SUNY Plattsburgh Provost/VP for Academic Affairs Sabatical Leave Information

Applying for Sabbatical Leaves for 2013-2014 Academic Year

Applications for Sabbatical Leaves for the next academic year (2013-2014) are now available in your Dean's Office, in the Provost's Office and electronically. Please remember that sabbatical leave awards are highly competitive, and only a limited number can be given in any one year. For this next review cycle for Sabbatical Leaves (2013-2014), only half-year at half-pay awards and full-year at half-pay awards will be available (due to the college's fiscal situation). In either case, sabbatical awards cannot adversely affect the teaching/learning environment for students or other reasonable academic services provided by the college.

Our process and procedures for Sabbatical Leaves are in accordance with the Policies of the Board of Trustees (Article XIII) and the Agreement between the State of New York and United University Professions (Article 23.6). Sabbatical awards are available for all academic employees who otherwise meet the criteria of the Board of Trustees Policies and the Agreement, and whose sabbatical leave proposals are approved.

If you are planning to submit a Sabbatical Application for the next academic year, I urge you to meet with your Department Chair/Center Director/Program Coordinator and Dean as soon as possible.

Sabbatical Leave Policies and Eligibility

The policy on sabbatical leaves with pay is defined in Article XIII of the Policies of the Board of Trustees and Article 23.6 of the Agreement between UUP, Inc. and the State of New York.

The Policies and Article 23.6 of the Agreement state that "sabbatical leaves may be granted for planned travel, study, formal education, research, writing or other experiences of professional value. "

Eligibility:
Academic employees holding continuing appointments who have completed at least six (6) consecutive years of service within the University or who, if they previously have had a sabbatical leave, have completed at least six (6) consecutive years of service within the University from the date of return from their last sabbatical leave, shall be eligible for sabbatical leave.

The following campus policy and procedure applies:

1. Approval of an application for a sabbatical leave shall be dependent upon a qualitative review of the proposed activity based on all of the following criteria:
   1. The potential of the contribution that the proposed leave will make to 1) the college, 2) thought and knowledge within the disciplinary field, 3) the individual's professional development, and 4) the department;
   2. The quality of the applicant's work within his/her field and the extent to which this work offers promise for a productive use of the sabbatical, the extent to which the applicant's prior work offers promise for a productive use of the sabbatical;
   3. The overall quality of the conception, definition, organization, and description of the proposed activity; and
   4. The likelihood that the proposed activity will be accomplished.
2. Requests for leaves will also be reviewed by the Department Chairs and Deans to ascertain the impact of the leave on both the departments involved (if more than one is affected) and the effect of such leaves on the total instructional program of the College.
3. Within one semester of return from sabbatical leave, a report reiterating the purposed objectives of the leave and detailing the accomplishments of the leave must be submitted to the College Provost with copies to the appropriate Dean and the Chairperson for their review. The report will also be reviewed by the President and sent to SUNY Central for review by the Chancellor's Office. It is essential that the report be carefully prepared to include substantive and complete information. Download the Report of Sabbatical Leave Activities form.
4. It is strongly recommended that each individual discuss with his/her chairperson his/her plans for sabbatical leave at least one (1) year in advance. Leave forms are available from the offices of the Deans and Provost and electronically at: web.plattsburgh.edu/files/128/files/2012-Sabbatical-Leave-Application.pdf. (Note, this file requires the latest version of Acrobat Reader, which is available as free download.)

A specific plan to assure coverage of the classroom seats of the academic employee going on leave will be prepared by the Departmental Chair/Center Director in consultation with the applicant and appropriate Dean(s) and attached to the leave application at the time the leave request is made. This plan must assure total coverage of the teaching capacity of the academic employee who goes on sabbatical leave. For this next review cycle for Sabbatical Leaves (2013-2014), only half-year at half-pay awards and full-year at half-pay awards will be available (due to the college's fiscal situation). In each case these awards cannot adversely affect the teaching/learning environment for students or other reasonable academic services provided. Sabbatical awards are available for all academic employees who otherwise meet the criteria of the Board of Trustees Policies and the Agreement, and whose sabbatical leave proposals are approved.

