Sabbatical Leave of Absence

Policy Statement:

Sabbatical leaves for professional development, formal education, writing, or planned travel to enhance professional value may be made available to full-time faculty and professional/administrative staff who have completed seven (7) years of full-time service from the original appointment or seven (7) years after a previous sabbatical leave.

Scope:

This policy applies to all qualifying, full-time faculty and professional/administrative employees of the College.

Provisions:

Time granted for other types of leave, other than paid sick leave, shall not be included in the calculation of the required seven (7) years of service.

Sabbatical leaves may be granted by the President with the approval of the Board of Trustees when such leaves are judged to be in the best interests of the College. The number of employees who may be granted sabbatical leaves shall in no way impair the effectiveness of the instructional program at Sinclair Community College.

Sabbatical leaves may be granted for a period of up to twelve months or three teaching quarters at rates not to exceed half pay, or up to six (6) months or two teaching quarters at full pay. Salary payments will be made semi-monthly on the regular College pay dates. Monies received by an individual on sabbatical leave cannot exceed the amount he/she would normally expect to receive from the College. Fellowships, grants-in-aid, or earned income to assist the purpose of the sabbatical may be permissible with prior approval.

Requests for sabbatical leave must be submitted by March 1 for the following year. All times for a sabbatical leave must be adjusted to the College calendar year. Such requests must be forwarded through the appropriate administrative officer to the Sabbatical Leave Committee. All requests must contain a specific plan for the professional improvement of the employee while on leave as well as indicating any auxiliary income anticipated during the leave. The Sabbatical Leave Committee will ascertain that all guidelines have been adhered to before making recommendations to the President. The President shall submit the names of individuals recommended for sabbatical leave to the Board of Trustees for their consideration.

In case it is not possible to grant all requests for sabbatical leave in any given year, the following will be considered in establishing priorities: (1) seniority, (2) value of proposed activity to the College, (3) assurance that the function or position can be handled during absence without impairing the operation of the College, and (4) anticipated additional service to Sinclair Community College.

All persons requesting sabbatical leave must agree in writing to return to Sinclair Community College for one (1) year of teaching or administrative service after such leaves.

Upon returning from a sabbatical leave, the faculty or staff member will be returned to the same or an equivalent position to that which he/she held at the time the leave was taken. Time on sabbatical leave will count as regular service and will not interrupt the individual's progress through the salary range. The acceptance of a sabbatical leave shall in no way jeopardize eligibility for merit, tenure or retirement status. Within sixty (60) days of the completion of the leave, the individual will submit a written report to the President detailing the attainments of the individual under the sabbatical leave.

Hospitalization and insurance shall be continued during the period of sabbatical leave as though the employee were on full-time active status. Individuals who are on a reduced salary plan may, if they choose, pay any additional withholding amount which may be required to maintain their retirement benefits at the normal level.

Responsibility:

Employees shall be knowledgeable of the provisions of this policy and act accordingly.

The Sabbatical Leave Committee and the President of the College shall assure that the intent of the policy is met as individual sabbatical leaves are granted.

Definitions:

Regular, full-time, exempt employees are those individuals who are exempt from regulations concerning the payment of overtime (faculty and administrative/professional) and who are employed by the College in a full-time capacity other than Annually Contracted Faculty or temporary or grant-funded full-time.