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This draft was prepared by the Professional Leave Administrative Committee during Summer 2005
Faculty Professional Leave Program
Georgia College & State University
Background
The professional leave committee was formed by a charge from President Leland during Spring, 2005, as an ad hoc group. The charge: “The Faculty Professional Leave Advisory Committee is charged with making recommendations to the President regarding the establishment of a Professional Leave Program for faculty at Georgia College & State University, with a particular focus on paid leaves for qualified faculty for the purpose of promoting instructional and scholarly projects that advance the university’s mission. In carrying out its charge, the committee will review similar programs at other USG institutions and make recommendations for a GC&SU program consistent with Board of Regents policy 802.0803 (Educational and Professional Leave).”
As part of its charge, the committee consulted BOR policy and leave policies adopted by other institutions within the state system and found the wording of the policy at Georgia State of particular help in forming this draft.
Purpose
The purpose of this document is to outline policies for Georgia College & State University for professional leaves that supplement Board of Regents 802.0803, Educational and Professional Leave. This document does not repeat BOR policy, but rather, serves to emphasize key points for GC&SU. The professional leave program is not intended to affect faculty who receive external fellowships, grant support, or external buyouts of time as they provide the funds for replacement faculty. This program is not intended to affect or replace requests for leave without pay. Rather the purpose of the professional leave program for GC&SU is intended to support scholarship, artistic endeavor, or teaching enhancement.
Eligibility
Ordinarily, only tenured faculty members who are associate professors or professors with six or more years service (including probationary credit) with artistic, scholarship, or teaching accomplishments are eligible for professional leaves.
Funding
Ordinarily, GC&SU will pay for replacement coverage for faculty granted professional leave with the number of leaves to be granted annually to be determined as university funding allows. GC&SU will provide full regular salary for a one-semester leave or one-half salary for a full year’s leave. Additional funds for travel and related expenses may be provided as deemed appropriate.
Process
The GC&SU Leave of Absence Request form will be used and accompanied by a three to five page proposal to request a professional leave. The faculty member should state the purpose or justification for the professional leave and provide a description of the relationship of the leave request to the mission of GC&SU. The process is intended to be competitive and professional leave should not be construed as automatic.
The process is initiated on September 1 of each year with a call for proposals from the office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The deadline for faculty proposals for the next academic year is October 15 with proposals to be submitted to the Department Chair, to a School committee (at the discretion of the School and intended to have faculty provide a peer review of the merits of the proposal) and then to the Dean (or University Librarian). Proposals should be forwarded to the Vice President by January 15 and faculty should be notified by March 15 as to whether or not the professional leave would be granted. Upon completion of the professional leave, the faculty member should submit a summary of the outcome of the leave to the Chair of the Department and copy the Dean (or University Librarian).
Selection
Criteria to be used to select faculty to receive professional leave include its relevance to the mission of GC&SU, the potential for individual growth, and the extension of artistic, scholarship or teaching activities by the faculty member.
Miscellaneous Points
Although the Board of Regents’ Academic Affairs Handbook 4.03.01 states that “Recommendations for promotion are not normally considered for individuals who are currently on leaves of absence…”, a GC&SU faculty member may apply for professional leave and still submit an application for promotion while on professional leave (note: only tenured faculty are eligible to apply for a professional leave).
If no qualified replacement can be found, the professional leave may be postponed or partially awarded to ensure the focus on our mission of delivering quality education to our students.
Sick leave and annual leave do accrue during the period of the paid professional leave. (This should not be confused with the lack of accrual of leave during unpaid professional leaves.)
Ordinarily, a faculty member may not be awarded professional leave more often than once every six years and the preference for granting leaves should be provided to those who have never received a professional leave from GC&SU.
Ordinarily, each school and the library should forward no more than two proposals to the Vice President for Academic Affairs in any one year. However, recognizing that some schools may only forward one proposal or none at all in some years and given that the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has such a large number of faculty members, Arts and Sciences may choose to forward three or four proposals in any given year.