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Granting Faculty Development Leaves

Effective: September 2002
Last Updated: May 2008

Responsible University Officer:

  • Vice President for Human Resources

Policy Owner:

  • Director, Human Resources Policy Development

Policy Contact:

Policy Statement

Faculty development leaves including single semester and sabbatical leaves are provided by the University of Minnesota (University) as an opportunity for faculty to acquire new skills and knowledge, to enhance communication of knowledge to students and society, and to create new uses for the knowledge made available. Single semester leaves provide opportunity for a development leave one semester in length at full salary and benefits to the individual. Sabbatical leaves provide for a development leave up to one year at one-half salary and full benefits. Faculty request development leaves to pursue more intensely significant work already in progress or begin new studies, investigations, research, scholarly writing, and artistic projects. Leaves may also be used for curriculum development and other improvements to teaching. Eligibility varies according to the faculty appointment, the type of leave and years of service.

Provisions and Terms

Scope

This policy governs the provision for single semester and sabbatical development leaves for regular (tenure and tenure-track) faculty and contract faculty. This leave benefit is not provided to temporary, visiting, and adjunct or clinical faculty from outside the University. Excluded from coverage under this policy are represented faculty covered by collective bargaining agreements.

Single Semester Leaves

  1. Allocation of Leaves

    The number of single semester leaves and the allocation among colleges/campuses is determined by the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost. Up to four percent of the regular faculty at the probationary rank of instructor or probationary and tenured ranks of assistant professor, associate professor or professor can be authorized for single semester leaves. Competition for these leaves takes place at departmental and collegiate levels. Single semester leaves may be granted to contract faculty holding the rank of instructor, assistant professor, associate professor or professor at the discretion of the department head/chair and dean.

  2. Basis of Award

    Single semester leaves for regular faculty are awarded on the basis of years of service and results of the review of the proposal within the department and college, subject to final approval by the dean. Single semester leaves for contract faculty are awarded on the basis of availability of funds and approval by both the department head/chair and the dean, in addition to years of service and results of the review of the proposal within the department and college.

  3. Eligibility for Leave

    Probationary and contract faculty are eligible for a single semester leave after two academic or fiscal years of service in a University faculty appointment of 67 percent time or greater. Tenured faculty are eligible for a single semester leave after four academic or fiscal years of service in an appointment of 67 percent time or greater. Refer to Procedures, Determination of Years of Service For A Single Semester Leave.

  4. Frequency of Leave

    Subsequent single semester leaves may be taken following four additional eligible years of service, in a University faculty appointment of 67 percent time or greater.

  5. Scheduling

    Single semester leaves for faculty on academic year (nine-month) appointments shall begin and end so as to coincide with the beginning and ending of a semester; for faculty on fiscal year (greater than nine-month) appointments leave shall be scheduled at times reasonable and convenient for the department and unit.

  6. Income and Benefits During Leave

    A single semester leave is at full salary and benefits. The salary and benefits paid during a single semester leave are not to be regarded as additional compensation for services already rendered, but as contemporaneous compensation for services rendered by the faculty member in developing professional knowledge and skill for subsequent service to students and the University.

  7. Obligations

    1. Faculty members granted single semester leaves must return to University service immediately following the leave for a period of time at least equal to the period of the leave and at the percentage of appointment held during the leave. A delay to return to service may be granted by the dean, with concurrence of the department head/chair, for a period without pay, not longer than the period of the leave.
    2. Faculty members who do not return or return for only a portion of the time due and have not been granted a written waiver by the appropriate senior vice president must reimburse the University for all or a prorated amount of the salary, retirement contributions, and value of benefits received during the leave.
    3. Contract faculty members receiving a notice of non-renewal during the period of the single semester leave shall be granted a written waiver at the time of notice. The contract faculty member is not required to return to the unit for a period at least equal to the period of leave and is not required to reimburse the University for the amount of salary, retirement contributions, and all other fringe benefits received during the leave.

  8. Reporting

    Faculty members are to file with their department and college a summary report addressing the results of the work done while on leave. The report is to be submitted within three months of their return from leave.

Sabbatical Leaves

  1. Length of Leave

    A sabbatical leave may be granted for one or two semesters for faculty on an academic year appointment, five and one-half months, or eleven months for faculty on a fiscal year appointment. A leave of more than one semester normally is taken in consecutive (fall, spring) terms. For choosing to take a sabbatical leave of one semester only, the privilege to the second semester (or second half of the year) is waived.

  2. Basis of Award

    Sabbatical leaves for tenured faculty are awarded on the basis of years of service and review within the department and college, subject to approval by the dean. Sabbatical leaves for contract faculty are awarded on the basis of availability of funds and approval by both the department head/chair and the dean, in addition to years of service and review within the department and college.

