Administrative number: 3-12A
Responsible office: Academic Affairs
Responsible officer: Chief Academic Officer (CAO)

IFO Sabbatical Leave Procedure (Draft)

Purpose:

This procedure outlines the application and approval process for sabbatical leave for Inter Faculty Organization (IFO) members at Winona State University (WSU).

Rationale for Revision and Major Changes:

This procedure draft is a proposed update for a legacy regulation:

This policy establishes the application and approval process for sabbatical leaves for Inter Faculty Organization (IFO) members at Winona State University (WSU).

Rationale for Revision and Major Changes:

This policy draft is a proposed update for a legacy regulation:

This updated procedure now numbers the steps involved in granting sabbaticals, and it specifies the contents of the application form.

Stakeholder feedback report:

Procedure:

A. Eligibility

Eligible IFO faculty members may apply for sabbatical leave. Requirements for eligibility are outlined in the IFO Master Agreement, Article 19, Section C, subd 2a.

B. Timeline

The deadlines for application and approval processes for sabbatical leaves are listed at the beginning of each academic year in the WSU Academic Deadline Calendar.

C. Application Process

The application process includes the following steps:

  1. The faculty member submits an IFO Application for Sabbatical Leave form and a proposed sabbatical plan to the department and the dean of the college or immediate supervisor.

  2. The Application for Sabbatical Leave form contains the following fields:

    • Name
    • Date
    • Department
    • FTE years of service through June 30th of the current year
    • Prior sabbatical leave periods
    • Period of requested leave (fall semester, spring semester, or academic year)

  3. The sabbatical plan includes the purpose, goals, plan for implementation, and anticipated outcomes of the sabbatical.

  4. The sabbatical plan describes how the sabbatical contributes to the faculty member’s professional development goals, the department’s programs, and the university’s academic outcomes.

D. Granting of Sabbaticals

Sabbatical leave will be granted to faculty who meet the criteria outlined in the IFO Master Agreement Article 19, Section C, subd. 2b, subject to the limitations of Article 19, Section C, subd 2d. If these criteria are not met, the sabbatical application will be considered based on the strength of the sabbatical plan and the impact on students and budget as described below.

The review process includes the following steps:

  1. Department faculty may make recommendations and comments on the sabbatical plan for the dean’s consideration.

  2. The dean provides the applicant with preliminary comments and a tentative recommendation.

  3. The applicant may revise and resubmit the sabbatical plan within ten duty days of receiving the dean’s preliminary comments and tentative recommendation.

  4. The dean makes a final recommendation and forwards to the supervising Vice President.

  5. Concurrently, the department prepares a student service/budget impact plan addressing the impact of the applicant’s potential absence on class availability, timely graduation for majors, student services, and the curriculum, including the feasibility and effect of replacing the faculty member with fixed term or adjunct faculty during the leave period.

  6. The department chair sends the impact plan to the dean.

  7. The dean, Vice President, and President consider the impact plan and budget considerations along with the sabbatical plan in making the final decision.

E. Responsibilities of Recipient

Faculty who are granted sabbatical leave must complete a Sabbatical Leave Agreement form. The IFO Sabbatical Leave Agreement form includes the following:

  • Faculty member agrees to return to WSU and the department for at least one year of full-time service after completion of the leave or return funds awarded during sabbatical leave period.

  • Faculty member agrees to complete proposed sabbatical plan or return funds awarded during sabbatical leave period.

  • Faculty member agrees to submit a sabbatical report to the dean detailing accomplishments of the sabbatical at the end of the sabbatical leave or by September 15 of the following year, whichever is later.

Recipients submit any changes to the original approved plan to the dean for approval. Recipients who fail to submit the sabbatical report will not be considered for subsequent sabbaticals until the criteria in Article 19, Section C, subd 2b are met.

Related Documents:

Related definitions:

[3-12] Sabbatical Leave:

A period of paid leave granted to a faculty member for professional development.

Authorizing Policy:

History:

Date of Revisions: 08/12/1992, 03/28/2011

Adoption date: 08/12/1992
Implementation date: 01/01/2099