Sabbatical Leave Policy

Policy Details

Effective Date:

September 22, 2017

Supersedes:

COM Administrative Policies Initially Adopted February 28, 2007; amended June 1, 2009; September 30, 2010; January 19, 2011; June 12, 2012; May 10, 2013; July 10, 2014; Sabbatical Leave Policy Amended September 22, 2017.

Responsible Authority:

Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs

Policy Statement

Sabbaticals are a privilege, which may be granted to increase and enhance a faculty member’s future service to the College through intensive professional development, education, scholarly research, or other experience that aligns with the mission of the College of Medicine. As such, a sabbatical leave requires measurable objectives to increase the value of the faculty member to the College of Medicine and the University.

Eligibility criteria include full-time faculty members who at the time of application are tenured Associate Professors or Professors with at least six years of full-time continuous service prior to the sabbatical. Faculty with administrative assignments of ≥ 75% FTE, and those with Chair and Decanal titles, are excluded. Those faculty members who otherwise meet eligibility criteria but are excluded based upon active Chair and Decanal titles will be eligible upon their first year upon transitioning from these roles. Visiting faculty members are excluded.

A faculty member who is compensated through a contract or grant may receive a sabbatical only if the terms of the contract or granting source specifically allows a sabbatical in the conditions of award or funding agreement and the faculty member meets all other eligibility requirements. Faculty must coordinate with the Division of Research, the Office of Sponsored Programs, the Office of Research Integrity and the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, to insure that all sponsor and FAU compliance related matters have been addressed prior to beginning the approved sabbatical.

Terms of Sabbatical Program

1. If funds to support the full sabbatical salary of the faculty member are not available from grants, foundations, other institutions, etc., sabbaticals will be made available contingent upon funds.
2. While on sabbatical, the faculty member’s salary shall be calculated based on the following:
   1. Six-month sabbatical: the faculty member’s six-month sabbatical salary shall be determined based on the lower amount of one of two calculations:
      1. 100% of the faculty member’s base salary, or,
      2. 100% of the mean level of base salaries of tenured faculty at the same rank.
   2. Twelve-month sabbatical: the faculty member’s twelve-month sabbatical salary shall be determined based on the lower amount of one of two calculations:
      1. 50% of the faculty member’s base salary, or,
      2. 50% of the mean level of base salaries of tenured faculty at the same rank.
   Note: Base salaries do not include administrative supplements.
3. The faculty member must return to the university for at least one (1) academic year following participation in the program. Agreements to the contrary must be approved in writing by the Dean prior to participation. Salary received during the program must be returned to the College in those instances where neither of the above is satisfied.
4. The faculty member must, within sixty (60) days upon completion of the sabbatical, provide a concise written report of his/her accomplishments during the sabbatical to the Dean. This report shall include information regarding the activities undertaken during the sabbatical, the results accomplished during the sabbatical as they affect the faculty member and the university, and research or other scholarly work produced or expected to be produced as a result of the sabbatical. The faculty member must also present a seminar on the results of his/her sabbatical project at a faculty meeting or seminar within the academic year in which the faculty member returns.
5. Faculty shall not normally be eligible for a subsequent sabbatical until six (6) years of continuous service are completed following the first. Eligible faculty may apply for a subsequent sabbatical during the sixth year.
6. Contributions normally made to retirement and Social Security programs shall be continued on a basis proportional to the salary received. Contributions normally made to employee insurance programs and any other employee benefit programs shall be continued during the sabbatical.
7. Eligible faculty shall continue to accrue annual and sick leave on a full-time basis during the sabbatical.
8. Faculty on sabbatical must ensure that their graduate and undergraduate student advisees are supervised by appropriate faculty during their absence. Moreover, any facilities responsibilities and/or research must be properly monitored by authorized personnel.
9. While on leave, a faculty member shall be permitted to receive funds for travel and living expenses, and other sabbatical-related expenses, from sources other than the university such as fellowships, grants-in-aid, and contracts and grants, to assist in accomplishing the purposes of the sabbatical. Receipt of funds for such purposes shall not result in reduction of the faculty member’s university salary. Grants for such financial assistance from other sources may, but need not, be administered through the university. If financial assistance is received in the form of salary, the university salary shall normally be reduced by the amount necessary to bring the total income of the sabbatical period to a level comparable to 125% of the employee’s current year salary rate. Employment unrelated to the purpose of the sabbatical leave must not create a conflict of interest and must be approved according to College and University policy.
10. If plans include providing technical information to persons who are not United States citizens, the faculty member must consult with the Office of General Counsel prior to departure. The provision of technical knowledge outside the United States is considered an export and is regulated by the U.S. Commerce Department or the State Department, depending upon the type of knowledge being exported. Those agencies require a license before the knowledge may be communicated.
11. Faculty members with active sponsor-funded projects, research involving the use of human and animal subjects, or projects involving any areas of research compliance such as radiation safety, fieldwork, or biological safety (i.e., work carried out in a wet-lab involving the use of chemicals and/or potential blood-borne pathogens) must meet all compliance requirements for FAU and the sponsor prior to the approved sabbatical leave. The faculty member must also update the above information and coordinate with the appropriate business offices if the status of his/her research funding and activities change prior to or during the sabbatical.

Application Process

Applications for Sabbatical Leave may be obtained from the Dean’s Office/Faculty Affairs website. Applications should move forward electronically – from the applicant, to the Chair, to the Dean – with new materials added along the way. All required and signed application materials must be forwarded electronically together to the Office of the Dean. Applicants will comply with the College internal review process and timeline.

Review and Approval Process

The Office of Faculty Affairs staff will determine if the application itself is complete and the application package contains all the required documents. If an application is judged to be incomplete, it will be returned to the applicant with a specific written statement of the deficiency. A resubmitted application must be received by the Dean no later than one week from the date of the receipt of the notification of deficiency in order to be reconsidered.

The Dean may have a supplemental internal College review process. A faculty member who is applying for a sabbatical may not serve on a College Sabbatical Committee.

The decision as to whether to grant a sabbatical leave shall be within the discretion of the Dean, contingent upon funds and feasibility of returning to prior pursuits. Up to one twelve-month sabbatical or up to two six-month sabbaticals will be made available in any given year.