  3. Eligibility for Leave

    A tenured faculty member is entitled to the privilege of a sabbatical leave of up to one year after six academic years of service. A contract faculty member may be awarded a sabbatical leave of up to one year after six academic years of service. Refer to Procedures, Determination of Years of Service For A Sabbatical Leave.

  4. Accrual of Credit

    No more than six years of credit may accrue toward a sabbatical leave. Credit toward a sabbatical leave is accrued during continuous years of service. Such credit is for the purpose of a sabbatical leave and cannot be cashed out or traded for other benefits.

  5. Scheduling

    Sabbatical leaves for faculty on academic year (nine-month) appointments shall begin and end so as to coincide with the beginning and ending of semesters; for faculty on fiscal-year appointments, leave shall be scheduled at times reasonable and convenient for the department and unit.

  6. Delaying and Restructuring

    Although worthy sabbatical leaves may not be denied for administrative convenience, deans may delay and restructure them for up to one year in order to relieve constraints upon department or unit budgets or to ensure that key courses remain available to students. Such delay reduces by the same time the period of eligibility for a subsequent sabbatical leave.

  7. Income and Benefits During Leave

    1. Salary and Benefits

      Sabbatical leaves are compensated at one-half salary and full benefits. The salary during the leave is based upon the faculty member's regular University salary at the time the leave is initiated. The salary and benefits paid during a sabbatical leave are not to be regarded as additional compensation for services already rendered but as contemporaneous compensation for services rendered by the faculty member in developing professional knowledge and skill for subsequent service to students and the University.

    2. Income Augmentation

      Faculty members on sabbatical leave may augment their sabbatical income up to the level of their regular University salary, provided that the activities yielding the additional compensation are consistent with the purpose of the sabbatical leave. Permission must be obtained from the department head/chair and dean. In establishing the level of permissible sabbatical income, University-approved consulting activities in which the faculty member has been engaged, that do not conflict with the purposes of the leave, shall not be considered. Expenses related to the purposes of the leave may also be taken into account in determining the level of permissible income. Faculty members are encouraged to seek funding from non-University sources to cover the portion of salary not provided under this leave.

    3. Faculty Sabbatical Supplement Program

      The Faculty Sabbatical Supplement Program provides supplemental funds to colleges to support sabbaticals for recommended tenure faculty. The program provides additional income for tenured faculty who seek to enhance their ability in scholarship, creative work, teaching, or service to the community. Tenured faculty taking a sabbatical leave for nine months or longer may compete for supplementary funding, with review by the department head/chair and dean. The senior vice president for academic affairs and provost, upon the advice of the dean, grants supplementary funding. The senior vice president for academic affairs and provost funds two-thirds of the supplemental pool and the colleges fund one-third. Availability of funds and the distribution of those funds are generally announced around December/January.

      For sabbatical leaves of one or two semesters (or five & a half or eleven months) for those on fiscal-year appointments, tenured faculty may request supplemental funds to cover an additional 30 percent of their recurring base salary (not including fringe), not to exceed $30,000. Procedures with regard to these requests are to be established by each college or campus. The dean shall provide the office of the senior vice president for academic affairs and provost an annual report of the faculty granted supplementary funds to support sabbatical leaves.

  8. Obligations

    1. Faculty members granted sabbatical leaves must return to University service immediately following the leave for a period of time at least equal to the period of the leave, and at the percentage of appointment held during the leave. A delay to return to service may be granted by the dean, with concurrence of the department head/chair, for a period without pay, not longer than the period of the leave.
    2. Faculty members who do not return or return for only a portion of the time due and have not been granted a written waiver by the appropriate senior vice president, must reimburse the University for all or a prorated amount of the salary, retirement contributions, and value of benefits received during the leave.
    3. Contract faculty members receiving a notice of nonrenewal during the period of the sabbatical leave shall be granted a written waiver at the time of notice. The contract faculty member is not required to return to the unit for a period at least equal to the period of leave and is not required to reimburse the University for the amount of salary, retirement contributions, and all other fringe benefits received during the leave.

  9. Reporting

    Faculty members are to file with their department and college a summary report addressing the results of the work done while on leave. The report is to be submitted within three months of their return from leave.

Conflict Resolution

A faculty member who is dissatisfied with decisions made under single semester or sabbatical leave policy may contact the Office for Conflict Resolution and submit the disagreement for processing under the options provided in the Board of Regents Policy: Conflict Resolution Process for Employees. In addition to the remedies provided by policy, other possible remedies may include granting the leave in question and subtracting the period of time during which the leave was inappropriately denied from the eligibility period for a future sabbatical leave.

