1. Policy

   1. Childbearing

      In recognition of the effects that pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions can have upon the time and energy a woman has to devote to her professional responsibilities and thus her ability to work at the pace or level expected to achieve tenure, a woman who bears one or more children during her tenure probationary period shall, upon written request to the relevant dean, or in the case of the Dearborn and Flint campuses, the relevant provost, be granted an exclusion of one year for each event of childbirth from the countable years of service that constitute such tenure probationary period, up to a maximum of two years.

   2. Dependent Care

      Also, the demands of caring for dependents (such as children1, including newly adopted children; ill or injured partners; or aging parents) may seriously affect the time and energy faculty have to devote to their professional responsibilities during the tenure probationary period. In recognition of the difficulty of combining an academic career with such dependent care demands, a faculty member in such circumstances may, upon written request to the relevant dean, or, in the case of the Dearborn and Flint campuses, the relevant provost, be granted an exclusion of one yearfor each dependent care request from the countable years of service that constitute that individual's tenure probationary period, up to a maximum of two years.

   3. General

      No more than two years may be excluded from the countable years of service that constitute an individual’s tenure probationary period at the University of Michigan under this policy, regardless of the combination of circumstances.

      To promote University-wide consistency, a copy of all requests and responses made under thispolicy will be forwarded to the Office of Academic Human Resources for review and reporting to 1) the provost, for faculty on the Ann Arbor campus, or 2) the relevant chancellor, for faculty on the UM-Dearborn and UM-Flint campuses.

      Faculty who benefit from this policy will work throughout the tenure probationary period carrying their normal range of responsibilities, unless alternative arrangements have been made.

   4. Applicability

      Events which occur in the final year of a faculty member’s tenure probationary period may not be the basis for a request for application of this policy.

      All requests under this policy must be made prior to the date which has been communicated to the faculty member as the date on which the unit will initiate the tenure review.

      An exclusion of one year from the countable years of service that constitute the tenure probationary period shall have no effect on the length of a faculty member’s term appointment.

2. Other Relevant Policies

   Faculty members who experience childbearing and dependent care responsibilities might also want to review:

   SPG 201.11-1, “Sick Leave Plan – Academic Appointments” which describes the coverage available to women during pregnancy and childbirth;

   SPG 201.93, “Modified Duties for New Parents” concerning relief from teaching responsibilities for pregnancy, childbirth, and adoption;

   SPG 201.30-1, “Leaves of Absence without Salary” which describes the eligibility and duration of child care, medical, and personal leave; and

   SPG 201.30-6, “paid Maternity (Childbirth) and Parental Leaves” which describe the eligibility and duration of paid maternity (childbirth) leave and paid parental leave.

Procedures: https://hr.umich.edu/working-u-m/my-employment/uhr-procedures/20192-tenure-probationary-period-effects-tenure-clock-childbearing-dependent-care-responsibilities