken is agreed to by the department head/chair.

Sabbatical Leave/Entrepreneurial Leave

The dean in conjunction with the department head/chair agrees to the time at which an approved sabbatical or entrepreneurial leave is taken.

Delay in Returning to Service

The dean with concurrence of the department head/chair may grant a delay in return to University service for a period without pay, not longer than the period of the leave.

Annual Reports by Dean

Sabbatical and Entrepreneurial Leave Actions

The dean will report annually to the executive vice president and provost sabbatical and entrepreneurial leave actions.

Supplemental Funds Granted

The dean will report annually to the executive vice president and provost a list of the faculty granted supplemental funds and the amount provided.