Reason for Policy

This policy implements the Board of Regents Policy: Employee Development, Education, and Training. Faculty development leaves opportunities are provided by the University to bring benefit to the individual, the students and the University; to the citizens of the state; and all who are affected by the research, teaching, creative activity, and service to society that are the University's mission. During recent years, rapid changes in the nature and number of tasks to be carried out by faculty members in their teaching, research, creative and outreach activities have made it all the more necessary for them to acquire these new skills and knowledge in order to discharge their duties in the best manner possible. Development leaves aid in attracting and retaining faculty dedicated to the teaching, research, and service/outreach; and ensure the future vitality and quality of the University.

Procedures

Forms/Instructions

Additional Contacts

Subject Contact Phone Fax/E-mail
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 (pdf)
Conflict Resolution
  • Office of Conflict Resolution
 612-624-1030 conflict.resolution@umn.edu

Definitions

Academic Year of Service
The equivalent of two semesters of employment at 67 percent time or greater as a member of the faculty at the University.
Benefits
Medical, dental, life and disability coverage and contributions to the employee's retirement plan.
Department
Department or division within a college.
Fiscal Year of Service
The equivalent of more than two semesters of employment at 67 percent time or greater.
Salary
The faculty member's regular University salary at the time the leave is initiated.
Year of Service
An academic year or fiscal year of service as a University faculty member and as documented in the faculty member's annual notice of appointment.

Responsibilities

College/Campus
  • Make opportunities for single semester and sabbatical leaves available to eligible faculty.
  • Establish unit/departmental guidelines and procedures for review and awarding of faculty development leaves.
  • Review and approve development leave requests and sabbatical supplement requests in accordance with unit/departmental guidelines and procedures.
  • Establish criteria and procedures applicable to sabbatical supplemental funds.
  • Submit reports on leave activity and funding as required.
Faculty Member Requesting Leave
  • Apply for a development leave if eligible and interested in accordance with established procedures.
  • Apply for supplemental funding if eligible and interested in accordance with established procedures.
  • File a report of single semester or sabbatical leave results with the department and college within three months of returning to work.
Department Head/Chair
  • Forward recommended single semester leave requests to the college screening committee.
  • Make recommendations to the dean regarding individual sabbatical leave requests.
  • Participate in decision-making and approvals of single semester and sabbatical leaves.
  • Review and approve with the dean any income augmentation requests in conjunction with a sabbatical leave and as outlined in Procedures.
  • Approve with concurrence of the dean requests of faculty members to delay return to University service following a development leave.
  • Determine how responsibilities of the individual on leave will be covered.
Dean
  • Approve single semester and sabbatical leave requests, with recommendations of the department head/chair.
  • Agree to timing of an approved sabbatical leave request.
  • Review and approve with the department head/chair any income augmentation requests as outlined in Procedures.
  • Review and approve with the department head/chair requests of faculty members to delay a return to University service following a development leave.
  • Submit summary reports as required in accordance with Procedures.
Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
  • Determine the number of single semester leaves offered each year and the allocation among colleges.
  • Grant requests for supplemental funding upon advice from individual deans.
Senior Vice Presidents
  • Grant waiver, if appropriate, for faculty member non-repayment of the amount of salary, retirement contributions, and all other fringe benefits received during the leave should the faculty members not return to the University.

Appendices

There are no Appendices associated with this policy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a faculty member eligible to apply for and be granted a single semester or sabbatical development leave while on disability leave?
No. A development leave cannot be granted while the faculty member is on disability leave.
Could a faculty member take a single semester or sabbatical leave while on a total or partial disability leave?
No. The individual must be given a release to work 100 percent time by the health care provider prior to starting a single semester or sabbatical leave.
May a faculty member be granted a single semester or sabbatical leave while on a phased retirement program?
No. A faculty member is not eligible for a sabbatical or single semester leave after the Last Day of Regular Appointment.
Under what circumstances might a faculty member who has decided not to return to the University following a single semester or sabbatical leave, be granted approval to have the required repayment waived?
On rare occasions when it is believed to be in the best interest of the faculty member and the institution, a request to waive repayment may be granted by the appropriate senior vice president.

Related Information

History

Amended: May 2008
Policy converted to the new University-wide format for administrative policies.
Adopted: March 2006
Language contained in the Administrative Policy: Granting Faculty Development Leaves incorporates policy information previously contained in the Board of Regents Policy: Faculty Development Leaves and Administrative Procedures for the Regents Policy on Faculty Development Leaves. Provisions and information regarding development leaves for contract faculty were added to the policy language. This policy supports a new single Board of Regents Policy: Employee Development, Education, and Training that supersedes several Board policies, concerning development leaves.

Effective: September 2002

To obtain a copy of a historical policy, e-mail the U Policy Librarian at policy@umn.edu or call 612-624-4372.

Office of Human Resources