3720 - Sabbatical Leave

Announcement comes out twice (February/September) - Provost Website for application forms and schedules

CONTENTS:

A. General Policy
B. Purpose
C. Period of Sabbatical and Restrictions on Service and Salary
D. Application for Sabbatical Status
E. Criteria and Rating System Used in Evaluating Applications
F. Schedule for Applying
G. Position Description and Annual Performance Evaluation
H. Changes in or Cancellation of Sabbatical
I. Return

A. GENERAL POLICY. Members of the UI faculty (see 1520 II-1) having completed six years of full-time employment at the University of Idaho who are tenured by the time the sabbatical is to be effective may be granted sabbatical status. A faculty member who is untenured, but expects a tenure decision by the time the sabbatical leave is to be taken, may submit an application. Tenured faculty may apply for additional sabbaticals provided that six full academic years have elapsed since the end of the most recent sabbatical and the beginning of the requested sabbatical.  

A-1. Sabbatical Status. Employees in sabbatical status (longer than six months) retain all regular employment benefits except short term and long term disability. Faculty are advised to contact benefit Services in HR to discuss how a sabbatical may impact their benefits.

A-2. Fiscal year Cross-over. In addition, in the event a sabbatical will cross over to a new fiscal year, the faculty member is strongly advised to discuss whether, and what impact, the sabbatical may have on salary.

A-3. Cooperative Extension System. Sabbatical applications by faculty members in the Cooperative Extension System (CES) are processed separately by a committee of the CES.

B. PURPOSE. Sabbaticals are designed to encourage scientific inquiry, research, artistic creation, clinical/technical expertise, innovation in teaching or to acquire professional skills or training.  

C. PERIOD OF SABBATICAL AND RESTRICTIONS ON SERVICE AND SALARY. A sabbatical is for one-half academic or fiscal year at full pay or one full academic or fiscal year at half pay, depending on the type of appointment held by the faculty member. Faculty on sabbatical continue to be full time employees of the University. Outside employment while on sabbatical must be disclosed per FSH 3260.

D. APPLICATION FOR SABBATICAL. Complete applications for sabbatical must be submitted to the provost or designee who will collect and forward them to the Sabbatical Evaluation Committee (SEC). The application must contain:  

D-1. Cover Page. The required cover page template is available on the Provost's Office website.  

D-2. Abstract. Maximum length: 100 words.

D-3. Description of Proposed Plan for Sabbatical. Major headings should include a detailed statement of what the applicant plans to do while on sabbatical, the objectives and significance of the proposed activities, the value of these activities to the applicant’s UI obligations, the feasibility and methods of accomplishing the objectives, and the applicant’s qualifications pertinent to the proposed activities. This section should consist of not more than four single-spaced typewritten pages. In the case of an application for a sabbatical crossing over the beginning of a new fiscal year, an explanation of the reasons for the timing of the sabbatical should be provided.  

D-4. Curriculum Vitae (CV). The applicant’s CV must be on the standard University of Idaho form.  

D-5. Letters of recommendation. A letter of recommendation from both the applicant’s college dean and unit administrator (if applicable).  

D-6. Appendix. Letters of invitation or acceptance from persons with whom the applicant plans to work, itinerary, and other supportive documentation should be appended to the application.  

E. CRITERIA AND RATING SYSTEM USED IN EVALUATING APPLICATIONS. The SEC evaluates applications according to the criterion and rating system set forth in this policy below and makes recommendations to the provost who notifies applicants of the disposition of the application.   

E-1. Criteria:

a. Preparation, Thought, and Documentation: Organization of the application, originality of the idea, thoroughness, specificity, feasibility, preliminary work done on the project in addition to the planning, letters of appointment and acceptance, other documents supportive of the application, and the applicant’s plans for travel, if that is an integral feature of the application.

b. Benefit to UI and Applicant: Contribution to applicant’s knowledge and understanding, contribution to teaching or other assigned duties at UI, publications or other scholarly works resulting from the project, enhancement of professional status, recognition for UI, and contribution to special projects or to UI programs.  

c. Applicant’s Record of or Potential for Research, Teaching, Service and/or Other Pertinent Activity: Publications, performances, grants, postdoctoral fellowships, sabbaticals, participation in relevant professional organizations, record of achievement on previous grants and leaves (FSH 3710), evaluation by unit administrator and dean, and evidence of excellence in teaching, service, or other evidence of contribution to the university.  

d. Decision: The decision as to the acceptability of an application may not be based on whether additional remuneration may be received by the sabbatical applicant.  

