Effective Date: July 31, 2023
Issuing Authority: Provost
Policy Contact: Vice Provost, provost@mercer.edu, 478-301-2110
Purpose
The purpose of the program of sabbatical leaves is to provide an opportunity for continued professional growth and intellectual development through study, research, or writing. Normally travel away from the campus is involved.
Scope
This policy applies to Mercer University faculty who are eligible for sabbatical leaves.
Exclusions
None
Policy Statement
I.Eligibility
An individual is eligible for a sabbatical leave after six years of full-time service as a faculty member of the University. Once a sabbatical leave has been taken, a faculty member will only become eligible again after having served another six academic years as a full-time faculty member, beginning with the academic year following the previous sabbatical leave. Additional service not covered in the basic contractual appointment, such as summer teaching for 9-month faculty, is not counted in determining eligibility. Leave of absence periods typically do not count towards credit for sabbatical eligibility. Periods that a faculty member might work on a reduced effort basis will be prorated in determining eligibility.
A faculty member within two years of retirement is not eligible. A sabbatical leave is not considered a form of deferred compensation, a faculty right, or an automatic benefit. Years of service alone do not determine eligibility. Rather, leaves are awarded according to the merits of the leave proposal and the ability of the academic department to offer a full course of study during the individual’s absence.
II. Application Procedure
No later than November 1 in the year prior to the expected leave, the faculty member must submit to the Dean a letter of application and a documented proposal that states the purposes of the leave and a plan of action for the period of the leave. The application must be approved by the Dean, who may require the approval of the
department chair and/or a faculty committee. The application must also be approved by the Provost. Special consideration will be given to applications that hold promise of enhancing the applicant’s professional effectiveness and future service to the institution.
Notification of those selected for sabbatical leaves along with the specific terms of the leave shall occur no later than two weeks after formal approval by the Board of Trustees.
III. Duration and Terms
Ordinarily, sabbatical leaves are for one semester at full salary or for one year at one- half salary. If a recipient of a sabbatical leave accepts income from other sources during the sabbatical leave, the President may require adjustment of the University salary.
Acceptance of a sabbatical leave will not interfere with the normal opportunity for annualized increases in salary. The period of the leave will be counted toward eligibility for promotion on the same basis as a period of on-campus instruction. A faculty member on sabbatical leave retains the rights, benefits, and privileges of a full-time faculty member, including retirement and insurance benefits based upon the salary actually being paid during the sabbatical period, housing, and tuition credit for dependents.
IV. Institutional Limitations
No more than ten (10) percent of the full-time faculty may be on sabbatical leave in any given year. In addition, the academic department must be able to cover the essential workload of the faculty member during the period of his/her absence. Any faculty member who accepts a sabbatical leave is expected to return to the University for at least one (1) year or repay the University for the compensation received during such leave.
V. Evaluation
Within three (3) months of returning from a sabbatical leave, a faculty member shall submit to the Dean of the college or school a written account of the work accomplished during the leave and an evaluation of the extent to which the objectives of the leave have been achieved.
Additional Resources
In some colleges and schools of the University, faculty members may apply for a special professional leave for the purpose of further graduate study or research. Contact the Dean’s Office.