4.8 Faculty Leaves of Absence With and Without Pay
4.8.1 Sabbatical Leaves For Tenured Faculty
As approved by the Ithaca College Board of Trustees 5/17/2008.
In order to ensure a regular process of professional renewal and to encourage the kind and level of scholarly/professional activity which is essential to the maintenance of teaching excellence (see Section 4.12.2.1), the College maintains a sabbatical leave program for full-time, tenured faculty. (See Section 4.5.1.)
4.8.2 Unpaid Leaves of Absence
The following applies to non-unionized faculty. Any unionized faculty should consult the applicable collective bargaining agreement.
Faculty employed pursuant to continuous (tenured), tenure-eligible notice, non-tenure-eligible notice, or adjunct appointments are eligible to apply for unpaid leaves of absence. An unpaid leave of absence may be granted for a variety of reasons including fellowship opportunities, other scholarly pursuits, or personal reasons.
Applications for an unpaid leave of absence will be submitted to and reviewed by the faculty member's chair and dean in the fall term of the year preceding the leave and should follow the application format and deadlines stipulated. If the dean, provost & vice president for academic affairs, or president has concerns about the application, the planning unit or chair will be given the opportunity to make a recommendation to the dean, provost & vice president for academic affairs, or president regarding the application. The individual will be notified of the provost's or president's decision on or before February 15 of the academic year preceding the leave. If a leave is denied or deferred, a written explanation will be provided by the dean to the applicant. Leaves for unexpected circumstances may be applied for at any time and need not follow the time lines listed in this section if not possible but must follow the same general procedures.
Neither the tenure timetable nor the faculty member's eligibility for sabbatical leaves will be delayed if the leave is for one semester or less unless the faculty member requests and the dean, provost & vice president for academic affairs, and president approve.
A tenured faculty member continues to be covered for benefits during one year of an approved unpaid leave. College contributions to benefits are based on full base salary while retirement contributions are calculated on actual base earnings. Faculty will be financially responsible for the employee portions of the premiums during the unpaid leave. Under current federal law, other faculty may be eligible to continue medical benefits at their own expense during an approved unpaid leave. Prior to applying for an unpaid leave, a faculty member should consult with the Office of Human Resources for full details on benefits eligibility.
Terms and conditions of employment for unionized faculty are governed by the applicable collective bargaining agreement. The following applies to non-unionized faculty.
A reduction in load with commensurate reduction in salary may be granted for a variety of reasons, including fellowship opportunities, other scholarly pursuits, or personal reasons. Applications should be submitted and will be considered as described in section 4.8.2 above.
Semesters which are served at a reduction of load are accumulated toward tenure decisions or sabbaticals as mutually agreed upon among the faculty member, the faculty member's planning unit, the dean, provost & vice president for academic affairs, and president.
A tenured faculty member continues to be covered for benefits for at least one year of an approved reduction in load. College contributions to benefits are based on full base salary while retirement contributions are based on actual base earnings. Benefits eligibility for other non-unionized, non-tenure eligible notice, or tenure eligible faculty with an approved reduction in load depends on a number of factors including the amount of load reduction and prior service at the College. Prior to applying for a reduction in load, a faculty member should consult with the Office of Human Resources for full details on benefits eligibility.
4.8.4 Leaves or Reductions in Load Due to Medical Reasons
Tenured and tenure-eligible faculty, as well as non-tenure-eligible notice faculty, may also apply for paid leaves of absence or reductions in load for medical reasons, including childbirth, in accordance with applicable College Policy, including but not limited to Section 3.9.14.4 of the Ithaca College Policy manual. Other faculty may apply for unpaid leaves or reduction in load with commensurate reduction in salary for medical reasons. Appropriate medical documentation must be provided to the benefits manager. Neither the tenure timetable nor the faculty member's eligibility for sabbatical leaves will be delayed unless the faculty member requests and the dean, provost & vice president for academic affairs, and president approve. Full details on such leaves or reduced loads, including benefits eligibility, are available from the Office of Human Resources.
Tenured and tenure-eligible faculty, as well as non-tenure-eligible notice faculty, may also apply for paid leaves of absence or reductions in load to attend to family related responsibilities, in accordance with applicable College Policy, including but not limited to Section 3.9.14.4 of the Ithaca College Policy manual.
Last Updated: May 25, 2021