BOT-UFF POLICY

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT LEAVE AND SABBATICALS

Purpose of Professional Development Leave:

To provide employees who are not eligible for Sabbatical Leaves with leave opportunities to increase the employee’s value to the University through enhanced opportunities for professional renewal, educational travel, formal education, research, writing or other experience of professional value, not as a reward for service.

Policy:

1.	Professional Development Leave. Each year, the University shall make available at least one (1) professional development leave at full pay for one (1) semester or its equivalent, for example leave at half pay for two (2) semesters for each twenty (20) eligible non-tenure earning employees, subject to the conditions set forth below.

2.	Eligibility. All employees with three (3) or more years of full-time continuous service at FIU, except those who are serving in tenure-earning or tenured positions, shall be eligible for professional development leaves during fiscal years 2011-2012 and 2012-2013. After July 1, 2013, all employees with at least six (6) years of full-time continuous service at FIU, except those who are serving in tenure-earning or tenured positions, shall be eligible for professional development leaves. An employee who is compensated through a contract or grant may receive a professional development leave only if the contract or grant allows for such leaves and the employee meets all other eligibility requirements.

3.	Terms of Professional Development Leave.

(a)	The employee must return to the University for at least one (1) academic year following conclusion of the leave, unless other arrangements are agreed to in writing by the Provost or designee before the leave is taken. If neither of these conditions is satisfied, the employee shall be required to return to the University the salary paid the employee by the University during the leave.

(b)	Employees will not be eligible for another professional development leave until they complete six (6) additional years of continuous service.

(c)	An employee who fails to spend the time as stated in the application shall reimburse the University for the salary received during such leave.

(d)	The University shall continue normal contributions to retirement and Social Security programs on a basis proportional to the salary paid the employee during the professional development leave. University contributions normally made to employee insurance programs and other employee benefit programs shall be continued during the professional development leave.

(e)	Eligible employees shall accrue vacation leave, if applicable, and sick leave on a full-time basis during the professional development leave.

(f)	The employee must provide a brief written report of the employee's accomplishments during the professional development leave to the President or designee upon return to the University.

(g)	While on leave, an employee shall be permitted to receive funds for travel and living expenses, and other professional development leave-related expenses, from sources other than the University, such as fellowships, grants-in-aid, and contracts and grants, to assist in accomplishing the purposes of the professional development leave. Receipt of non salary funds for such purposes shall not result in reduction of the employee's University salary, but must be reported to the University in advance of the professional development leave, if practicable. Grants for such financial assistance from other sources may, but need not, be administered through the University. If financial assistance is received in the form of salary, the University salary shall normally be reduced by the amount necessary to bring the total salary of the professional development leave period to a level comparable to the employee's current year salary rate. Employment unrelated to the purpose of the professional development leave is governed by the provisions of the BOT-UFF Policy on Conflict of Interest/Outside Activity.

Procedures

1.	Application and Selection.

(a)	Application for professional development leave shall be submitted on the FIU Professional Development Leave Application Form found on the Academic Affairs website (http://academic.fiu.edu/faculty_resources.html). No professional development leave will be awarded without a completed application form. Each application shall contain an appropriate description of the project or work to be accomplished during the leave; an indication why the applicant believes the product or work to be undertaken will improve the productivity of the department or improve his/her professional contribution to the department/unit of which the applicant is a part; any anticipated supplementary income, and a statement that the applicant agrees to comply with the conditions of the professional development leave. Thereafter, the applicant’s supervisor may submit a letter of endorsement supporting their request and noting expected benefits to the unit.

(b)	The University shall select applicants on the basis of whether completion of the project or work would enhance the employee’s contributions to the employee’s department/academic unit. Completed application forms must be received by the Provost or designee by the announced deadline for consideration for the following academic year. The application deadline dates shall be in January/February prior to the academic year beginning in August.

(c)	The Provost will appoint a committee that will evaluate and rank order the applications. No member of the committee shall also be an applicant for a professional development leave. The chairperson of the committee will be elected by a vote of a majority of at least a quorum of the members of the committee. The committee will develop its ranking based on the specific criteria that completion of the project would improve the productivity of the department of which the employee is a part. The committee, in ranking the applicants, shall also consider the benefits of the proposed program to the employee, the University and the profession; an equitable distribution of professional development leaves among colleges, divisions, schools, departments and disciplines within the University; the length of time since the employee was relieved of other assigned duties for the purpose of professional development; and the length of service since the previous professional development leave or initial appointment. The committee shall submit a ranked list of recommended employees to the Provost or designee. The Provost or designee shall make appointments from the list and shall notify the committee chairperson. In the event the Provost does not follow the committee’s ranking, the committee chair may request to consult with the Provost or his designee prior to making the appointment.

(d)	No more than one (1) employee in each department/unit need be granted leave at the same time.

2.	Notification of employees. Eligible employees shall be notified annually by January 15 regarding eligibility requirements and application deadlines. Applicants shall be notified as to whether or not their proposed leaves have been granted no later than March 15.