E-2. Rating System. The application will be rated by the SEC according to the following 100-point rating system:  

a. Merit and feasibility of the proposed sabbatical plan, 60 points.  

b. Applicant’s record or potential for research, teaching, service and/or other pertinent activity, 25 points.  

c. Length of service to UI in a tenure-track position, up to 15 points. Each year of service, counting from the faculty member’s initial appointment in a tenure track position or from their most recent sabbatical, whichever is less.  

F. SCHEDULE FOR APPLYING. Each year there are two rounds of application consideration:  

F-1. Round 1. Deadline March 31. This deadline applies to:

a. Faculty with an academic year appointment planning to begin a full-year sabbatical at the start of the second fall semester after submitting the application;

b. Faculty with an academic year appointment planning to begin a one-semester sabbatical at the start of the second fall semester or the second spring semester after submitting the application;

c. Faculty with a fiscal year appointment planning to begin a full-year sabbatical at the start of the second fiscal year after submitting the application;

d. Faculty with a fiscal year appointment planning to begin a half-year sabbatical during the second fiscal year after submitting the application.

F-2. Round 2. Deadline October 31. This deadline applies to:

a. Faculty with an academic year appointment planning to begin a full-year sabbatical at the start of the next fall semester;

b. Faculty with an academic year appointment planning to begin a one-semester sabbatical at the start of the next fall semester or the second spring semester after submitting the application;

c. Faculty with a fiscal year appointment planning to begin a full-year sabbatical at the start of the next fiscal year after submitting the application;

d. Faculty with a fiscal year appointment planning to begin a half-year sabbatical during the next fiscal year after submitting the application.

G. POSITION DESCRIPTION AND ANNUAL PERFORMANCE EVALUATION. Faculty members on sabbatical remain full time employees of UI. Faculty members are expected to submit a new position description prior to the start of their sabbatical that reflects the appropriate change in duties while on sabbatical. Their annual performance evaluation must reflect whether the purpose and goals of the sabbatical were achieved.  

H. CHANGES IN SABBATICAL. If a faculty member must change the purpose, place, or time of the sabbatical, the faculty member must submit a revised cover sheet indicating the type of change along with an updated recommendation from the dean and unit administrator, to the SEC. The SEC will review the change and make a recommendation to the provost for final approval. This request must state the rationale for the changes and update the sabbatical plan to reflect these changes.  

I. CANCELLATION OF SABBATICAL. If a sabbatical must be cancelled, the faculty member must submit written notification of cancellation to the Provost’s Office along with confirmation from the dean and unit administrator (if applicable). Cancelled sabbaticals cannot be reinstated, but faculty may re-apply through the normal application process.  

J. RETURN. Faculty members must return to the active service of UI for at least one academic year after completion of the sabbatical or repay the money received from UI while on sabbatical, unless the president approves a waiver of this requirement. Results of the sabbatical should be documented on the annual performance evaluation and will serve as the official record of return and accomplishment.  

Version History

Amended July 2019. Changes were made to address benefits that are affected while on sabbatical and to clarify language about timelines, eligibility, and support letters.

Amended January 2018. Revised and reorganized to better reflect process and to remove the recusal language added in 2016 which was found to cause more problems than it solved.

Amended July 2016. Changes were made to clarify processes and to ensure that any SEC member, who submits a sabbatical application while serving on the committee, recuse themselves from all evaluations during said period.

Amended July 2013. Revised J.

Amended January 2012. Editorial changes to D-6, E-1 c, H and J.

Amended January 2011. Editorial changes to C.

Amended July 2009. Editorial changes to A.

Amended July 2002. Revised J. Editorial changes to A and D-6.

Amended July 2001. Editorial changes to A.

Amended July 1997. Revised D-3, E-1 a, b, c, E-2 a, c and J. Added E-2 b.

Amended July 1998. Editorial changes to D-6 and E-1 c.

Adopted 1979.