AA/15/AS/25/FAC - Policy on Sabbatical Leaves

Effective May 21, 2025

If an eligible faculty member perceives that they serve in a unique position for their program, they are nonetheless entitled to apply for a sabbatical leave when eligible and urged to do so. That faculty member is urged to notify their appropriate supervisor or administrator so a plan may be developed to cover key responsibilities and to then exercise their right to apply for a sabbatical leave.

University Roles in the Sabbatical Process

Authority relating to types of leave and sabbatical eligibility and funding resides with the Collective Bargaining Agreement. In the case that changes to the CBA result in a contradiction to local policy, the CBA has the greater authority. The Office of Faculty Affairs and the campus chapter of the California Faculty Association shall engage in discussions to develop a shared understanding regarding implementation of the CBA and may work with Faculty Affairs Committee and Leaves and Awards Committee in developing any revisions to the policy.

The Office of Faculty Affairs shall maintain and house the Sabbatical Application form as well as a template Promissory Note Form and template Assets Statement Form (two of the three options for Indemnification, as required for those granted a sabbatical leave), through the Office of Faculty Affairs website. The sabbatical application deadline and timeline for review and the Provost’s decision shall also be published on the website. The Office of Faculty Affairs shall also house sabbatical applications and reports.

The Office of the Academic Senate shall facilitate the process of requesting sabbatical proposals, routing to Department Chairs and Deans, providing submissions for the review of the Leaves and Awards Committee, and providing the recommendations of the committee to the Provost.

Eligible faculty applying for a sabbatical leave bear the responsibility of detailing the merits of their proposal to a broad committee of their peers from across the disciplines. Why an extended leave from daily academic duties is necessary and how the leave will benefit the faculty member’s career and their department or the broader university should be made explicit for the reviewers. A faculty member selected to receive a sabbatical award must provide a suitable bond, statement of assets, or promissory note prior to final approval, and, after return from the sabbatical leave, is expected to render a period of service equal to the length of leave. Upon return from sabbatical the faculty member is expected to submit a report to the Provost detailing outcomes of the leave.

Department Chairs provide a statement to the appropriate Dean or other administrator regarding the anticipated impacts on the course schedule and curriculum should the leave be awarded. Department Chairs should advocate for the necessary resources should a faculty member be denied based on departmental needs and should encourage the faculty member to resubmit an application the following academic year.

The Dean (or other appropriate administrator) acknowledges receipt of the sabbatical application and the Department Chair’s assessment of the impact in the department. Deans are the authority responsible for the schedule of classes in the College and may rule on whether the requested leave is feasible during the proposed time frame.

Faculty peers are considered the best qualified personnel to evaluate the merits of sabbatical proposals. The Leaves and Awards Committee is tasked with reviewing sabbatical requests and providing serviceable recommendations to guide the Provost in making sabbatical awards. The Leaves and Awards Committee shall convene to discuss the merits of each sabbatical application prior to summarizing its recommendations. During the discussion, the Chair of the Leaves and Awards Committee shall compile a summary rubric for each proposal, for the purpose of sharing with the Provost - who will provide the summary rubric to the applicants with their notification letters.

Prior to the end of the spring semester, and in consultation with the Provost, the LAC shall develop the calendar for the sabbatical process for the next academic year.

Authority for awarding sabbaticals rests with the President or their designee (i.e., the Provost at Stanislaus State). The President (or their designee) may engage in consultation with the Chair of the Leaves and Awards Committee as needed, prior to awarding sabbaticals. The Office of the Provost shall bear responsibility for notifying applicants regarding the outcomes of their requests, including if the outcome of the request was determined in part by the challenge of replacing the applicant for the term requested. Notification to the applicant only will also include the summary rubric. The rubric will be considered confidential and shall not be shared with the dean or chair. The Office of the Provost shall also receive post-sabbatical reports from awarded faculty members.

Guidelines for Proposal Preparation and Submission

Eligibility for Sabbatical Leave

• Full-time faculty unit employee (tenured or lecturer).

• As per the Collective Bargaining Agreement, must have served full-time at Stanislaus State for six years out of the previous seven, prior to the leave.

• Service credit granted towards completion of the probationary period for academic work elsewhere shall also apply towards the six-year minimum.

• Any leave of absence without pay shall not constitute a break in service for eligibility requirements.

• Service in an academic appointment excluded from the bargaining unit shall not constitute a break in service for eligibility requirements.

• Sabbatical leave eligibility is calculated starting with the next academic year after a sabbatical is taken.

