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Faculty Development Leave

Granting of professional leave strengthens an institution’s academic program by enhancing the faculty member’s teaching effectiveness and scholarship. The major purpose is to provide regular opportunities for continued professional growth, reinvigorated intellectual achievement, and development of new skills and perspectives through study, research, writing, and training. A sound, well-administered professional leave policy is an important inducement in the recruitment and retention of top-quality faculty to major research universities.

A faculty member is awarded professional leave on the merits of a specific proposal for professional development. The award is an investment by the university in the expectation that the leave will enhance the faculty member’s ability to contribute to the objectives of the university and to student development. The improvements sought during a professional leave should benefit the work of the faculty member, department, college, and the university. Only professional leave proposals that meet this criterion will be accepted and approved by the university.

The purposes for which professional leave may be granted include:

  • Research on significant problems and issues
  • Important creative or descriptive work in any means of expression
  • Post-doctoral study at another institution
  • Other approved projects, including innovations in teaching and learning

Eligibility Requirements

  • Full-time tenured faculty with a minimum of six years full-time campus service since any previously granted professional leave (or six years at the time of an initial professional leave).
  • Faculty must have received tenure before applying for FDL.
  • At the time of the FDL application, the faculty member should have received a rating of meets expectations for rank or higher at the time of the most recent APPR.
  • The leave period should typically occur sometime during the academic year following submission of the FDL application.

Duration

Eligible full-time faculty members may be granted professional leave for either:

  1. one-half the faculty member’s annual appointment period at full base salary OR
  2. the full annual appointment period at one half base salary.

Additional Compensation and Benefits

  1. A faculty member normally will be permitted to accept only such grants, contracts, awards, fellowships, and other additional compensation as are given to support the approved professional leave project or are consistent with university policy. The approval of the provost must be obtained prior to accepting any additional compensation beyond that specified in points 2–5 below.
  2. A fellowship, grant-in-aid, or government-sponsored exchange lectureship may be accepted for the period of the leave if acceptance will promote the purpose of the leave and is approved by the provost.
  3. If approved by the provost, a faculty member on leave normally will be permitted to earn non-UT income in accordance with the UT Policy on Compensated Outside Services.
  4. To the extent permitted by state law, all benefits available to the faculty member under normal service shall be available during professional leave.
  5. Compensation shall be paid monthly, unless approved otherwise.

Application Process

Before applying for Faculty Development Leave, the faculty member should first speak with their department head or college dean to obtain approval to submit an application.  Approval to submit an application is not approval of the leave request.

Once the department head or college dean has given approval for the faculty member to apply, the departmental or college case facilitator will need to create a case for the faculty member using Interfolio. Then, faculty will be ready to start building their application packets:

Returning to the University

Faculty receiving FDL are required to return to the university for one year following the professional leave or return the appropriate funds to the university.

Reporting Requirement

Within 30 days of the leave end date, faculty are required to submit a report of activities undertaken and achievements during the leave, which will be reviewed and approved by the department head and dean. Once accepted by the provost, the report will be used as part of the considerations for merit raises and subsequent promotion.

Review Process

  1. Each department or other applicable unit will determine how many faculty members can be on professional leave in a given year based on its instructional and service needs.
    • Please note: Departments and colleges have the option of having a committee review of applications.  If your unit would like to have a committee review step, please contact Faculty Affairs.
  2. Applications are reviewed by the department head*. The department head should address:
    • the significance of the proposed work
    • benefit to the faculty’s career advancement & scholarship
    • benefit of the leave to the department, college, and/or university
    • how the faculty member’s responsibilities will be met.
  3. The head’s recommendation is then forwarded to the dean. The dean should then provide their review and recommendation.  The application will then move to the Office of the Provost for consideration by the Chief Academic Officer.

*Colleges without departments will only have one administrative review step at the College level.

Proposal Review Resources

Colleges with Departments
Colleges without Departments

Reporting Requirement

Within 30 days of the leave end date, faculty are required to submit a report of activities undertaken and achievements during the leave, which will be reviewed and approved by the department head and dean. Once accepted by the provost, the report will be used as part of the considerations for merit raises and subsequent promotion.

Deadline

  • October 31, 2023: FDL applications due to the Provost’s Office

Faculty applicants should check with their departments and colleges for local deadlines.