E18.0

FACULTY LEAVE FOR PROFESSIONAL/CAREER DEVELOPMENT

1. Purpose

The purpose of a faculty leave for professional/career development is to encourage and assist an individual to become a more valuable member of the Institute staff by engaging in some form of advanced study, writing, research or other creative activity.

2. Eligibility

The candidate for leave shall usually have served as a full-time member of the faculty for a minimum of six years on either 10 or 12 month contract and hold the current rank of assistant professor, associate professor or professor. After having been granted a leave, a faculty member will again become eligible only after having served six years as a full-time faculty member at the Institute, dating from the end of the previous leave.

The professional development leave of absence is not guaranteed to an individual by the Institute. Such a leave is a privilege and not a right of employment. The mere completion of the minimum number of years of employment does not in itself justify the expectation of leave.

The foregoing conditions for leave usually apply to the full-time teaching faculty only, but administrative officers may make application to the Administrative Council, and if conditions warrant, be granted a special leave of absence.

3. Administration of Leave for Professional Development

a. Application

Each applicant shall file one original and five copies of an application for leave with department head/director on or before October 15 or next working day of the academic year prior to that in which the leave is desired.

This application should contain the following:

(1) A detailed statement of the applicant's plan for utilizing the time requested.

(2) The duration of the leave desired and the dates thereof.

(3) A complete statement of financial support in the way of scholarships, fellowships, research grants, etc., which will supplement compensation to be received from the Institute.

(4) Applicant must complete Section IV. SUMMARY OF LEAVE PLAN. The committee needs these brief statements in addition to the full proposal.

(5) Proposals shall not exceed six pages, plus appendices, in length.

Guidelines for proposal preparation:

(1) Each proposal should include a current curriculum vitae.

(2) A full proposal, not just the summary in section IV., must be provided.

(3) The proposal should include a clear statement of:

· desired accomplishments

· methods to be employed to accomplish the work

· resources needed to accomplish the task

· expected outcomes and/or achievement

(4) The proposal must be a convincing argument as to why it should be funded and why it is a valid use of professional time and energy. It is imperative that the proposal be well thought out, arranged in a logical sequence, and make a convincing argument.

It is believed that activities which are directly necessary for the functioning of RIT programs or for the accreditation of such programs should be supported through funding other than that available for Professional/Career Development Leaves.

Each application shall be forwarded through the department head/director to the dean with recommendations for approval/disapproval, and a statement as to how the leave would affect the operation of the department. The dean should then forward the application with the dean's comments to the chief academic officer. The latter will then refer all applications to the Committee on Professional Development Leave. All requests must be in the hands of this committee on or before November 15 or next working day.

b. Evaluation of Request for Leave

There shall be a Committee on Professional Development Leave, appointed as follows: Two academic administrators (deans, department heads or directors) appointed by the chief academic officer and three faculty members with the rank of associate professor or professor appointed by the Academic Senate. The committee shall elect its own chair. Each year, both the chief academic officer and the Academic Senate will appoint one new member to the committee. The chief academic officer makes a two-year appointment, and the Academic Senate makes a three-year appointment.

The principal criteria used in making a selection among eligible candidates will be based upon (1) the individual's past and potential contribution to the Institute, (2) the merit of the plan submitted, (3) the condition that the individual's absence will not seriously impair the operation of the department or school concerned, and (4) the contribution of the proposal to the faculty member's professional/career objectives.

By December 15 or next working day, the committee will submit to the chief academic officer a list, in recommended order of merit, of those faculty members whose proposals it deems worthy and in the best interest of the Institute. The committee will also indicate those applicants whose absence, according to administrative officers, would seriously hamper the operation of the department. Likewise, the committee will indicate those applications not approved. The chief academic officer will then forward to the president, by December 27 or next working day, the recommendations of the committee together with the chief academic officer's own comments and recommendations.

Final decisions regarding professional leaves will be made by the president usually by January 15 or next working day.

c. Length of Leave and Compensation During Leave

The president and the Board of Trustees reserve the right to deal with each case individually as regards length of leave and compensation. Usually, however, a faculty member on academic year contract (10 months) would be eligible for leave and compensation as follows:

(1) Three (3) quarters leave at 50% of regular academic year (10-month) salary.

(2) Two (2) quarters leave at half pay and one (1) quarter teaching at full pay, for a total of 66 2/3% of regular academic salary for the 10 month period.

(3) One (1) quarter leave and two (2) quarters teaching with full pay for the 10 month period.

Compensation will be based upon the (proposed) contract salary for the year, or part thereof, of the leave. Faculty members on twelve-month contracts will be reviewed individually.

A faculty member may accept other grants or awards during a leave, but may not accept income if required to perform duties that would interfere with the purposes for which the leave was granted. The Institute's contributions to the TIAA/CREF retirement and FICA programs will be based upon the salary actually paid by the Institute during the leave. The Institute will continue its normal contribution toward health insurance, including major medical, group life insurance, and long term disability insurance.

d. Obligations for Further Service

Once the request for professional development leave has been approved as required in 3,b, the chief academic officer will notify the recipient in writing of all relevant specifics such as dates of leave, salary, conditions of return, etc.

Ordinarily, the recipient of a professional development leave is obligated to return to the Institute for a period of one (1) academic year following the leave period. If this obligation is not met, the recipient must refund the salary paid during the leave and reimburse the Institute for payments made to TIAA/CREF. The terms of repayment will be specified in writing. Usually, repayment must be made within five years.

e. Summary of Accomplishments

Within two months after returning to the Institute the individual shall transmit through the department head/director and the dean to the chief academic officer a report of professional activities and accomplishments during the leave

Approved November 25, 1963
Last revised January 13, 1982