MAHE Sabbatical Information

Purpose: (Article XXIII.C.1)

The purpose of a Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave is to provide for professional growth of the bargaining unit member that is not possible while fulfilling the obligations of a full-time appointment. Sabbatical/Professional Development Leaves may be granted for advanced study, research, writing, or cognate pursuits, resulting in achievement which will contribute to the professional effectiveness of the faculty member and will significantly benefit the College.

Eligibility: (Article XXII.C.2)

A bargaining unit member is eligible for consideration for Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave if, as of February 1 preceding the academic year for which the leave is sought, the member:

1. Is a full-time employee in the bargaining unit currently and actively employed (not on leave of absence or layoff);
2. Has completed at least six years of full-time service to the College;
3. Has performed at least 192 workload hours (equivalent to 8,304 clock hours) for the College within the preceding seven academic years; and
4. Has not been on Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave within the preceding six academic years.

Before You Apply:

Consider if this is something you wish to do! Your project should be in alignment with your college assignment and must benefit both you and the College. You will need to meet with your Department Chair, Dean, and/or other members of your program or department to assist you in formulating a leave proposal. This discussion could include:

• the purpose of the leave and what you hope to accomplish
• your eligibility to apply
• method of evaluating the accomplishment of the stated objectives
• value of the proposal to your professional effectiveness
• whether the proposed sabbatical result will significantly benefit the College
• any burden to the program or department the leave may cause

Potential red flags that may cause your Sabbatical Leave proposal to be returned to you for clarification, revisions, addendums or potentially to be rejected, are:

• Unrealistic timelines
  Your project should be something that should take approximately three months to complete. A project that is too short or can take too long will raise some concerns.
• An evaluation plan that is too weak
  In developing a method to evaluate your accomplishments, be sure to include comprehensive plans that will document how well you met your goals. This section often determines the outcome and is the most frequently returned for revision.
• A value statement that suggests you are tired and simply feel you deserve a refreshing break
  Certainly fatigue is always an issue with hard working faculty, but it’s unrealistic to suggest that the College should reward you with a semester off with no commitments.
• Travel expenses
  Travel during Sabbatical Leave is considered the responsibility of the faculty member, not the College.

Duration and Compensation: (Article XXIII.C.4.a)

1. The duration of a Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave shall not exceed two consecutive semesters: Fall and Spring.
2. 2) The compensation of a bargaining unit member on an approved Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave:
   
   1. One semester (Fall or Spring) shall be the member’s base salary for the semester, subject to adjustments as provided in subsection 4.a.4) or 4.a.5).
   2. Two semesters (Fall and Spring) shall be one-half the member’s base salary for the academic year, subject to adjustment as provided in subsection 4.a.4) or 4.a.5).
   3. Benefits shall be maintained for the duration of the Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave as provided in applicable sections of this Agreement, except as otherwise required by applicable law or regulation.
3. A bargaining unit member on approved Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave shall not render service for compensation for the College except with the written authorization of the Provost or the Provost’s designee.
4. No leaves whatsoever shall be granted for the taking of employment for pecuniary advantage elsewhere, and a member on Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave shall not render service for compensation in another institution or enterprise without prior written approval of the Provost or the Provost’s designee.  Provided full disclosure is made in the application materials, this condition does not preclude retention of pre-existing employment (whether or not related to the objectives of the Leave), or acceptance of a contract, grant, or fellowship that materially aids the Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave.  Violation of any condition of this subsection may lead to immediate suspension of the sabbatical pay and may result in disciplinary action. 
5. If a member accepts a contract, grant or fellowship in connection with the Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave, the proceeds may be expended on documented, reasonable and necessary expenses incurred for the Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave.  Any remaining proceeds shall be retained by the member, provided the amount retained plus the member’s compensation from the College shall not exceed the member’s base salary for the term of the Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave.  The member shall refund any overpayment to the College.

