2.7.3 Sabbatical Leave Of Absence For Full-Time Faculty

Policy: 2.7.3

Sabbatical Leave Of Absence For Full-Time Faculty

Date of Policy Adoption: January 25, 2000

Revised Effective Date: April 1, 2009

Scope: Full Time Faculty

Policy

Full-time faculty are eligible to apply for a sabbatical leave of absence after six continuous years of full-time service to the College in faculty status or after six continuous years since the last sabbatical. Purposes for sabbaticals include, but are not limited to, enhanced subject matter expertise, improved student learning, improved achievement of desired student outcomes, improved performance of faculty duties, and achievement of some high-priority strategic direction for the program or the College.

Employees granted a sabbatical leave for one-half their annual assignment will be eligible for salary equal to 100 percent of their normal salary for the period of the sabbatical, plus applicable employee benefits, to include: FICA, life, health, dental, LTD and retirement contributions. Sick leave does not continue to accrue during the sabbatical period. Accumulated days of sick leave will not be reduced as a result of illness during the sabbatical. For a full year sabbatical leave, the employee will be eligible for 60% of normal salary plus benefits.

Faculty granted a sabbatical leave are required to return to the College and resume duties for a period of two years immediately following the contract year of the sabbatical. If the sabbatical is for one-half year, the employee will return to the College for the remainder of the contract year along with the two-year requirement noted above. Upon return, the employee may be assigned to other duties than those assigned when s/he took the sabbatical, but with no loss of pay or benefits. Following the sabbatical, if the employee does not fulfill this obligation, s/he will be required to make repayment of salary and benefit costs incurred by the College during the sabbatical period. The College may, at any time, release the employee from the two-year requirement.

Date of Policy Adoption: January 25, 2000

Effective Date: January 25, 2000

_________________________________

Dr. Ed Harris, Board Chair

Procedure

APPLICATION PROCESS

The form “Application for Sabbatical Leave” must be completed by the applicant and reviewed at four (4) levels before advancing to the College President and the District Governing Board. The application package and budget are reviewed by the applicant’s immediate supervisor (Division Dean) and forwarded to the Professional Growth Committee. The Professional Growth Committee will forward the application to the Dean of Instruction and then forward it to the Chief Academic Officer. An indication of support or non-support will be provided at each level. Reviewers may also provide comments. The application must be reviewed by the Division Dean by November 1 and submitted to the Professional Growth Committee no later than November 15 of the year preceding the academic year of the requested sabbatical leave.

The Professional Growth Committee will screen applications, interview applicants, and determine priority among applicants using the criteria described below. The Committee may request that applications be revised to better meet these criteria. The Committee will rank applications according to established criteria and forward the ranked applications to the campus Dean of Instruction by December 1. The Campus Dean will forward the application to the Vice President of Academic Affairs/Provost who will forward recommendations to the President by January 15. Not more that five percent (5%) of full-time faculty will be granted sabbatical leave in any academic year, contingent on available funding.

CRITERIA FOR RANKING AND RECOMMENDING SABBATICAL LEAVES

Highest priority is assigned to applications with a high probability of direct impact on subject matter expertise, pursuit or completion of advanced degrees, enhanced achievement of desired student outcomes, improved performance of faculty duties, or achievement of high priority strategic initiatives.

An application may be assigned a low priority or it may be disapproved due to unusual conditions that may produce a negative impact on the College or on the program area in which the faculty member works. When an application is disapproved or given a low priority the faculty member will be given an opportunity to devise a plan to address the unusual conditions that led to the low ranking or disapproval. An application ranked low or disapproved may be resubmitted in the following year.

An application may not be assigned a low priority or be disapproved on the basis of potential income the applicant may earn while on sabbatical leave. The College recognizes that extra income may be a financial necessity and that outside work may enhance professional growth, provided that it does not interfere with approved sabbatical leave activities.

At any time during this process the applicant may be asked to revise the application to better meet the established criteria, or clarify the scope and focus of the request.

APPROVAL/DISAPPROVAL OF SABBATICAL LEAVE

The President will review all sabbatical applications. In the event the President disagrees with the recommendations and/or priorities as submitted, he/she will review such disagreements with the Professional Growth Chair or membership of the committee.

Subsequent to a review (if necessary) with the Professional Growth Chair or committee membership, the President will submit to the Board of Governors, at its March meeting, the applications he/she recommends for approval. At least one week prior to this submission, the President will notify the applicants of his/her recommendations to approve or disapprove their respective applications.

By March 30, the President will notify applicants in writing of action taken by the Board of Governors.

Within two weeks of such notification, successful applicants must submit to the President a written acceptance or rejection of the approved sabbatical leave. This acceptance will include agreement to fulfill faculty obligations defined in the sabbatical Policy.

By November 1 of the academic year following the sabbatical leave, the faculty member will submit to the Chief Academic Officer a report of activities completed while on leave. The Chief Academic Officer will provide the President and District Governing Board a copy of the report. The faculty member may be asked to present their sabbatical outcomes at a District Governing Board meeting. Additional information may be requested. If the faculty member fails to demonstrate a bona fide effort to carry out the purposes and activities for which the leave was granted, the College may require reimbursement of funds received during the sabbatical.

Revised and Approved 4-1-09

Full-Time Faculty Sabbatical Form

Sabbatical Leave Request Format