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Early Sabbatical Program

Early Sabbatical Program (ESP) For Prestigious Awards

May 2024

Goal

Consistent with the goals of enhancing institutional research and reputation, the University seeks to promote faculty involvement with prestigious appointments, fellowships, and scholarships. These awards include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Fulbright Research
  • Andrew W. Mellon
  • John Simon Guggenheim
  • Rhodes Scholarship
  • Frederick Burkhardt
  • Woodrow Wilson International Center
  • National Endowment for the Arts
  • National Science Foundation
  • National Endowment for the Humanities
  • American Association of University Women-International Fellowships

Leaves associated with these awards that require off-campus, on-site presence should be taken in conjunction with sabbaticals whenever possible and follow university sabbatical guidelines. Should an award be received between standard sabbatical eligibility periods and cannot be reasonably postponed to coincide with a standard sabbatical period, the university will permit borrowing a future sabbatical leave up to three years in advance. Faculty interested in applying for a prestigious award that entails a leave must follow the procedure outlined below:

  1. Inform the department chairperson and the dean of their intent to apply for such an award.
  2. Secure pre-approval from the chairperson, the dean, and the provost regarding their eligibility for a standard sabbatical or the Early Sabbatical Program.
  3. If the faculty receives the award, consistent with the prior approval in #2, the faculty member will be allowed to take a one-semester half-pay sabbatical between 12 and 36 months from the end of their last standard sabbatical. Alternatively, they may receive a full-year half-pay or one-semester full-pay sabbatical 36 months from the end of their last standard sabbatical. The faculty would maintain all of their standard university benefits. Upon receipt of the award, the standard sabbatical application process, including review by the DFEC, Chair, and Dean, should be followed with the pre-approval attached to the application.
  4. Per UMass policy, the sum of any salary associated with the external award, plus the university salary (e.g., half-pay) may not exceed the faculty’s regular full-time university salary. Exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Dean and the Provost prior to accepting the award.
  5. Consistent with University policy regarding sabbaticals, the faculty member must agree to serve the university for a minimum of two semesters following the end of their early sabbatical leave. Should they resign or retire prior to that period, they agree to return to the university the salary and benefits they received during their early sabbatical leave.
  6. The faculty’s subsequent sabbatical eligibility would follow their original sabbatical leave schedule. For a one-year ESP, the faculty member must agree that he/she will not become eligible for sabbatical leave until the completion of six years (72 months) from the date upon which his/her next standard sabbatical would have ended if taken at the earliest possible time (please see example at below). For a half-year ESP, the faculty member must agree that he/she will not become eligible for another one-semester half-pay sabbatical until the completion of three years (36 months) from the date upon which his/her next half-year standard sabbatical would have ended if taken at the earliest possible time.
  7. An ESP will not be granted to a faculty member in the year immediately following a standard sabbatical. At no time may a faculty member be given more than one ESP before becoming eligible for a standard sabbatical.
  8. Faculty participants in the Early Sabbatical Program are subject to the terms and conditions of the UMassD Sabbatical Leave.
  9. Faculty applying for Fulbright Teaching, Fulbright Teaching/Research, or similar awards that carry teaching responsibilities should plan to align these awards with their standard sabbatical. Faculty must consult with their Dean and the Provost’s office to arrange details prior to applying for the award. Faculty applying for these awards who do not receive the award may, with the approval of the Dean and Provost, arrange to defer their sabbatical for one academic year in order to reapply for an award.

Example

Professor X took standard sabbatical leave during Fall 2019. She receives pre-approval to apply for a prestigious award that requires her to spend a semester off-campus. If awarded, her sabbatical application will be reviewed by the department FEC, Chair, Dean and Provost. If the sabbatical application is approved, the following table provides the options available to Prof. X and the timeline for the next sabbatical eligibility. 

  • Last standard sabbatical– Fall 2019
  • Next standard sabbatical eligibility
    • One-semester, half-pay – Spring 2023
    • One-year, half-pay or one-semester, full-pay – Spring 2026
  • Early sabbatical eligibility
    • One-semester, half-pay – Spring 2021
    • One-year, half-pay or one-semester, full pay – Spring 2023
  • The sabbatical clock will be reset to the standard (original) sabbatical timeline upon completing the early sabbatical since the sabbatical was “borrowed” early. Thus, the next eligible one-semester, half-pay sabbatical will be calculated from Spring 2023, and the next eligible one-year, half-pay or one-semester, full-play sabbatical will be calculated from Spring 2026.