Sabbatical Leaves (I.A.5)

Volume I: Academic and Research Affairs
Chapter A: Education and Research
Responsible Executive: President
Responsible Office: Office of the Provost
Date Issued: July 1, 2022
Date Last Revised: N/A

Contacts
Statement of Policy
Reason for This Policy
Individuals and Entities Affected
Exclusions
Responsibilities
Definitions (defined terms are capitalized throughout the document)
Related Documents, Forms and Tools
Website Address for This Policy
History and Updates
Appendix

Contacts

Policy Clarification

Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
765-494-5425 | facultyaffairs@purdue.edu

Campus Specific Questions

Fort Wayne: Office of Academic Affairs
260-481-6113 | academicaffairs@pfw.edu

Northwest: Office of Academic Affairs
219-989-2446 | vcaa@pnw.edu

West Lafayette: Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs
765-494-5425 | facultyaffairs@purdue.edu

Statement of Policy

Purpose of Sabbatical Leave

Purdue University promotes the search for new knowledge and its transmission through discovery, learning and engagement. In order to maintain the high level of academic excellence necessary for these missions, it is important for the faculty to periodically update and strengthen their professional skills and re-examine their horizons. Sabbatical leave provides faculty with the time needed to work with other scholars; to conduct field research; to engage in creative activity; and/or to travel to other libraries, archives and research centers. The University invests in sabbatical leaves with the expectation that the leave will significantly enhance the faculty’s capacity to contribute to the University’s missions.

A faculty member on sabbatical leave is excused from all regular duties to enable full-time effort to the purpose of the leave.

Eligibility and Remuneration

Tenured members of the faculty of the University are eligible for consideration for sabbatical leave. Normally, only full-time service in the tenured/tenure-track professorial rank will be counted toward eligibility for sabbatical leave.

For tenured academic-year faculty members, sabbatical leaves may be granted as follows:

After a minimum of six semesters of service: one semester at half pay.
After a minimum of 12 semesters of service: one semester at full pay or two semesters at half pay, with pay adjusted proportionately for intermediate periods.
After a minimum of 18 semesters of service: one semester at full pay and one semester at half pay, with pay adjusted proportionately for intermediate periods.
After a minimum of 24 semesters of service: two semesters at full pay.

For tenured fiscal-year faculty members, sabbatical leaves may be granted as follows:

After a minimum of three years of service: six months at half pay.
After a minimum of six years of service: six months at full pay or up to one year at half pay, with pay adjusted proportionately for intermediate periods of time.
After a minimum of nine years of service: nine months at full pay.
After a minimum of 12 years of service: 12 months at full pay.

Normally, for both academic- and fiscal-year faculty members, sabbatical leave is taken over a period of consecutive months. When it is in the best interest of the University as determined by the Provost or Chancellor (or designee), sabbatical leave may be split into noncontinuous segments, as long as all granted leave is completed within 18 months and does not exceed the total time limits established above.

As each sabbatical ends, a new waiting period begins in accordance with the above sections.

Faculty members granted sabbatical leave are permitted to accept appointments and receive additional remuneration that meets all of the following criteria.

Sabbatical leave pay may be supplemented by grants, fellowships or other sources, provided the total compensation does not exceed the full-time salary rate for the period of the leave, and provided that activities resulting from additional compensation are not in conflict with the purpose of the sabbatical leave. In order for a faculty member to supplement sabbatical leave pay from grants, fellowships or other sources associated with their Purdue employment, the faculty member must obtain approval for a research / instructional / engagement leave in addition to the sabbatical leave.
Faculty may continue consulting arrangements, provided they do not conflict with the purpose and spirit of the sabbatical program and have been approved in accordance with the policy on Conflicts of Commitment and Reportable Outside Activities (III.B.1).
Faculty may accept external grants or stipend adjustments to defray family travel, cost of living allowances and/or research expenses, provided they are not for personal compensation.

Any administrative supplements the faculty receives from the University cease during the sabbatical leave.

Residence

Faculty members on sabbatical leave are expected to choose a residence in a location appropriate to the purposes of sabbatical leave and include the location where the leave is to be taken in the sabbatical application.

