Policy

Sabbatical leaves of absence may be granted to provide the faculty member an opportunity for an intensive program of research and/or study, thus enhancing his or her effectiveness to the University as a teacher and scholar.

Regulations and Definitions

1. Eligibility

   Tenured members of the regular instructional faculty who have completed six years of service in regular professorial ranks at the University are eligible for a sabbatical leave. Where a faculty member is awarded tenure later than the sixth year of employment, a post-tenure sabbatical leave may, and ordinarily should, be provided after tenure; in these circumstances, eligibility for a second sabbatical leave will be determined as if the first sabbatical was taken after six years of service. Preservation of equity or loss of equity is at the discretion of the academic unit.

2. Duration and Compensation

   1. A sabbatical leave may be granted for an entire annual appointment period or for one-half of an annual appointment period. The annual appointment period is defined as either a twelve-month or a University-year period.
   2. The faculty member granted a sabbatical leave for the entire appointment period shall receive one-half of the faculty member's regular salary. A sabbatical leave granted for one-half of the annual appointment period provides regular salary.

3. Extra Compensation During Sabbatical Leave

   1. A faculty member on sabbatical leave shall not render service for compensation in the university or another institution or enterprise. This does not preclude, however, the acceptance of a fellowship or other assistance in research. In each such case, the source of additional funds and the fact that their use materially aids the planned research program of the faculty member shall be fully set forth in the request for sabbatical leave or, if not known at that time, prior to the effective date of the sabbatical leave.
   2. Compensation received from acceptance of a fellowship or other assistance in research including the sabbatical leave salary may not exceed the regular salary of the staff member.

4. Application for Sabbatical Leave

   Application for sabbatical leave shall be made in writing and submitted to the dean of the unit concerned not later than February 1 preceding the appointment year within which the leave is desired. The application must be accompanied by a statement of a well-considered plan for the sabbatical that includes its significance as a contribution to the professional effectiveness of the faculty member and the best interest of the university.

5. Completion of Sabbatical

   1. Upon completion of the sabbatical leave, the faculty member shall submit a report of the results of the leave within 90 days following return from leave. The report shall be submitted to the chair or dean, who will acknowledge receipt of the report in writing and forward a copy of the acknowledgment memo to the dean and to HR Records & Information Services. (In some instances, the dean’s office may require a copy of the report.) The report shall include: a) An account of activities during the leave, including travel itineraries, institutions visited, and persons consulted; b) A statement of progress made on the sabbatical leave program as proposed in the application and an explanation of any significant changes made in the program; c) An appraisal of the relationship between the results obtained and those anticipated in the sabbatical leave program statement.
   2. A faculty member granted a sabbatical leave is required to return to the University for a period of at least one year following the completion of the sabbatical leave. A faculty member who fails to satisfy this return obligation will be required to reimburse the University for the funds it contributed to the leave.

6. Determination of Years of Service

   1. Years of service determined by the number of annual appointment periods (i.e., six 12-month appointments, six University-year appointments, or a combination of both totaling six).
   2. Unpaid leaves of absence are not considered in determining years of service applicable toward the sabbatical eligibility requirement.
   3. Leaves of absence with salary (e.g., sick leave) are considered in determining years of service applicable toward the sabbatical eligibility requirement.

7. Health and Life Insurance

   Subject to, and consistent with the Group Health Insurance Plans and the Group Life Insurance Plan, coverage will be continued during a sabbatical leave of absence, unless specifically canceled by the faculty member through the Benefits Office through visiting or writing the Benefits Office.

8. Retirement Plan

   For each month the faculty member receives full pay, retirement plan contributions will continue at the full salary rate. For each month in which the pay received is one-half of the faculty member's full salary, contributions will continue based on the one-half full salary rate.

9. Disability Plan

   Disability plan protection will continue during sabbatical leave.

10. Sick Leave Plan

    Sick leave plan benefits will continue during sabbatical leave.

11. Vacation

    Faculty members are not eligible for vacation allowance during the sabbatical leave.

12. Retirement Furlough Eligibility

    In order to be eligible for a retirement furlough, a faculty member must not have taken a sabbatical leave during the four years preceding the beginning date of the retirement furlough.

13. Maternity (Childbirth) and Parental Leaves

    Maternity (childbirth) and parental leave benefits will continue during sabbatical leave.

Procedure

1. Request for Sabbatical Leave

   Responsibility	Action
   Staff Member	Submit request using form at http://www.hr.umich.edu/hrris/forms/departments.html to the appropriate dean (where relevant, through the chair) not later than February 1, preceding the appointment year within which the leave is desired (see II-D).
   Chairman and Dean	Review request to determine eligibility and appropriateness. If approved, forward request to HR Records & Information Services by March 1, preceding appointment year within which the leave is desired.
   HR Records & Information Services	Review request and forward letter of approval to Office of the Executive Vice-President for Academic Affairs for signature.
   Office of the Executive Vice-President for Academic Affairs	Approve request, sign, and return letter to staff for HRRIS.
   HR Records & Information Services	Forward letter of approval to faculty member with copies to appropriate units.
   Chairman and Dean	Complete and forward appointment change request form thirty days prior to effective date of sabbatical leave to HRRIS.
   HR Records & Information Services	Process appointment change request form and distribute notice of appointment to appropriate departments, Give faculty member notification of benefit continuation requirements.
   Staff Member	Prior to effective date of sabbatical leave, notify Payroll Department regarding retirement contributions (See II-H).

2. Return from Sabbatical Leave

   Responsibility	Action
   Staff Member	Submit to the chair or dean a full report of the results of the leave within 90 days following return from leave.
   Chairman	Acknowledge receipt of the report and send copies of acknowledgment to the Dean and to HRRIS.
   HR Records & Information Services	Maintain letter of acknowledgment of receipt of sabbatical report in staff member's personnel file.