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Office of Human Resources: Illinois State University

Educational Leave

Civil Service employees with at least two years of university service may apply for an educational leave. Leaves may be granted with or without pay.

Administrative Professional employees with at least five years of service may apply for an educational leave. Leaves may be at half pay for up to one year or at full pay for up to half of a year.

Faculty members with at least five years of service on a tenured/tenure-track appointment may apply for a sabbatical leave. Leaves may be at one-half (1/2) pay for nine months or full pay for one semester.

Guidelines for Sabbatical/Educational Leave Proposal

A complete proposal for sabbatical/educational leave shall be submitted with the Request for Leave of Absence Request PERS 917 form to the appropriate department or unit chairperson no later than September 15 of the academic year preceding the leave. The proposal shall contain the following:

  1. Description of proposed leave
    A. Purpose and design of projects and activities
    B. Time schedule
    C. End product (outcomes)
  2. Contribution of the sabbatical/educational leave to your professional and personal
    welfare.
  3. Significance of the proposal to University, College, and programmatic goals (address
    specific goals).
  4. Contribution of the outcome of the leave to the professional stature of the University.
  5. Professional Vita
  6. Copy of written summary report filed from last sabbatical/educational leave.

Obligations

An individual granted a sabbatical/educational leave assumes a professional obligation to return to the University for a period of at least one full academic year subsequent to the leave.

Within three months of the completion of a sabbatical/educational leave, a faculty member must file a written report with his/her department chairperson and college dean summarizing the purposes to which the leave was put and listing the publications or other accomplishments resulting therefrom. This report shall be incorporated into the individual's evaluation for salary increases, promotions and tenure at the time of the next evaluation for such purposes following completion of the leave.

Criteria

Judgment of the leave proposal will be based on (University Policy, adopted by the Academic Senate, July 29, 1970):

  • Contribution of the sabbatical/educational leave to the professional and personal welfare of the faculty member.
  • Significance of the proposal to University, College, and program goals.
  • Contribution to the professional stature of the University.
  • Ability, based upon past performance, to complete proposal.
  • Convenience of the University, except that a faculty member cannot be refused on this basis alone more than three successive years.
  • Seniority.
  • Time elapsed since last sabbatical.
  • Priority consideration will be given to faculty members with tenure. A letter from the department chairperson to the college dean and the Provost regarding future tenure status of the faculty member must be accompanied by all sabbatical/educational leave requests submitted by non-tenured faculty.