The Process: (Article XXIII.C.3)

Pre-Application Process (Article XXIII.C.3.b)

Prior to September 15 of the year preceding the academic year for which the leave is sought, the member shall meet with the member’s administrative supervisor and other members of the program or department.  The purpose of this meeting is to assist the member in formulating a mutually beneficial leave proposal.  Discussion should include:

1. The purpose(s) of the proposed leave;
2. The timing of the proposed leave and its impact on the program or department;
3. The value of the proposed leave to the member and the program or department;
4. The burden(s) of the proposed leave on the program or department.

Sabbaticals may be taken in Fall Semester, Spring Semester, or both Fall and Spring Semesters.

Application Process (Article XXIII.C.4.c)

1. Not later than September 15 of the year preceding the academic year for which the leave is sought, the member shall submit a draft of the application materials to the member’s Dean or designee. The materials to be submitted include: 
   1. A completed “Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave Request Form;”
   2. A statement of the purpose(s) of the Sabbatical/ Professional Development Leave including the activities to be undertaken with timelines for completion in order to achieve the purpose(s);
   3. A method of evaluating the accomplishment of the stated objective(s);
   4. A statement of the benefits and value of the Sabbatical/ Professional Development Leave to the bargaining unit member;
   5. A statement of the benefits and value of the Sabbatical/ Professional Development Leave to the College (independent of the faculty member’s professional growth);
   6. A description of any contract, grant or fellowship related to the Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave, including the nature of the contract, grant, or fellowship, the approximate time requirements on the part of the applicant; and the dollar amount of any such contract, grant or fellowship; and
   7. A signed agreement that, if the member receives a Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave, the member shall return to the College for a period of one year of active employment or shall refund on a prorated basis the full compensation (including costs of employee benefits and expenses) attributable to the Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave period, together with a signed promissory note reflecting this refund obligation.
2. If requested, the Dean or designee and member shall meet to discuss the plan and possible improvement to the application materials. 
3. Not later than October 5, the member may submit a revised final draft to the Dean or designee. and the Provost. 
4. By October 15, the Provost or designee will review the revised final draft and may submit a recommendation on the application, together with written explanation, and deliver it to the member, with a copy to the Sabbatical/Professional Development Committee.

Upon Completion of Approved Sabbatical Leave (Article XXIII.C.4.c)

Upon completion of the Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave: 

1. The bargaining unit member shall provide a written report to the Sabbatical/Professional Development Committee and to the College Human Resources Department, along with such other documentation as the Sabbatical/Professional Development Committee may desire, establishing the satisfactory completion of the stated objectives of the Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave.  Such materials shall be provided within 30 days of the end of the Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave, unless otherwise provided in the approved Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave application or by written authorization of the Provost or the Provost’s designee.  If a member fails to comply with the requirements of this provision, $270.00 will be deducted from the member’s pay for each pay period in which the member is out of compliance, and such amount will be contributed by the College to the LCC Foundation.
2. The Sabbatical/Professional Development Committee will evaluate the success of the Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave in light of the materials submitted.
3. The Sabbatical/Professional Development Committee will promptly provide the President or the President’s designee with a written evaluation of each Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave, signed by a majority of the members of the Sabbatical/Professional Development Committee.
4. The College may require the bargaining unit member to present an overview of the Sabbatical/Professional Development Leave and its outcomes to the Board of Trustees or at program, department or division meetings or in other appropriate venues.

Completed Sabbatical reports will be saved to the CTE public workspace. You can visit the CTE workspace to view these reports on the O: drive while on campus at AA-Public/AA-CTE/Sabbatical-Reports.

This document is intended as a summary of the Leave process and is not intended to replace language contained in the LCC/MAHE collective bargaining agreement. All MAHE members are encouraged to carefully review Article XXIII.C. in its entirety before applying for a sabbatical leave of absence.

If you have any questions regarding sabbaticals, please contact Human Resources at 517-483-1870.

Forms and Guidelines

• Word FileSabbatical / Professional Development Leave Request Form
• Word FileSabbatical / Professional Development Final Leave Report Form - updates pending
• Word FileSabbatical Promissory Note
• Word FileSabbatical Report Guidelines - updates pending
• Word FileCommittee Review of Sabbatical Leave Report Form