Faculty Leaves of Absence
The Provost's Guidelines for the Administration of Faculty Leaves of Absence clarify the types of leave available to faculty and share the criteria and other considerations the provost's office uses to guide decisions about leave approvals. Faculty, department heads, deans, and departmental and school/college staff are encouraged to reference these guidelines when planning and coordinating a leave of absence to ensure compliance with all university policies and procedures.
Additional References
University Bylaws
The By-Laws of the University of Connecticut provide the following language on leaves of absences.
Sabbatical Leave
Excerpted from the University Bylaws, Article XIV, Section L1
a. Sabbatical leave is a privilege to be applied for in each case and is in no instance to be considered an earned perquisite. Such leaves may be granted on application for the purpose of the advancement of knowledge or professional improvement of mutual benefit to the University and the individual. Following such leave, individuals are obligated to return to active service at the University for a minimum of one year. The applicant should file a specific written application accompanied by a statement as to how the leave is to be used. This application should be approved by the department head, the dean or director, and the Provost or the appropriate Vice President, who will in turn submit it to the Board of Trustees with his/her recommendation.
The privilege is open to all full-time teachers who have at least the rank of assistant professor or a corresponding rank and who have been in continuous full-time service at the institution for at least six years. Following a grant of sabbatical leave, the privilege may be renewed after an additional period of continuous full-time service of at least six years. Exceptions in regard to continuous service may be made upon recommendation of the Provost or the appropriate Vice President and the approval of the Board of Trustees or the Board of Directors. The receipt of grant or fellowship funds to cover travel and other expenses incidental to the leave will not ordinarily impact the granting of a request for such leave
b. The duration of the leave granted shall be determined by the Provost or the appropriate Vice President. Six years of continuous full-time service is defined as full-time service for at least twelve of the fourteen semesters preceding the leave. Each sabbatical leave eligibility is for a period of one year (two semesters). Leave may be taken for the full period at half pay or for up to half the period at full pay. After each period of eligibility in which a sabbatical leave is taken, whether for all or a portion of the period, there must be at least six years of continuous full-time service before the next eligibility period. Thus, the timing of eligibility periods is not affected by whether leave is taken for a full period at half pay or for up to half the period at full pay. Faculty members in tenure track positions are not eligible for sabbatical leave before the last year of their probationary periods.
Leave for faculty members employed on an eleven months' basis or for faculty in the Schools of Medicine and Dental Medicine may be for a period of up to six months with full pay or for a period up to twelve months with half pay
c. Sabbatical leave, whether at full or reduced pay, is considered full-time service, and therefore, persons on sabbatical leave are not permitted to engage in paid employment elsewhere. If a staff member is considering an arrangement in which he/she will receive compensation for services from the University and from outside agencies which will together exceed his/her regular University salary, the staff member is expected to take a leave without pay rather than a sabbatical leave.
d. Members of the professional staff are in a separate classification. They shall make their application directly to the President if the unit reports to the President or to the Provost or appropriate Vice President, if any.
e. The recommendation of the head of the department and of the dean in charge of the school/college shall accompany applications for leave. All applications should be made at least one year prior to the date when the leave is to begin. Ordinarily the grantee will receive notification that the leave is granted at least two months before the end of the semester previous to the one in which the leave is to begin.
f. Arrangements for carrying on the duties of a person on leave shall be made by the appropriate department head and dean in consultation with the faculty member as appropriate. The department head is expected to certify whether or not the work of the department can be carried on if the leave is granted substantially as it would have been otherwise. If courses would have been withdrawn or other changes made in the department's program even without the granting of the leave, the changes may be made during the leave, but it is not expected that sabbatical leaves will be granted if they must be taken at the expense of the students or of the regular departmental program.
g. If an approved leave is postponed for a period by the administration, the applicant's next leave may be granted for the year in which it would have fallen if there had been no such postponement.
h. Sabbatical leaves are granted in the expectation that the recipient will resume his/her previous duties at the end of the leave. Ordinarily the staff member will return at the same rank and salary which he/she had when the leave began. This understanding, however, is subject to the qualification (which applies in the same degree to those in residence) that the Board may sometimes find it necessary to change the compensation or duties of some or all staff members because of changes in enrollment, financial exigencies, or other circumstances beyond its control. The grant of leave does not change the tenure-status of the recipient.
i. After leave has been taken, a written report of the work done shall be made to the officer who approved the leave through the department head and the dean or director.
Leave without Pay
Excerpted from the University Bylaws, Article XIV, Section L2
Leave of absence without pay may be granted by the President for those units which report to the President or by the Provost or the Vice Presidents for reasons considered to be in the best interest of the University and in the interests of professional growth and improvement of the staff member concerned. All such cases are treated as special cases and are in the first instance, ordinarily granted for up to a year. Professional staff members desiring such leaves should apply through their department heads and deans and through the appropriate Vice President, if any. A report of all such leaves as are granted shall be made to the Board of Trustees for their information.
Military Leave
Excerpted from the University Bylaws, Article XIV, Section L3
Members of the professional staff are eligible for military leave consistent with applicable state and federal law. Part-time employees will be granted such leave if they have worked the equivalent of six months or more full time. Thus, an employee would become eligible after twelve months of half-time employment, etc.
Sick Leave for Faculty — With or Without Pay
Excerpted from the University Bylaws, Article XIV, Section L4
Each case is considered separately and involves careful consideration of length of service, nature of the illness, and anticipated length of disability. Application for sick leave should be made not later than ten days after the staff member’s return to work.
Other Regulations Regarding Leaves of Absence
Excerpted from the University Bylaws, Article XIV, Section L5
a. No employee of the University of Connecticut shall receive leave with pay for service in any elective political office.
b. No member of the professional staff shall be absent from his/her duties at the University except by permission of the department head. Short leaves to cover emergency situations may be granted by the department head, who will make such arrangements as are feasible to re-assign the absent staff member's work. In each such case, the department head will file a record of the matter with the dean. No such emergency leave shall be granted for a longer period than ten days without previous permission of the President for those units which report to the President or by the Provost or the appropriate Vice President.
c. Except in very unusual circumstances, no tenured or tenure track faculty member may receive a leave of absence to accept a tenured or tenure track position with another University. Such exceptions will require advance approval from the Provost.