Fringe Benefits

The University will continue its contributions to the faculty member’s retirement plan based upon the budgeted full-time salary rate for the period of the sabbatical leave and within the limits of the retirement plan policies.

The University will continue its contributions to the group insurance programs based upon the full-time salary rate for the period of the sabbatical leave, provided the individual faculty member continues normal employee contributions to the fringe benefit program.

The University will make payments for Social Security based upon the actual salary received from the University.

Vacation leave does not accrue during the period of sabbatical leave.

Application for Sabbatical Leave

Faculty may request sabbatical leave by submitting a written proposal containing the following information:

Purpose of the proposed sabbatical, along with the goals, significance, approach, specific plans, and potential impact of the proposed sabbatical work;
The location where the leave is to be taken; and
Benefits the faculty member believes will accrue to the University as a result of the sabbatical.

Refer to each campus’s Operating Procedures for Requesting Sabbatical Leave for a detailed description of what must be included in the written application (see Related Documents, Forms and Tools section).

Obligation of the Faculty Member

Upon conclusion of the sabbatical leave, faculty are obligated to:

Return to the University for at least one complete year of full-time service, and
Submit to their department head and dean a written report of the professional activities in which they engaged.

Faculty members who fail to comply with condition (1) above are obligated to reimburse the University for all compensation (including the cost of fringe benefits) paid during the period of the sabbatical leave. Failure to comply with condition (2) above will mean the faculty member is not eligible for future sabbatical leaves.

Coordination with Other Leaves

If sabbatical leave and research / instructional / engagement leave are used in proximity, the research / instructional / engagement leave must come first. Faculty may not take research / instructional / engagement leave within one year of returning from sabbatical leave. Any exceptions to take the leaves concurrently or to take research / instructional / engagement leave within one year following sabbatical leave must be prior approved in writing by the Provost (West Lafayette) or Chancellor (Fort Wayne and Northwest), or their designee.

Reason for This Policy

A sound program of sabbatical leaves is of vital importance to the University in that it provides faculty members with the opportunity for continued professional growth and new or renewed intellectual achievement through study, research and writing.

Individuals and Entities Affected

All academic units and tenured faculty of the University.

Exclusions

Faculty who have not attained tenure or are in a non-tenure track position, such as clinical/professional faculty and research faculty, are not eligible for sabbatical leave. Lecturers and other instructors also are not eligible for sabbatical leave.

Responsibilities

Provost (West Lafayette) and Chancellors

Ensure that operating procedures to supplement this policy are maintained for their campus.
Review and make final determinations on requests for sabbatical leave consistent with this policy and each campus’s associated operating procedures (or assign a designee).
Review and make determinations on requests to split sabbatical leave into noncontinuous segments (or assign a designee).
Review and make determinations on requests to deviate from this policy.

Faculty

Request sabbatical leave in accordance with this policy and its associated operating procedures.
Adhere to the terms of granted sabbatical leave.

Deans and Department Heads

Review and make a recommendation to approve or deny, as appropriate, requests for sabbatical leave consistent with this policy and its associated operating procedures.
Arrange departmental schedules to permit eligible faculty to take sabbatical leave while minimizing (1) disruption to the academic program and (2) the cost of substitute instruction.

Human Resources and Business Offices

Provide administrative support for the sabbatical review and approval process, as needed for their campus.

Sponsored Program Services

Provide information regarding any funding issues or project constraints as they relate to requests for sabbatical leave.

Definitions

All defined terms are capitalized throughout the document. Refer to the central Policy Glossary for additional defined terms.

Website Address for This Policy

www.purdue.edu/vpec/policies/academic-research-affairs/ia5

History and Updates

July 1, 2022: This policy supersedes Executive Memorandum No. B-11 (Sabbatical Leave of Absence) dated November 16, 1984. Included a broader description of the purpose of sabbatical leave and clarified that faculty on sabbatical are excused from regular duties. Added levels of leave for 18 and 24 semesters of service by academic-year faculty and for nine and 12 years of service by fiscal-year faculty. Clarified the coordination of sabbatical leave with research / instructional / engagement leave.

Appendix

There are no appendices to this policy.