FACULTY SABBATICAL LEAVE	No. 3-25	Rev. 05-08-07
		Date 2-15-78

I. POLICY

A sabbatical leave shall be interpreted to mean a leave of absence with compensation for one semester or two semesters as approved by the Board of Trustees for purposes of study, research or other pursuit, the objectives of which are the professional improvement and advancement of faculty members as well as an increase in their usefulness to the institution.

A one-course reduction in a tenure-track faculty member's contracted workload for one semester is available for the purpose of promoting scholarly activity before tenure is granted (See Section VI).

II. PURPOSES OF FACULTY SABBATICAL LEAVE

Sabbatical leaves are granted to faculty members only for purposes that will improve the ability of the recipient to discharge effectively teaching, research or service obligations to the University including the following:

A. Research and writing in the recipient's field of specialization

B. Regular attendance at classes or laboratories of an institution of higher learning

C. Pursuance of training in the recipient's field of specialization

D. Other specifically defined purposes which would clearly further the objectives of the sabbatical-leave plan

III. ELIGIBILITY FOR FACULTY SABBATICAL LEAVE

A. A faculty member taking sabbatical leave must hold academic rank and tenure. (Requests of leave may be made prior to actual attainment of tenure, but the recipient may not go on leave until tenured.)

B. Faculty sabbatical leave eligibility shall accrue at the rate of one semester of eligibility per three years of full-time equivalent Weber State University service, excluding time spent on leave.

C. Each semester of faculty sabbatical leave taken shall decrease faculty sabbatical leave eligibility by one semester.

D. The maximum accrued faculty sabbatical leave eligibility shall be two semesters.

E. On recommendation of the president, the Board of Trustees may waive the normal eligibility and application timeline requirements when in its judgment conditions exist which justify granting a requested faculty sabbatical leave.

F. Whenever sabbatical leaves are taken in two consecutive semesters, the sabbatical will be treated as a two-semester sabbatical even if the semesters are in different academic years.

IV. STANDARDS GOVERNING FACULTY SABBATICALS

A. Faculty members may apply for one or two semesters of leave limited only by the amount of eligibility for leave accrued.

B. The salary rate paid during sabbatical leave as a percentage of base contract salary depends on the length of leave as follows:

One semester: 100% of one semester's salary Two semesters: 75% of two semester's salary

Leave accrued under the quarter system will be converted as follows:

3 years = 1 semester @ 100% salary for the semester

6 years = 2 semesters @ 75% salary for the 2 semesters

C. The University shall not give additional funds beyond the percentage indicated for the sabbatical leave.

D. Money accrued from sabbaticals (25% of two semesters' salary) shall be used in each college to defray the costs of instruction during sabbaticals. Colleges and Departments are responsible for determining how to cover the remaining instructional costs.

Central Administration has a responsibility to find additional sources of funding for sabbaticals.

E. If the recipient of the sabbatical leave received a foundation grant or other compensation from non-University sources for the period of the leave, such compensation must be consistent with the objective of the sabbatical experience and approved by the appropriate dean.

F. Faculty members are covered by fringe benefits while on sabbatical leave.

G. A faculty member on sabbatical leave is eligible for consideration for merits, advancement in rank, one-time bonuses and for any general or special adjustment in salary received by other faculty members of the University.

V. PROCEDURE FOR FACULTY SABBATICAL

A. Applications for sabbatical leaves shall describe in detail the purpose for which the leave is requested and the manner in which it is expected to improve the applicant's ability to discharge obligations to the University.

B. Applications for sabbatical leaves should be submitted to the appropriate department by December 1 of the academic year preceding the academic year in which the sabbatical leave is to occur. The department chair shall forward the application with a recommendation as to its disposition to the dean of the college. The dean shall review this application, make a recommendation and, in consultation with the provost, determine if the leave ought to be granted. A report and recommendation to this effect shall be submitted to the president and, if the president concurs, to the Board of Trustees for final approval. The applicant will receive notice of the final decision by February 15 of the academic year preceding the academic year in which the sabbatical leave is to occur.

C. Applications by faculty members holding appointments in more than one department or college shall be submitted to and be the subject of a recommendation from each appropriate chair, dean and the provost.

D. Upon the completion of a sabbatical leave, the recipient shall file with the provost, the dean and the department chair a detailed report of activities during the leave and of the extent to which the purposes of the leave were met.

VI.  ONE-COURSE REDUCTION FOR TENURE-TRACK FACULTY

If the review of a tenure-track faculty member shows satisfactory progress towards tenure, he or she is eligible for a one-course reduction of his or her contracted workload for one semester.  This course reduction must be awarded before the faculty member is granted tenure and is for the purpose of promoting scholarly activity.  In order to be granted this course reduction, the faculty member must submit to his or her department chair and dean an application describing plans for the research or creative activities he or she plans to pursue during the semester is question.  Such applications must be submitted six months in advance and approved by both the faculty member's chair and dean.  Before the start of the semester in which the workload reduction is to occur, the dean will forward a list of the names of all faculty members who have been approved for such a reduction to the provost who will in turn forward the list to the Board of Trustees for final approval.