Single Semester Leave

Questions regarding single semester leaves in the College of Liberal Arts should be directed to the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty, 612-624-9839.

Purpose

Faculty development leaves including single semester and sabbatical leaves are provided as an opportunity to acquire new skills and knowledge, to enhance communication of knowledge to students and society, and to create new uses for the knowledge made available. These leaves are designed to bring benefit to the individual, the students and the University of Minnesota; to the citizens of the state; and all who are affected by the research, teaching, creative activity, and service to society that are the University's mission.

Faculty request development leaves to pursue more intensely significant work already in progress or begin new studies, investigations, research, scholarly writing, and artistic projects. Leaves may also be used for curriculum development and other improvements to teaching. Single semester leaves are awarded competitively.

Governing Documents

• Board of Regents Policy - Employee Development, Education, and Training
• Human Resources Policy - Granting Faculty Development Leaves

Eligibility

Probationary faculty are eligible for a single semester leave after two academic or fiscal years of service in a University faculty appointment of 67 percent time or greater. Tenured faculty are eligible for a single semester leave after four academic or fiscal years of service in an appointment of 67 percent time or greater.

Single semester leaves for regular faculty are awarded on the basis of years of service and results of the review of the proposal within the department and college, subject to final approval by the dean.

Terms of Award

Single semester leaves are compensated at full salary and benefits. Faculty may not accept any other salary or compensation for services while on single semester leave. Single semester leaves may not be deffered to a subsequent academic year and may not be used to provide summer support. Single semester leaves shall begin and end so as to coincide with the beginning and ending of a semester. Faculty awarded a single semester leave must return to University service for at least one full semester or its equivalent immediately following the leave.

Single Semester Leave Application

CLA Faculty Single Semester Leave applications must be supplemented with a brief curriculum vitae or academic history (no more than five pages). Endorsement by the unit head is required. The project abstract should not exceed 150 words; the project description should not exceed 1,500 words. Word counts must be indicated where specified on the application. Standard font and size are required (e.g., Times New Roman, 12-point).

• CLA Single Semester Leave Application (56k, August 2007)

Proposals should address the conception and plan of the project; the contribution of the project to the established body of work in the field; and the contribution of the project to the applicant's professional development and the scholarly and/or creative activity, and/or teaching, and/or service mission of the applicant's unit. Applicants are asked to identify sources of external support for the proposed work, awarded and pending; and to identify past leaves and briefly describe projects, results and outcomes.

2007/08 Application Deadline - Friday, 5 October 2007

Application materials are due in the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty and Research, 212 Johnston Hall, by 4:00 p.m. on the due date. The fall 2007 single semester leave application deadline, for leaves to be taken during academic year 2008/09) is Friday, 5 October 2007. Please submit only one copy of your application materials.

Review Process and Criteria

Applications for CLA Single Semester Leaves are reviewed by the CLA Faculty Research Awards Committee, which serves an advisory role to the college. While applications may vary with respect to proposed activities, all applications will be assessed according to the following criteria:

• The overall quality of the proposal and the coherence of the applicant's plans in light of the missions of the unit, college, and University.
• The strength of the research, scholarly, or creative/artistic components of the proposal, including evidence that the project is well-focused and neither so preliminary that the proposed work is unlikely to be completed during the leave, nor so advanced that the work is already virtually complete.
• The degree to which the proposal is accessible to a broad audience, including scholars across the arts, humanities, and social sciences, as well as individuals outside the academy.
• Evidence that an award will make a direct and significant contribution to the established body of work in the applicant's field and the applicant's professional development.
• The applicant's record for productive use of past leaves, educational-development grants, and research grants from University and non-University sources.

Reporting

Faculty are required to submit a report on their single semester leave activities to the dean within three months of the conclusion of the leave. The report should summarize the activities and accomplishments during the leave, and should indicate how the leave can be expected to enhance the faculty member's future scholarly or creative work, teaching, or outreach activities.

Last updated 5 September 2007