Eligible sabbatical projects include scholarship and creative activities, pedagogy and teaching projects, and service-oriented projects. Faculty members are urged to consider the scope of work when determining the type of sabbatical to request.

The eligible faculty member has the option of requesting:

1. A sabbatical of one semester during which full pay and service credit are accrued.

2. A sabbatical comprising a break from regular academic duties for two semesters. A faculty member awarded a two-semester sabbatical receives 50% pay and accrues reduced service credit. Faculty members requesting a full year sabbatical should consult with Human Resources to verify the impact on pay and service credit.

Faculty should be aware of difference in pay leaves (Article 28 of the CBA), an alternate process under which a leave may be requested for the purposes of engaging in research, scholarly, or creative activity, instructional improvement, or faculty retraining. Difference in pay leaves fall outside the scope of the Sabbatical Policy.

Sections of the proposal

1. Sabbatical application form

2. Project description (must be written for a general audience of faculty peers)

a. Include the general and specific nature of the project, scope, goals and means of implementation.

b. Articulate how the project requires sustained focus to develop: a) research, scholarship, or creative activity, b) instructional improvement, or c) professional currency.

3. Demonstration of preparation for the project

a. Describe preparatory work that has been completed specifically for this project, such as background reading, development of techniques, personnel contacts, funding garnered, facility arrangements, etc.

b. It is acceptable to include as appendices documentation of preparation. A few examples include: a letter of support from a department chair, colleague from within or outside of the institution, or community partner attesting to the relevance of the proposal; correspondence from a colleague willing to host work at their institution; a prospectus and table of contents for a book proposal; a request for submission from a publisher; letter of acceptance to visit a special research collection.

c. Specify the precise location(s) where the project will be conducted.

d. Include a detailed timeline for the project that makes the inclusive dates explicit.

4. Describe the benefits of the sabbatical to the faculty member, department, and/or university. Include at least one of the following from section a and at least one from section b.

Section a. Benefit of the sabbatical to the faculty member:

i. Describe how the sabbatical work will reconnect or update the applicant with respect to their disciplinary background.

ii. Describe specific deliverables, if any, expected to result from the project. These may be in the form of publications, creative presentations, performances, and participation in seminars, conferences, program or curricular development.

iii. Explain direct connections between the proposed project and the applicant’s teaching role; how will the sabbatical result in benefits to the student experience.

iv. Explain how results of this project will advance specific future endeavors, projects and/or research.

Section b. Benefit of the sabbatical to the institution.

i. Describe how the sabbatical work will connects to disciplinary background.

ii. Describe specific deliverables, if any, expected to result from the project. These may be in the form of publications, creative presentations, performances, and participation in seminars, conferences, program or curricular development.

iii. Explain direct connections between the proposed project and the student experience.

iv. Explain how results of this project will advance specific future endeavors, projects and/or research.

5. A current vita:

a. Relevant education and research in the field of the proposed project and/or

b. Publications and other professional accomplishments in the field of specialization

Applicants whose projects were not funded in a previous review are strongly encouraged to apply again. The proposal should be appropriately updated prior to resubmission.

Guidelines for the Leaves and Awards Committee Review

The primary purpose of a sabbatical award is to provide a faculty member with release from regular university duties, in order to develop research, scholarship, or creative activities; instructional improvement; or professional currency. The focus should emphasize the need for relief from the regular daily work, rather than to produce a research or creative product or outcome. Sabbatical leave proposals should be evaluated with this primary purpose in mind. The evaluation guidelines emphasize the service time of the applicant and the holistic purposes of faculty activities articulated in the application, rather than emphasizing such dimensions as objectives or feasibility of fully completing specific projects.

Each proposal should be evaluated based on its own merit and not by comparison with other submissions.

Note that the Collective Bargaining Agreement states that all full-year sabbatical proposals shall be funded, provided they meet minimum eligibility requirements and demonstrate merit.

The attached rubric is provided to guide the review process. During the full-committee discussion of the merits of every proposal, the LAC chair shall compile a summary rubric to be provided to the Provost and to the faculty applicant.

Following holistic review, sabbatical proposals shall be each assigned to one of the following categories:

1. fund with high importance

2. fund with medium importance

3. fund with low importance

4. do not fund.

Review History: Approved by the Academic Senate on April 29, 2025

Approved by President Britt Rios-Ellis on May 21, 2025

Faculty Affairs Committee Division has the primary responsibility for this policy.

Attachment(s): AA/15/AS/25/FAC Policy on Sabbatical Leaves  

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