Background

MTU’s Board of Control recognizes that the academic tradition of sabbatical leave is an essential part of faculty professional development that benefits both the University and individual faculty members. However, the third clause of Board of Control Policy 6.1, which prohibits faculty members from accepting full-time employment during their sabbatical leaves, may impede some faculty members from taking advantage of sabbatical leave opportunities. In this age of globalization, it is in the University’s best interest to encourage faculty members to spend their sabbatical leaves in foreign countries. In doing so, currency exchange rates, cultural impacts on rules of compensation and other factors may dictate their terms of employment at a foreign institution faculty that may run contrary to Board of Control Policy 6.1. There is a need for greater flexibility in defining the terms of employment during sabbatical leave.

In Policy 6.1, the Board of Control has given authority to the President of University to use his/her judgment in the requirement for a faculty member to return to MTU after the sabbatical leave (“Persons receiving sabbatical leave must agree to return to their position for the following year, with such exceptions as the President of the University, with advice from the University Sabbatical Leave Committee, may permit.”). Similar flexibility is needed in the definition of terms of employment during sabbatical leave.

Proposal

The University Senate recommends the following change in Board of Control Policy 6.1 on Sabbatical Leave:

Replace the following statement:

“Faculty may not accept full-time employment during the course of their sabbatical leave”

With:

“Faculty may not accept full-time employment during the course of their sabbatical leave, with such exceptions as the President of the University, with advice from the University Sabbatical Leave Committee, may permit.”

Adopted by the Presidential Advisory Committee (formerly Senate): 26 January 2005

Approved by President Mroz: 8 February 2005