SABBATICAL LEAVE POLICY
I. POLICY
Sabbatical leaves for professional
development may be made available to teaching faculty, administrative and
professional faculty, and the college president. The objective of such leave is
to provide a renewed capacity for significant contribution of service to the
college and the community at large. Sabbatical leaves are distinct from
educational leaves and are not designed merely for planned courses of study for
academic credit. Planned courses of study for academic credit will be requested
under the "Educational Aid Policy".
II. DESCRIPTION/PURPOSE
A sabbatical is a compensated leave of
absence of one or two semesters for full-time academic faculty and up to 12
months for administrative and professional faculty and the college president.
Sabbatical leaves shall be granted for approved projects of full-time
independent study, research, and/or creative work that will renew teaching
abilities, and to foster and enrich intellectual and professional growth and
development. Projects may be concerned with wide-ranging interests or with work
in specialized fields and should address issues in the substance of the
applicant's teaching field, research interests, professional field, or in some
other area which will enhance understanding of related fields. The ultimate
purpose of the leave program is to sustain vigor, especially in the college's
academic instructional programs, and to ensure that faculty members have the
opportunity for professional development.
III. ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for consideration, the
faculty member must meet the following criteria:
A. Hold
a full-time nine-month teaching faculty contract or a twelve-month teaching,
professional, or administrative contract.
B. Minimally
hold the rank of Assistant Professor.
C. Have
completed six years of creditable service at the time of application for
sabbatical leave.
D. Have
completed six years of creditable service since a previously awarded sabbatical
leave.
Faculty members who are awarded
sabbatical leaves shall serve twice the time of the approved leave with pay at
the college after return from leave with pay. The number of sabbatical leave
awards in any year will depend upon the availability of funds. Funding for
sabbatical leaves will be determined each year from funds set aside for faculty
professional development. In the event that funds are limited for professional
development, sabbatical leaves may not be awarded. Funding determinations will
be made by May 1 of each year for the following fiscal year.
IV. APPLICATION
Written applications for sabbatical
leaves will be submitted on the "Sabbatical Leave Proposal Form' and shall
be submitted no later than April 1 prior to the period of the commencement of
the leave. This allows time for full review of proposals and to determine the
college's budgetary capability to support sabbatical leaves. Applicants shall
submit proposals to their immediate supervisor for review and recommendation.
The immediate supervisor shall then forward the proposal to the Vice
President of Academic and Student Affairs for review prior to submission to the
Sabbatical Leave Review Committee. The Sabbatical Leave Review Committee shall
forward its recommendations to the Vice President of Academic and Student
Affairs. The college president shall receive the recommendations of the
Sabbatical Leave Review Committee from the Vice President of Academic and
Student Affairs. In the case of sabbatical leaves requested by the college president,
the Chancellor shall receive and approve the applications.
Sabbatical Leave Review Committee: The
committee will be made up of one faculty representative from each academic
division selected by the respective division deans, one professional counselor
selected by the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs, and two
administrative/professional faculty members selected by the President. They
shall be selected based on their knowledge, teaching effectiveness, and
accomplishments at the college. The committee will review all proposals for
funding. The review committee's recommendations are not subject to appeal, but
the committee will maintain records of its deliberations and, upon written
request of an applicant, provide a summary evaluation of the applicant's
proposal after the announcement of leave recipients is made. Seniority may be a
factor in considering proposals of equal merit since, presumably, the need for
renewal is greatest among those with the longest terms of service. All things being
equal, preference will be given to senior applicants who have demonstrated a
high quality of service to the college. Proposals that show a direct, positive
effect on teaching quality through independent study, research, and/or creative
work will be given priority. It shall be the function of the review committee
to recommend for approval those whose leave will be of maximum benefit to the
college, especially its teaching mission. The Sabbatical Leave Review Committee
will forward proposals recommended for funding to the Vice President of
Academic and Student Affairs. The Vice President will recommend those proposals
for funding to the President for final decision and approval.
Faculty members awarded sabbatical
leaves shall execute a promissory note as prescribed by Section 3.10.5.3 of the
VCCS Policy Manual.
V. MONETARY
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
A. The rate of pay while on leave with pay shall be 50 percent of the full-time contract salary in effect on the last contractual workday prior to the effective date of sabbatical leave. Sabbatical leave periods will commence on the first day of an academic semester for teaching faculty, and on the agreed upon date for administrative and professional faculty. Ending dates will be at the end of an academic semester or year for teaching faculty and on the agreed upon date for administrative and professional faculty.
B. A
faculty member who fails to successfully complete any portion of the sabbatical
leave will reimburse the college a proportionate amount of the salary received
while on sabbatical leave with pay. Faculty members returning from sabbatical
leave shall serve twice the period of time on leave in order to satisfy the
promissory note. A written report summarizing project accomplishments must be
submitted to the faculty member's immediate supervisor and the Vice President
of Academic and Student Affairs, with a copy to the college president.
