24.1 Sabbaticals.
(a) Policy. A sabbatical for professional development will be made available to faculty who meet the requirements set forth below. Such sabbatical is granted to increase a faculty member’s value to the University through enhanced opportunities for professional renewal, planned travel, study, formal education, research, writing, or other experience of professional value, not as a reward for service.
(b) Types of Sabbaticals.
(1) Each year, the University will make available at least one (1) sabbatical at full pay for one (1) semester for each forty (40) eligible faculty members, subject to the conditions set forth below. The University may provide a sabbatical that is equivalent to the one (1) semester, full pay sabbatical at the request of the faculty member.
(2) The University will make available to each eligible faculty member whose application has been reviewed by the University a sabbatical for two (2) semesters (i.e., one (1) academic year) at half pay, subject to the conditions set forth below.
(3) Each year, the University will make available at least one (1) sabbatical at two-thirds (2/3) pay for two (2) semesters (i.e., one (1) academic year) for each forty (40) eligible faculty members, subject to the conditions set forth below.
(c) Eligibility for a Sabbatical. Full-time tenured faculty members with at least six (6) years of full-time service to the University will be eligible for a sabbatical. A faculty member who is compensated through a contract or grant may receive a sabbatical only if the contract or grant allows a sabbatical and the faculty member meets all other eligibility requirements.
(d) Application and Selection.
(1) Applications for sabbaticals will be submitted in accordance with University procedures established through the consultation process (Article 2).
(2) Each application will include a statement describing the program and activities to be followed while on sabbatical, the expected increase in value of the faculty member to the University and the faculty member’s academic discipline, specific results anticipated from the leave, any anticipated supplementary income, and a statement that the applicant agrees to comply with the conditions of the sabbatical program, as described in 24.1(e).
(3) A sabbatical at half pay will be granted unless the University has determined that the conditions set forth in this section have not been met or that departmental/unit staffing considerations preclude such sabbatical from being granted. In this latter instance, the faculty member will be provided the sabbatical the following year, or at a later time as agreed to by the faculty member and the University. The period of postponement will be credited for eligibility toward a subsequent sabbatical.
(4) If there are more applicants for one (1) semester sabbaticals at full pay or two (2) semester sabbaticals at two-thirds (2/3) pay than available sabbaticals, a committee will rank the applicants. The committee will be elected by and from the faculty members eligible for sabbatical leave as specified in section 24.1(c). The committee chairperson will be selected by the President or representative.
(5) The committee, in ranking the applicants, will consider the benefits of the proposed program to the faculty member, the University, and the profession; an equitable distribution of sabbaticals among colleges, divisions, departments, and disciplines within the University; the length of time since the faculty member was relieved of teaching duties for the purpose of research and other scholarly activities; and length of service since previous sabbatical or initial appointment.
(6) The committee will submit a ranked list of recommended faculty members to the President or representative. The President or representative will make appointments from the list and consult with the committee prior to an appointment that does not follow the committee’s ranking.
(7) No more than one (1) faculty member in a department/unit need be awarded a sabbatical at the same time.
(8) If departmental/unit staffing needs preclude a one (1) semester sabbatical or two (2) semester sabbaticals at two-thirds (2/3) pay from being granted, the faculty member will be provided the sabbatical the following year, or at a later time as agreed to by the faculty member and the University. The period of postponement will be credited toward eligibility for a subsequent sabbatical.
(e) Terms of Sabbatical Program.
(1) While on sabbatical, the faculty member’s salary will be one half (1/2) pay for two (2) semesters (one (1) academic year), full pay for one (1) semester, or two-thirds pay for two (2) semester sabbaticals, subject to the limitations herein.
(2) The faculty member must return to the University for at least one (1) academic year following participation in the program. Agreements to the contrary must be reduced to writing prior to participation. Return to the University of salary received and the amount spent by the University on benefits for the faculty member may be required in those instances where neither of the above is satisfied.
(3) The faculty member must, within thirty (30) days upon returning from the sabbatical, provide a concise written report of his or her accomplishments during the sabbatical to the President or representative. This report will include information regarding the activities undertaken during the sabbatical, the results accomplished during the sabbatical as they affect the faculty member and the University, and research or other scholarly work produced or expected to be produced as a result of the sabbatical.
(4) Faculty member will not normally be eligible for a subsequent sabbatical until six (6) years of continuous service are completed following the previous sabbatical.
(5) Contributions normally made by the University to retirement and Social Security programs will be continued on a basis proportional to the salary received. Board contributions normally made to insurance programs for faculty and any other benefit programs for faculty will be continued during the sabbatical.
(6) Eligible faculty will continue to accrue annual and sick leave on a full-time basis during the sabbatical.
