Title: #IV-1A. Sabbatical Leave Procedures

Date: March 15, 2012 (replaces version dated March 1, 2005)

Sabbatical leave may be granted so that a tenured faculty member may engage in research, writing, graduate study, or other activity calculated to improve his or her usefulness to West University at Parkersburg in accordance with the conditions set out in Board of Governors Policy B-03.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

In evaluating applications for sabbatical leave at WVU at Parkersburg, the following points shall be considered:

a. Value of graduate studies or other experience in the development of a new teaching field, based upon demonstrated need of the college.

b. Value of graduate studies or other experience in developing teaching credentials beyond those of entry-level faculty.

c. Value of increased professional competency in present teaching field based upon proposed study, research, travel, writing for publication, or other activity.

REVIEW PROCESS

a. The Sabbatical Leave Application (for either one-semester or two-semester leaves) shall be submitted to the appropriate division chair on the first working day in January of the academic year preceding the year of proposed leave. Included in the applications are detailed plans of scholarly activities which the faculty member proposes to follow.

b. Applications proceed from the chairperson to the chief academic officer no later than January 15, and then to the President no later than February 1. Each step requires approval. The awarding of sabbatical leave is not automatic; it depends upon the merits of the proposed plan of work, including the anticipated results of the scholarship and the circumstances of the academic unit.

c. The President shall make a decision on each application no later than the last working day of February.

Upon approval of a sabbatical leave application, the President will issue the Sabbatical Leave Agreement to be signed by the faculty member indicating that he or she agrees to all the conditions of the leave, including the repayment provision, explained in Board of Governors Policy B-03.

A faculty member on sabbatical leave during the fall semester is still responsible for updating his or her personnel file for annual review purposes by the January deadline.