B.
Upon return from sabbatical leave and into full-time
status, the faculty member's rate of pay will reflect any salary scale
adjustments that may have occurred during the sabbatical leave period. The time
spent on sabbatical
leave will count
as service credit for purposes of seniority, promotions, and multi-year
appointments. Faculty members will not accrue sick leave, personal leave, or
annual leave during the sabbatical leave period. The college will continue to
pay VRS contributions, all costs for group life insurance, and the state
portion of health insurance premiums (the individual portion will be paid by
the faculty member through payroll deduction).
Updated 7/00
Updated 4/04
SABBATICAL LEAVE PROPOSAL FORM
This application
is due in the office of the immediate supervisor by April 1 in the
academic year before the one in which the sabbatical is to be taken.
Applications shall be forwarded to the Chair of the Sabbatical Leave Review
Committee by the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs by the deadline
date established by the committee. The committee shall review all applications
and recommend those for funding that are deemed to be the best for funding
based on established criteria. The Vice President of Academic and Student
Affairs shall review the committee's recommendations and forward the proposals
to the President for final approval. A written decision will be sent to the
applicants by May 15.
NAME: __________________________
TITLE/TEACHING
FIELD: _______________________________
DIVISION/DEPARTMENT: _______________________________
DATE OF ORIGINAL APPOINTMENT AT THE COLLEGE: ______________________________________________________________________
DO YOU HAVE SIX
YEARS OF CREDITABLE SERVICE WITH THE COLLEGE OR SIX YEARS OF CREDITABLE SERVICE
SINCE A PREVIOUS SABBATICAL LEAVE?
YES
or NO
BEGINNING DATE
OF PROPOSED LEAVE: __________________________________
ENDING DATE OF PROPOSED LEAVE: __
HAVE YOU PREVIOUSLY BEEN AWARDED EDUCATIONAL LEAVE OR SABBATICAL LEAVE? YES or NO
IF YES, PLEASE
STATE TYPE OF LEAVE AND BEGINNING AND ENDING DATES:
WHAT ARE THE GOALS
OF THE SABBATICAL LEAVE?
DESCRIBE THE
PLANNED ACTIVITIES FOR THE SABBATICAL LEAVE.
EXPLAIN THE
RELATIONSHIP OF THE LEAVE PROPOSAL TO YOUR PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES AT THE
COLLEGE.
WHY DO YOU NEED
TO BE RELEASED FROM
HOW WILL THE
LEAVE CONTRIBUTE TO YOUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT?
WHAT ARE YOUR
PLANS FOR SHARING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THE LEAVE WITH MEMBERS OF THE COLLEGE
COMMUNITY?
IF YOU INTEND TO ACCEPT FELLOWSHIPS, GRANTS-IN-AID, OR
EARNED INCOME TO ASSIST IN ACCOMPLISHING THE PURPOSE OF THE LEAVE, INCLUDE A
STATEMENT EXPLAINING THE SOURCE(S) OR FUNDS AND THE ANTICIPATED AMOUNT.
IN ORDER TO
FURTHER ASSIST THE SABBATICAL LEAVE REVIEW COMMITTEE IN ITS DELIBERATIONS,
PLEASE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
• DEGREES EARNED AND DATES OF CONFERRAL:
• EMPLOYMENT RECORD (FACULTY RANKS HELD AND
DATES, POSITION TITLES, EMPLOYMENT PRIOR TO VWCC) WITH MOST RECENT FIRST:
• LIST ACADEMIC HONORS, AWARDS, OR FELLOWSHIPS
RECEIVED AND DATES:
• LIST ANY PUBLICATIONS AND IMPORTANT ACADEMIC
OR PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS:
• PROVIDE ANY OTHER PERTINENT EXPERIENCES AND
CURRENT ACTIVITIES:
SIGNATURE: DATE:
REVIEW AND
RECOMMENDATIONS
• IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR REVIEW AND
RECOMMENDATIONS:
HOW WILL YOU
COVER THE WORKLOAD OF THE FACULTY MEMBER DURING THE PERIOD OF THE SABBATICAL
LEAVE?
SUPERVISOR
SIGNATURE: DATE:
• RECOMMENDATION OF SABBATICAL LEAVE REVIEW
COMMITTEE:
SIGNATURE OF
CHAIR: DATE:
• VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC AND STUDENT AFFAIRS
REVIEW AND RECOMMENDATION:
ARE FUNDS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT THE AWARD?
IS THE PROPOSAL REALISTIC AND ACHIEVABLE?
SIGNATURE DATE:
• PRESIDENT REVIEW AND APPROVAL:
SIGNATURE: DATE: