Sabbatical Leave (IFO) Regulation

Purpose:

This regulation establishes the method whereby faculty members at Winona State University (WSU) who are represented by the IFO may apply for sabbatical leave. Reference is made to Article 19, Section C, of the Agreement between the IFO and Minnesota State.

Note: This legacy regulation is currently being considered for updating to a formal Policy and Procedure set:

• WSU 3-12 IFO Sabbatical Leave Policy (Draft)
• WSU 3-12A IFO Sabbatical Leave Procedure (Draft)

Regulation:

Note This regulation is under revision. Please see current academic/personnel decision deadline schedule for correct deadline dates.

A. Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility guidelines are set forth in the IFO Master Agreement, Article 19, Section C. Sabbatical proposals will be evaluated separately on academic merit and on the university’s ability to fund such a leave.

B. Application

The faculty member applying for a sabbatical must complete WSU Form SL 30002. The faculty member will submit one copy of the form and the proposed sabbatical plan to the department, and one copy of the same materials to the dean* of the faculty member’s college. The written sabbatical plan will be consistent with the purposes for which sabbatical leaves are granted under Article 19.

C. Sabbatical Plan

All sabbatical plans, including plans for mandatory sabbaticals, must include information on the sabbatical goals, plans for implementation, and anticipated outcomes. The plan should describe contributions to the faculty member’s professional development goals, the department’s programs and the university’s academic outcomes. The plan must include a signed agreement to submit a written report of the results of the sabbatical to the faculty member’s immediate supervisor upon conclusion of the sabbatical leave (Article 19, Section C, Subd. 3).

D. Procedure for Granting Non-Mandatory Sabbaticals

The awarding of non-mandatory sabbatical requests is a two-step procedure. First, academic merit is determined. The second step is an approval based on the ability of the university to fund the sabbatical.

E. Determining Academic Merit

Applicants should articulate in writing the sabbatical plan’s goals and objectives. Faculty in the department shall have the opportunity to make recommendations and comments in writing on the plan’s academic merits. The comments shall be forwarded to the dean* on or before December 15. If the department faculty do not comment on the plan’s academic merits, then the dean* shall do so. The dean* shall make a tentative recommendation in writing on the plan’s academic merits by January 15. The faculty member may choose to revise and resubmit the sabbatical plan to the dean* within ten (10) duty days. The dean’s* final recommendation on the plan’s academic merits will be forwarded to the VPAA, along with the department’s student/budget plan, by February 15.

F. Student/Budget Impact

Concurrently, the department shall prepare a “student service impact plan” that addresses the staffing consequences of granting the non-mandatory sabbatical leave. This plan will describe the effect of the faculty member’s absence on class availability, the majors’ timely graduation, services, and/or curriculum. The department should also address the feasibility of replacing the faculty member on sabbatical, whether by fixed term or adjuncts, and the curricular effect of those decisions. The department chair will forward the “student service impact plan” to the dean* by January 15. The dean or immediate supervisor, the VPAA, and the president will consider the “student service impact plan” together with budget considerations as part of the decision making process.

Faculty who intend to apply for an external grant or to an institution for a funded position outside Minnesota State may make a request for a sabbatical one year in advance of the application deadline. Under these circumstances, the dean or immediate supervisor as outlined in Section A above will make a recommendation on the merits of the sabbatical plan. If that recommendation is favorable and the administration determines that the leave is feasible, the external institutions will be notified that the university intends to support the leave. Should the granting agency deny the application, the applicant must withdraw the sabbatical request.

G. Changes in the Approved Original Plan

Any modifications to the original approved sabbatical plan must be submitted as an addendum for approval by the dean or immediate supervisor.

H. The Sabbatical Report

At the end of the sabbatical leave period or by September 15 of the following year, which ever is later, the faculty member shall provide the dean or immediate supervisor with a comprehensive report detailing the accomplishments identified in the plan. If the faculty member fails to submit a report, s/he shall not be considered for a subsequent sabbatical until such time as a sabbatical is mandated by the Agreement.

Related Documents

• IFO Master Agreement

History:

Last Modified: Wednesday, April 06, 2011 16:38

Adoption date: 08/12/1992
Implementation date: 03/28/2011