P/A Professional Development Leaves

Please contact CLA Human Resources (612-624-9839) with questions about procedures or deadlines.

Purpose

Professional development leaves are intended to provide opportunities for academic professional and administrative staff to develop and enhance performance and contributions to their unit and its mission. This academic benefit is important for attracting, hiring, and retaining highly competent staff for the academic professional and administrative category.

Governing Documents

Board of Regents Policy on Employee Development, Education, and Training
Human Resources Administrative Policy on Granting Professional Development and Transitional Leaves for Academic Professional and Administrative Employees

Professional Development Activities

Activities undertaken during a leave must be demonstrably related to the betterment of an applicant's department or professional position. Professional development activities may include:

Study: Studies substantially related to the applicant's position
Internships: Exchange or loan programs and unpaid internships
Research: Leading to or resulting in publication, performance, or other appropriate objective; or contributions to the applicant's current field of employment
Other: Special studies, investigations, research, scholarly writing, artistic projects, and curriculum development.

Involvement in professional organizations, attending and presenting at local, regional, or national meetings, is an expectation of academic professional and administrative staff and does not constitute professional development leave.

Eligibility and Types of Leaves

P/A professional development leaves are available to professional and administrative staff members whose primary employment at the University is classified within the 93xx, 96xx, or 97xx series. Eligible employees will also hold appointments covering a minimum of nine months at 100%-time (B-term appointments), or twelve months at 75%-time (A-term appointments).

The following professional development leaves (up to 100%) are offered under the policy. Each type of leave is contingent upon years of service:

1. Mini-Leave: A development leave of up to six weeks at full salary and full benefits. Eligibility for this type of leave requires one year of service.

2. Short-Term Leave: A development leave of seven to 20 consecutive weeks at one-half salary to full salary and full benefits, with salary to be determined by the unit. Eligibility for this type of leave requires four years of service. Staff may apply for a leave during the fourth year of eligible service for a leave to be taken during fifth year of service.

3. Extended Leave: A development leave of 21 to 48 consecutive weeks at one-half salary and full benefits. Eligibility for this type of leave requires six years of service. Staff may apply for a leave during the sixth year of eligible service for a leave to be taken during seventh year of service.

Terms and Conditions

Return to Service. Recipients of professional development leaves agree to return to the unit granting the leave for a period of time at least as long as the period of the leave. If the return to service obligation is not fulfilled, the recipient of the leave individual will be responsible for reimbursing the University the prorated amount of salary, retirement contributions, and all other fringe benefits that were paid out during the leave.

Income Augmentation. Recipients of P/A professional development leaves are permitted to augment their leave salary approximately to the level of the regular University salary, provided that the activities yielding the additional compensation are consistent with the expressed purposes of the leave. Approval from the unit head and the dean are required. Grants for research and study or to augment leave activities are acceptable, provided the support is consistent with the expressed purposes of the leave.

Outside Consulting. Consistent with the University's policies concerning outside consulting and other commitments, recipients of P/A professional development leaves may continue to engage in University-approved consulting activities that do not conflict with the purposes of the leave.

University Service. Recipients of P/A professional development leaves are relieved of regular department, college, and university duties during the period of the leave.

Replacement Staffing. The unit head must provide a statement addressing the financial implications of proposed leave and the department's plans to cover replacement staffing needs. For leaves providing less than full salary, the remaining portion of the employee's salary shall remain with the unit, with first priority for its expenditure being replacement staffing needs.

Application Instructions

Applications for P/A professional development leaves must describe the activities of the requested leave, including length and dates of the leave, location of leave activities, a timeline or agenda for the leave specifying what the applicant intends to achieve and at what point, and a statement describing the anticipated benefits to the individual and unit.

2012-13 Application Deadlines

Fall Semester Deadline (for leaves to be taken during spring semester 2013) - November 2, 2012
Spring Semester Deadline - (for leaves to be taken during fall 2013) - March 1, 2013

Application materials are due to the CLA HR email account (clahr@umn.edu) by 4:30 p.m. on the due date. Please submit the application form and all necessary attachments in electronic format.

Application Form - Professional Development Leave for P/A Employees (DOC) (Form UM 1633, May 2009)

Required Attachments - All Applications

Current curriculum vitae or resume
Current job description
Statement from the unit head, including an endorsement of the leave proposal and addressing arrangements made to cover work during the leave (logistically and financially), and/or special requirements for assistance to the department to cover the work.

Additional Application Materials

Proposals requiring collaborative work with other university units and/or external agencies that also involves research/creative activity or other professional projects must include relevant letters of support

Letters or statements of support from academic advisors, committees, or other non-supervisors should address whether the proposed timeline/agenda and project goals are attainable and realistic. Additional materials may be requested at a later date.

Review and Approval

P/A professional development leaves are subject to review and recommendation by the unit head and by the CLA P/A Promotion and Leave Review Committee. Approval of P/A professional development leaves is granted by the CLA Dean.

Professional development leaves are considered based on the merit of the proposal and the availability of funds; they are not a benefit to which individuals are entitled based only upon length of service. All leave requests are evaluated to assess both individual and relative merit.

Reporting

Within one month of returning from the leave, the recipient of a leave agrees to submit a written report to the unit head, with a copy to the dean. This report should address and include:

Purpose and goals for the leave (including the original agenda/timeline)
How goals were met or unmet during the leave
Benefits of the leave to the recipient and unit
Implementation plan for applying new knowledge

Address: 215 Johnston Hall, 101 Pleasant St SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
Phone: 612-625-2020
Email: cla@umn.edu

The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer
Last modified on January 9, 2013