(A complete explanation of leaves of absence can be found in the Faculty Manual, Section 4.XV.)
A leave is a period of time during which the individual has no on-campus responsibilities. Whether the leave is taken in Northfield or at another location is immaterial, as long as no on-campus teaching, advising, committee, departmental, or other duties are expected.
The sabbatical leave has grown out of a recognition of the need and desirability for each faculty member to have an opportunity at regular intervals for professional growth and renewal. The purpose of the sabbatical leave program is to strengthen the faculty by providing opportunity for faculty members to improve their competence as creative and interpretive teachers.
Each faculty member’s sabbatical should be designed primarily to engage the individual with some aspect of current scholarship or professional activity. It should not be used simply to prepare course material or to broaden one’s perspective through travel, although such activities may be appropriate as a minor part of a professionally oriented program of research or study.
Eligibility for a sabbatical leave is based on years of service. Each member of the faculty who holds academic rank and who has been awarded tenure has a right to expect, and is expected to apply for, a sabbatical leave after each six years of service to Saint Olaf College. Such service need not be continuous. Exceptions may be made in the regular schedule of sabbatical leaves for the reasons of staffing and planning. A department may request a faculty member to take a sabbatical leave one year earlier or one year later than regularly scheduled.
The right to expect a sabbatical leave is a contingent, not an absolute right. The granting of sabbatical leaves is not, therefore, automatic, but is contingent upon meeting the following requirements consistent with the basic intent of the sabbatical leave program:
- The faculty member must apply for a sabbatical leave in order to be considered. Application forms may be obtained from the Dean of the College. The application is a two-stage process. By September 25 of the year preceding the leave, the faculty member must notify the department chair, the Dean of the College, and (if applicable) the program director of his/her intent to apply, including the proposed dates of the leave. The final application form will be submitted to the department chair with a request for a recommendation; the chair will then forward the application along with this recommendation to the Dean of the College by December 1st for a leave to begin the following academic year.
- The Sabbatical Leaves Subcommittee of the Review and Planning Committee and the Dean of the College shall review the applications for sabbatical leave. Their recommendations shall be made to the Review and Planning Committee which, in turn, makes recommendations to the President. Final approval is the prerogative of the Board of Regents.
- The Sabbatical Leaves Subcommittee shall satisfy itself that the following minimum criteria are met:
- The applicant must have a worthy project as attested to by the chair of the department and the Dean of the College.
- The project must be in harmony with the objectives of the sabbatical leave program
- Following the completion of a sabbatical leave, recipients shall submit a report of their leave activities to the Dean of the College. These reports are to be made available to the faculty selection committee for review and shall be placed in the library to be available to the faculty. The approval by the Dean of the College of the report of a sabbatical leave shall be a condition for the granting of a subsequent sabbatical leave to a faculty member.