Note that the Trustees' Policies and the Agreement permit academic employees to submit an application to the President of the college up to six (6) months in advance of the effective date of the leave, but in no event later than six months in advance of such date unless such requirement is expressly waived by the chief administrative officer. The College President may approve such sabbatical leave as the College President deems appropriate and such leave shall be reported to the Chancellor. However, the following timetable is to be followed, except in unusual circumstances.

Sabbatical Application Timetable

Action	Deadline
*The Sabbatical Proposal Review Committee will be appointed by the Provost. The Committee shall be composed, when practicable, of three (3) faculty members holding the rank of Distinguished University Professor and/or academic employees who have received a Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching, Professional Service or Librarianship. All members will be appointed to staggered, two-year terms for continuity of application review. Applicants for sabbaticals who are sitting members of the Committee will recuse themselves from service on the Committee in that year. The Committee's charge is that its members will make a qualitative assessment of the sabbatical proposals submitted in a given year.
Provost announces timeline and calls for Applications from Faculty	Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Application submitted to Chairperson/ Center Director/Program Coordinator	Friday, October 26, 2012
Application transmitted to Dean's Office by Chairperson/Center Director/Program Coordinator	Monday, November 5, 2012
Applications transmitted by Dean's Office to Provost's Office	Monday, November 19, 2012
Applications transmitted by Provost's Office to Sabbatical Proposal Review Committee* And Deans for review	Monday, December 3, 2012
Review and Recommendation submitted to Provost by Deans and Sabbatical Proposal Review Committee	Friday, January 4, 2013
Review and Recommendation to President by Provost	Friday, January 18, 2013
Notification by President	Thursday, January 31, 2012

Suggestions to Faculty Members Who Are Planning to Apply for Sabbatical Leaves in the Future

1. The important consideration in supporting or denying support for sabbatical leaves is found in Article XIII, Title E, Section I of the Policies of the Board of Trustees in the following words: "The objective of such leave is to increase an employee's value to the University. "
2. The College is in agreement with the American Federation of Teacher's Higher Education Program and Policy Councils statement on First Principles: "Research, scholarship and creative activity are essential to the success of American Higher education. For ideas to flow between students and teachers, and reach society at large, knowledge must be continually expanded as well as transmitted. Colleges and universities differ greatly in their research activity, but good teaching always draws on new scholarship, and vice versa." ("On Campus" October 1997, p. 11).
3. All sabbatical leaves should be planned well in advance so that one's chairperson, colleagues, and Dean have the opportunity to discuss the proposed project (usually 12 months in advance).
4. Academic employees are encouraged to seek external funding in support of their sabbatical activities. In the "idea" and initial preparation stages for these sabbatical projects where external support may be appropriate, academic employees need to consult with Sponsored Research and Programs, Kehoe 815, for assistance in locating possible additional funding sources. Furthermore, all academic employees may wish to consult with Sponsored Research to ascertain the viability of external support for their proposed activities.

Computer Policy

If a faculty member requires the use of his/her assigned computer during a sabbatical (for either home or office use), the faculty member's Department Chair and Dean must approve that use and notify Computing Support in writing. Every attempt will be made to find a computer for temporary appointments, but there are no guarantees.

Campus Office Policy

If a faculty member requires the use of his/her assigned office during a sabbatical, the faculty member's Department Chair and Dean must approve that use.

Contact Information

For more information about Academic Affairs at SUNY Plattsburgh, please contact:

James Liszka, Ph.D.
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Office: Kehoe 201
Phone: (518) 564-5402
Email: provost-office@plattsburgh.edu

Lizabeth J. Woodard
Secretary
Office: Kehoe 201A
Phone: (518) 564-5402
Fax: (518) 564-4415
Email: lizabeth.woodard@plattsburgh.edu