Sabbatical Proposal Review
The FRC is charged not only with conducting faculty reviews, but also with reviewing proposals for sabbatical leaves. Faculty members seeking a sabbatical must submit all proposal documents to the chief academic officer and Faculty Review Committee by September 10 of the fall of the year prior to the year they desire the sabbatical. All proposal documents must be submitted in the learning management system.
Eligibility
Full-time teaching faculty members at or above the rank of assistant professor, who will have completed five consecutive full-time years of service at the University, are eligible to apply during
their fifth year for a sabbatical leave to be taken during their sixth year. Recipients of a sabbatical leave, if they otherwise qualify, become eligible again for a sabbatical leave upon completion of another five consecutive years of service at the University.
Application Process
Applications must present the following:
• Purposes
• Anticipated activities or plans
• Information on feasibility
• Benefits to the individual and the institution
• Expected outcomes of the proposed leave
The faculty member must also include with the application a letter from the department chair (or school dean if a department chair is applying for a sabbatical) that endorses the applicant and includes specific plans for faculty replacement of courses normally taught by that faculty member. Applicants will receive provisional notification about their sabbatical request by December 1 from the chief academic officer, and final notification as part of their contract issued March 1. A faculty member may apply for a sabbatical and tenure review concurrently.
Criteria Used in Evaluating Sabbatical Proposals
The Faculty Review Committee will review each proposal that contains all required components. If additional information is needed, a representative of the Faculty Review Committee will contact the faculty member, the dean and/or direct supervisor of the faculty member, or chief academic officer to gain clarification.
1. Adequacy of Planning and Objectives. Are the objectives clear, specific, and complete? Are they related to the faculty member’s Individual Development Plan? What outcomes are planned?
2. Activities. Are the planned activities relevant to the faculty member’s role at Greenville University? Are they professionally appropriate and challenging? Is a schedule of activities included?
3. Benefits to the Individual and the University. How will the activity improve professional skills? How will the faculty member’s professional knowledge deepen? Are there other benefits to the individual? How will the activity improve academic programs? Are the skills and knowledge areas needed by the University?
4. Feasibility. Are resources available to complete the plan? Is the timeframe realistic? Has the faculty member demonstrated skills needed to complete the plan? Is this proposal a high priority compared with other leave requests?
Deadlines for Sabbatical Proposal Reviews
September 10: All faculty seeking review of a sabbatical proposal must submit their proposal with a letter of support from department chairs into the academic affairs office by this date. Those faculty members failing to meet the September 10 deadline will be ineligible for sabbatical review that year.
November 15: The FRC must make all recommendations for sabbaticals to the chief academic officer by the FRC by November 15.
December 1: Applicants will receive provisional notification about their sabbatical request by December 1 from the chief academic officer.
March 1: Faculty requesting sabbatical leaves will receive final notification about their sabbatical application with their contract issued March 1.
Outcomes of Sabbatical Proposal Reviews
When all sabbatical proposals have been reviewed, the FRC rank orders them in terms the above criteria. These rankings are forwarded to the chief academic officer who makes recommendations to the president, who grants the sabbaticals.