(7) While on leave, a faculty member will be permitted to receive funds for travel and other sabbatical-related expenses from sources other than the University, such as fellowships, grants-in-aid, and contracts and grants, to assist in accomplishing the purposes of the sabbatical. Receipt of funds for such purposes will not result in reduction of the faculty member’s University salary. Grants for such financial assistance from other sources may, but need not, be administered through the University.
(8) If financial assistance is received in the form of salary, the University salary will normally be reduced by the amount necessary to bring the total income of the sabbatical period to a level comparable to the faculty member’s current year salary rate. Employment unrelated to the purpose of the sabbatical leave is governed by the provisions of Article 21 (Conflict of Interest/Outside Activity).
24.2 Professional Development Leave.
(a) Policy. Professional development leave will be made available to faculty who meet the requirements set forth below. Such leave is to be granted to increase a faculty member’s value to the University through enhanced opportunities for professional renewal, educational travel, study, formal education, research, writing, involvement in a special project, or other experience of professional value, not as a reward for service.
(b) Types of Professional Development Leave. Each year, the University may make available at least one (1) professional development leave at full pay for one (1) semester or its equivalent (for example, leave at half pay for two (2) semesters) for each twenty (20) eligible faculty, subject to the conditions set forth below.
(c) Eligibility for Professional Development Leave. Full-time faculty with four (4) or more years of service who are not tenured or tenure-earning will be eligible for professional development leave. The University, at its discretion, may offer professional development leave to faculty in tenure-earning or tenured positions. A faculty member who is compensated through a contract or grant may receive a professional development leave only if the contract or grant allows for such leave and the faculty member meets all other eligibility requirements.
(d) Application and Selection.
(1) Application for professional development leave will contain an appropriate outline of the project or work to be accomplished during the leave.
(2) Criteria for selection of professional development leave applications will be specified by the University and made available to eligible faculty.
(3) The University will select applicants when the University believes that completion of the project or work would improve the productivity of the department or function of which the faculty member is a part.
(4) No more than one (1) faculty member in each department/unit need be granted leave at the same time.
(e) Terms of Professional Development Leave.
(1) The faculty member must return to University employment for at least one (1) academic year following the conclusion of such leave. Agreements to the contrary must be reduced to writing prior to participation. Return to the University of salary received and the amount spent by the University on benefits the faculty member received during the program may be required in those instances where neither of the above is satisfied.
(2) A faculty member who fails to spend the time as stated in the application will reimburse the University for the salary received during such leave.
(3) Faculty will not normally be eligible for a subsequent professional development leave until four (4) years of continuous service are completed following the previous leave.
(4) The faculty member must provide a brief written report of the faculty member’s accomplishments during the professional development leave to the President or representative upon return to the University.
(5) Contributions normally made by the University to retirement and Social Security programs will be continued on a basis proportional to the salary received. Board contributions normally made to insurance programs for faculty and any other benefit programs for faculty will be continued during the professional development leave.
(6) Eligible faculty will continue to accrue annual and sick leave on a full-time basis during the professional development leave.
(7) While on professional development leave, a faculty member will be permitted to receive funds for travel and living expenses and other such professional development leave-related expenses from sources other than the University, such as fellowships, grants-in-aid, and contracts and grants, to assist in accomplishing the purposes of the professional development leave. Receipt of funds for such purposes will not result in reduction of the faculty member’s University salary. Grants for such financial assistance from other sources may, but need not, be administered through the University.
(8) If financial assistance is received in the form of salary, the University salary will normally be reduced by the amount necessary to bring the total income of the professional development leave period to a level comparable to the faculty member’s current year salary rate. Employment unrelated to the purpose of the professional development leave is governed by the provisions of Article 21 (Conflict of Interest/Outside Activity).
24.3 Other Study Leave.
(a) Job Required. A faculty member required to take academic course work as part of assigned duties will not be required to charge time spent attending classes during the work day to accrued leave.
(b) Job-Related. A faculty member may, at the discretion of the supervisor, be permitted to attend up to six (6) credits of course work per semester during work hours, provided that:
(1) the course work is directly related to the faculty member’s professional responsibilities;
(2) the supervisor determines that the absence will not interfere with the proper operation of the work unit;
(3) the supervisor believes that completion of the course work would improve the productivity of the department or function of which the faculty member is a part; and
(4) the faculty member’s work schedule can be adjusted to accommodate such job-related study without reduction the total number of work hours required per pay period.
24.4 Retraining. The University may, at its discretion, provide opportunities for retraining of faculty members when it is in the University’s best interests. Such opportunities may be provided to faculty members who are laid off pursuant to Article 14 (Layoff and Recall) of this Agreement, to those who are reassigned, or in other appropriate circumstances. These retraining opportunities may include enrollment in tuition-free courses under the provisions of section 26.8 (Free University Courses for Faculty and/or Dependents) and Sabbaticals or Professional Development Leave under this Article.
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