02-02.00 – Policy on Sabbatical Leave

  1. Policy Statement:

    This policy governs the granting of sabbatical leave to a tenured Faculty Member and authorizes the associated implementing procedures. Sabbatical leave is granted such that the Faculty Member may engage in research or other creative work or activities for the purpose of complementing the Faculty Member’s scholarly achievement and ongoing development as a professor, thereby enhancing the University’s reputation, or otherwise benefiting the University. Such leave may also result in generation or application of intellectual property, increasing the professor’s contribution to the institution and/or enhancing their standing in the discipline or profession.

  2. Definitions:

    1. “Academic Year” means the academic year as established by the University. Typically, an academic year will begin in mid-August and end in mid-June of the following calendar year.

    2. “Provost” means Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs of Towson University.

    3. “President” means the President of Towson University.

    4. “Tenure” and “Tenured” shall have the meaning given those terms in TU Policy 02-01.00 — Appointment, Rank and Tenure of Faculty.

    5. “University” means Towson University.

    6. “USM” means University System of Maryland.

  3. Responsible Executive and Office:

    Responsible Executive: Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs

    Responsible Office: Office of the Provost

  4. Entities Affected by this Policy:

    All tenured Faculty Members.

  5. Policy:

    1. Eligibility and Authority
      1. Full-time Faculty Member
        1. shall have attained tenure and the rank of Associate Professor or Professor; and
        2. shall have completed at least six (6) years of service at the University at the time of an initial sabbatical leave or since the last previously granted sabbatical leave.
      2. Part-time Faculty Member. 
        1. shall have been granted tenure; and
        2. shall have completed at least six (6) years of service at the University at the time of an initial sabbatical leave or since the last previously granted sabbatical leave.
      3. A leave of absence without pay shall not be regarded as service to the University for purposes of determining eligibility for sabbatical leave.
      4. Upon recommendation of the Provost, the decision to grant a sabbatical leave is at the final authority/discretion of the President.
    2. Terms and Conditions of Leave
      1. As a condition of approval, the Faculty member shall agree to return to the University upon termination of the approved sabbatical leave period and to serve on a regular faculty basis for at least one (1) academic year immediately following the return from leave. Under unusual circumstances the President may approve an alternate return date. Such approval must be obtained in writing, as far in advance of the scheduled return date as possible.
      2. If the Faculty Member fails to return when scheduled, or fails to remain in service for at least one (1) year, they shall be liable for the repayment of the whole or a proportionate share of the salary paid during the sabbatical leave.
      3. Sabbatical leave may be granted within an annual contract period to full-time or part-time Faculty Members who are on a nine (9) month contract; they will be compensated as follows:
        1. one-half of the Faculty Member’s annual contract period at full regular compensation, or
        2. the Faculty Member’s full annual contract period at one-half of the regular compensation.
      4. Department Chairs and twelve (12) month faculty, will be granted sabbatical leave from August 15 to January 15 or February 1 to July 1 unless granted a full-year sabbatical.
      5. Full contract sabbaticals can cross academic years (i.e., beginning in the spring semester and continuing through the fall semester), if this does not create an undue hardship for the Department. Compensation will be one-half of the regular compensation across the two designated semesters.
      6. If the sabbatical leave is for the full annual contract at one-half of the regular compensation, all eligible accrued leave, and creditable service for retirement will be pro-rated at one-half of regular earnings. Generally, all other benefits and privileges of Faculty Members on sabbatical leave shall be continued in the same manner as if they were not on such leave.
      7. Except as otherwise provided in Section V.B.10, full-time or part-time employment by Faculty Members while on sabbatical leave is prohibited. Faculty Members on sabbatical leave shall be permitted to accept, in addition to the salary received from the University and any compensation authorized by Section V.B.10, only such awards, grants, contracts, or other compensation or stipends as may be related to the approved sabbatical leave project and approved by the President, upon recommendation of the Provost.
      8. Participation in service activities while on sabbatical is prohibited, with the exception of engagement in either departmental Promotion, Tenure, Reappointment, and Merit (“PTRM”) activities or departmental-wide faculty search interviews. If Faculty wish to engage in these activities, it should be requested at the time of application for sabbatical leave.
      9. Participation in teaching and advising is prohibited, except as described below. Additionally, exceptions to continue mentoring graduate or research students can be requested at the time of application for sabbatical leave.
        1. Summer Teaching: Faculty Members taking either a full year sabbatical or a one-semester sabbatical are eligible to teach during the summer preceding or following the sabbatical leave.
        2. Minimester Teaching: Faculty Members taking a full year sabbatical are not eligible to teach during the Minimester. Faculty Members taking a one-semester sabbatical are eligible to teach during the Minimester.
        3. Advising: Faculty Members taking either a full year sabbatical or a one-semester sabbatical are not eligible to be First Year Experience (“FYE”) advisers.
      10. While on sabbatical leave, Faculty may accept compensation for consulting services rendered during the sabbatical leave, provided that such services shall not exceed those allowed by the University and the USM Policy II-3.10, Professional Commitment of Faculty, and that these services do not interfere with  the approved sabbatical leave project. Failure to comply with these requirements will result in denial of future sabbatical requests.
      11. Requirements Following Sabbatical Leave
        1. Upon return from sabbatical leave the Faculty Member must submit a written report and present a public seminar on their sabbatical activities. To be compliant, post-sabbatical report and seminar must conform to the conditions noted in the current Sabbatical Leave implementing procedures.  Should the Faculty Member fail to meet these requirements, time in service counted toward the next sabbatical will not begin until the academic year in which these obligations are fulfilled.
        2. Failure to satisfy these requirements prior to the conclusion of the academic year in which a Faculty Member returns, shall also result in removal from eligibility for any other University-funded financial support pending completion of such requirements. Applicable support includes, but may not be limited to, travel and professional development funds.
        3. The Dean of the College shall monitor and enforce any restrictions on University fund support related to failure of a Faculty Member to comply with the provisions of this section.
      12. Fulfillment of Sabbatical Leave Goals
        1. If a Faculty Member anticipates that they will be unable to fulfill the intended goals of the sabbatical leave due to unforeseeable illness or other personal circumstances, they must contact the Department Chair promptly to explore available resources, and support, and to modify the plan for sabbatical leave completion if necessary.
        2. The Faculty Member must also review and apply any appropriate alternative leave options in consultation with the Office of Human Resources as may be necessary.

Related Policies:

USM Policy II-I.20, Evaluation of Performance of Faculty

USM Policy II-2.00, Sabbatical Leave for Faculty

USM Policy II-3.10, Professional Commitment of Faculty

TU Policy 02-02.01, Policy on Professional Leave for Librarians

Approval Date: 03/28/2011

Effective Date: 03/28/2011

Amended Date: 05/08/2012
12/18/2012
08/26/2016
03/27/2019
08/31/2021
06/26/2024

Approved by: President’s Cabinet

How to Request the Policy PDF

This online version of the policy may include updated links and names of departments. To request a PDF of the original, signed version of this policy, email the Office of the General Counsel, .