Presidential Advisory Committee of
(Voting Units: Academic Departments)
Proposal 10-05
Request
for Change in Board of Control Policy 6.1 on Sabbatical
Leave
MTU’s Board of
Control recognizes that the academic tradition of sabbatical leave is an
essential part of faculty professional development that benefits both the
University and individual faculty members. However, the third clause of Board of
Control Policy 6.1, which prohibits faculty members from accepting full-time
employment during their sabbatical leaves, may impede some faculty members from
taking advantage of sabbatical leave opportunities. In this
age of globalization, it is in the University’s best interest to encourage
faculty members to spend their sabbatical leaves in foreign countries. In doing
so, currency exchange rates, cultural impacts on rules of compensation and other
factors may dictate their terms of employment at a foreign institution faculty
that may run contrary to Board of Control Policy 6.1. There is a need for
greater flexibility in defining the terms of employment during sabbatical leave.
In Policy 6.1,
the Board of Control has given authority to the President of University to use
his/her judgment in the requirement for a faculty member to return to MTU after
the sabbatical leave (“Persons receiving sabbatical leave must agree to return
to their position for the following year, with such exceptions as the
President of the University, with advice from the University Sabbatical Leave
Committee, may permit.”). Similar flexibility is needed in the definition of
terms of employment during sabbatical leave.
The University Senate recommends the following change
in Board of Control Policy 6.1 on Sabbatical Leave:
Replace the following statement:
“Faculty may not accept full-time employment during
the course of their sabbatical leave”
With:
“Faculty may not accept full-time employment during
the course of their sabbatical leave, with such exceptions as the President of
the University, with advice from the University Sabbatical Leave Committee, may
permit.”
Adopted by the Presidential Advisory
Committee (formerly Senate): 26 January 2005
Approved by President Mroz: 8
February 2005