Teaching Sabbatical

In addition to FR&D sabbaticals and post-promotion sabbaticals, the University supports faculty development through eligibility for occasional teaching sabbatical opportunities. Teaching sabbaticals are defined as reassignment from all teaching duties in a single semester. Faculty on a teaching sabbatical have a zero-course teaching load for the length of a single semester. However, unlike an FR&D sabbatical or post-promotion sabbatical, teaching sabbaticals do not release faculty from their other expectations.

A probationary teaching sabbatical is available to undergraduate continuing- and tenure-track faculty who have completed at least their first probationary year but who have not yet reached the year in which they submit their file for continuance or promotion/tenure. It allows for a faculty member to have one fall or spring semester with no teaching responsibilities (zero course load), allowing them to focus on scholarship. Sample annual teaching loads would be 0-1-3 or 3-1-0. The teaching sabbatical is available by combining one departmental reassigned time with one reassigned time through the Provost's Office. Faculty and department chairs should work closely to best meet departmental and faculty development needs.

Awards are not granted on a competitive basis. However, eligible faculty should submit to their Dean and the Provost's Office (Senior Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs) a plan for their scholarship. A final report of teaching sabbatical research progress is due in the Provost's Office (Senior Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs) by October 15 of the year after the teaching sabbatical is taken.

Post-probationary faculty (see definition of post-probationary under "Grants Awarded by the Post-Probationary Faculty development Committee") may be eligible to create a teaching sabbatical utilizing reassigned times awarded to them as part of the post-probationary faculty development support system. Post-probationary faculty who (a) have held the rank of assistant professor, lecturer, associate professor, or senior lecturer for five or more years and (b) have been awarded three or more post-probationary reassigned times (12+ shs) for their four-year cycle are eligible to create a teaching sabbatical once every seven years, but not consecutive to an FR&D sabbatical or post-promotion sabbatical. Full professors with five reassigned time awards (20 shs) over a five-year cycle are also eligible to create a teaching sabbatical once every seven years, but not consecutive to an FR&D sabbatical or post-promotion sabbatical.

A post-probationary teaching sabbatical allows for a faculty member to have one fall or spring semester with no teaching responsibilities (zero course load), allowing them to focus on teaching, service/leadership, or professional activity. The teaching sabbatical is created by utilizing one's post-probationary reassigned times. Faculty and department chairs should work closely to best meet departmental and faculty development needs.

Eligible faculty should submit to their Dean and the Provost's Office (Senior Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs) a plan for their teaching sabbatical. A final report of teaching sabbatical accomplishments is due in the Provost's Office (Senior Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs) by October 15 of the year after the teaching sabbatical is taken.