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Home > Faculty > Internal Awards and Funding Sources : Faculty Development Leave

Faculty Development Leave

Questions regarding the College of Liberal Arts Faculty Development Leave program should be directed to the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty.

2012/13 Faculty Development Leave
Applications Due 27 January 2012

While the published deadline for CLA faculty development leave applications is 27 January 2012 (for leaves to be taken during academic year 2012/13), the college recognizes that some funding agencies may not announce their awards until well after the deadline.  To request an extension of the deadline, please contact the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty.

Purpose

The College of Liberal Arts Faculty Development Leave program provides professional development leave opportunities for regular (tenured and tenure-track) faculty who are not eligible for a single semester leave or a sabbatical leave, but who have received a prestigious external fellowship or funding award that does not provide full salary support.

  • The CLA Faculty Development Leave program provides partially paid (up to 50%-paid) professional development leaves of one or two semesters in length to faculty who have received competitive external fellowships that contribute a significant portion of the faculty member's base salary (typically 40% or more) for the period corresponding to the leave.
  • The CLA Faculty Development Leave program provides partially paid (up to 50%-paid) professional development leaves of one semester in length to faculty who have received competitive external awards that provide substantial funding (typically $25,000 or more) in support of the faculty member's scholarly research or other creative work, and for whom a leave or release from teaching is critical to the success of the project.
  • Decisions concerning eligibility and the level of salary funding to be provided by the college reside with the associate dean for faculty.

Eligibility

  • Regular tenure-track or tenured CLA faculty who have been awarded an external fellowship or other external funding award may apply for a CLA faculty development leave, subject to approval and recommendation of the unit chair/director.
  • To qualify for a CLA faculty development leave, the fellowship or other funding award must be of at least four months duration and must provide funding in support of the faculty member's salary and/or expenses associated with the faculty member's scholarly research or other creative work.
  • Examples of fellowships and awards that may qualify for a CLA faculty development leave include many awarded by the Fulbright program, the American Council of Learned Societies, the National Endowment for the Arts, Guggenheim Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities, the Social Science Research Council, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, and many more.
  • Qualifying fellowships and awards may include residencies at such centers as the National Humanities Center, Institutes for Advanced Study (e.g., Princeton; The Netherlands; Berlin), Rockefeller Foundation Humanities Institutes, the Woodrow Wilson International Center, etc.
  • Probationary (tenure-track) faculty are eligible for a CLA faculty development leave after two years of service in a University faculty appointment of 67 percent time or greater, as defined by the University's Administrative Policy on Faculty Development Leaves. Subsequent CLA faculty development leaves require three additional years of service.
  • Tenured faculty are eligible for a CLA Faculty Development Leave after three years of service in a University faculty appointment of 67 percent time or greater, as defined the University's Administrative Policy on Faculty Development Leaves. Subsequent CLA faculty development leaves require three additional years of service.
  • Faculty who are eligible for a sabbatical leave are expected to request and take the sabbatical leave. Faculty may not request a faculty development leave to preserve sabbatical eligibility for later use.

Appointment, Salary, Benefits, Retirement

  • Appointment. CLA Faculty Development Leaves shall correspond to B-term appointment periods (fall semester, spring semester, nine-month academic year). During the period covered by a FDL, the faculty member will be placed on a paid professional development leave.
  • Salary. CLA Faculty Development Leaves provide up to and no more than 50% of the faculty member's base salary.
    • Consistent with University policy, total salary support received from all sources, including salary supported by the external fellowship or other funding award, salary supported by the University of Minnesota, and salary support from any other sources may not exceed 100% of the base salary for the period corresponding to the leave.
  • Funding Source. The University's portion of the faculty member's salary support will be paid from the faculty member's existing salary and fringe-benefit line items in the unit's budget.
    • Funds from the unpaid portion of the leave return to the college and will be used to meet department and college priorities.
    • Requests for funding to cover temporary instructional needs due to a CLA faculty development leave can be made during the annual budget planning process. TINS guidelines are available on the Fiscal Administration web page.
  • Sponsored Projects Administration. Faculty are strongly encouraged to work with CLA's Grants Team and SPA on the administration of all external fellowships and awards.
    • For an award covering more than salary, faculty will be asked to provide a budget, even if the award is not being administered by SPA.
  • Benefits. The University of Minnesota maintains benefits contributions for faculty on authorized, paid professional development leaves of 50%-time or greater (i.e., leaves during which 50% or more of the faculty member's base salary is being paid as salary through University payroll).
  • Retirement Contributions. Faculty on CLA faculty development leaves will receive retirement contributions in direct proportion to the extent of the paid University of Minnesota appointment. Upon returning to full-time service, the college will support a request from the faculty member to receive retirement contributions on the unpaid portion of the faculty member's University appointment during the leave, consistent with the University’s Faculty Retirement Plan document.

Terms and Conditions

  • Teaching. A faculty member on an authorized CLA faculty development leave will be relieved of all regular teaching responsibilities during the period covered by the leave.
  • Advising and Service. A faculty member on an authorized CLA faculty development leave may be asked to continue with advising and service activities during the leave, subject to unit needs.
    • Advising and service activities during a CLA faculty development leave should not be unduly burdensome so as to impede the faculty member's ability to engage in the work supported by the leave.
    • Decisions concerning specific advising and service obligations during a CLA faculty development leave reside with the chair/director of the faculty member's academic unit.
  • Summer Support. A CLA faculty development leave may not be used to provide summer support.
  • Work Effort. The faculty member agrees to be engaged full-time in the scholarly research or creative work supported by the leave to the fullest extent possible. University-approved consulting activities may continue, so long as they do not conflict with the terms and purposes of the external award.
  • Return to Service. The faculty member must return to University service immediately following the leave for a period of time at least equal to the period of the leave and at the percentage of appointment held during the leave.
    • The return to service requirement will be one semester or two consecutive semesters, depending on the length of the leave.
    • A faculty member who does not return, or returns for only a portion of the time due, and has not been granted a written waiver from the college must reimburse the University for all or a prorated amount of the salary, retirement contributions, and value of benefits received during the leave.
  • Subsequent or Preceding Leaves. A CLA faculty development leave may not immediately follow or precede any other university or collegiate faculty development leave (e.g., sabbatical leave, single semester leave, CLA faculty development leave, etc).
  • Concurrent Leaves. A CLA faculty development leave may not be held concurrently with a sabbatical leave or a single semester leave.
  • Service Credit. The period covered by a CLA faculty development leave will not count as service for purposes of determining eligibility for a subsequent University single semester leave or sabbatical leave, or other collegiate development leave.

Applications

Applications for CLA faculty development leaves are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Applications must include the application form and all required attachments.

Required Attachments

  • Statement of support from the unit head (chair or director). The statement of support should include details on the financial support requested for the fellowship and address the unit's plans for covering instructional needs and other duties during the leave.
  • Copies of all relevant supporting documentation from the funding agency, including dates the fellowship will be held, locations, and all funding support provided.

Reporting

Faculty are required to submit a report on their leave activities within three months after returning to full-time University service. The report should briefly summarize the activities and accomplishments during the fellowship and should indicate how the fellowship can be expected to enhance the faculty member's future scholarly or creative work, teaching, or outreach activities.

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