Social Sciences Faculty Research Leave Program
Purpose
“The tradition of the University of Chicago,” in the words of the Shils Report (p. 3), “has defined it, primarily but not exclusively, as a research university of the highest international standing.” To meet this mandate, Chicago faculty members in the Humanities and Social Sciences normally teach four courses in an academic year, direct student research and writing, and perform such duties in the departments and University as they are assigned, leaving the balance of the academic year to the pursuit of research, writing, and publication.
The Faculty Research Leave is designed to give these faculty members an additional period free from the usual responsibilities of teaching and service. It allows faculty members to pursue their scholarship with greater intensity, to bring projects to fruition, and to embark upon new lines of inquiry. It is meant to provide greater predictability and more equal access, not limited by the availability and requirements of external funding, while still recognizing and rewarding initiative.
Policy
Full-time tenure-track Assistant Professors, Associate Professors, and Professors will receive a Faculty Research Leave after serving full-time and in-residence, meeting the normal teaching responsibilities in their departments, for three consecutive years. The Research Leave comprises a reduction of two courses and two quarters out of residence.
Faculty members may extend the Research Leave for the full academic year—full release from teaching and all three quarters out of residence—by securing external support to cover 40 percent of salary and benefits.
Alternatively, faculty may choose to “bank” one Faculty Research Leave and instead, after six consecutive years of full-time in-residence service, meeting the normal teaching responsibilities in their departments, apply for a Faculty Research Leave comprising relief from all teaching, three quarters out of residence, and full academic-year salary and benefits.
It is the responsibility of faculty, in consultation with department chairs, to insure that Faculty Research Leaves do not disrupt academic programs and departmental governance. The Divisions will provide funding for replacement teaching only as needed. Accordingly, faculty should make their requests for a Faculty Research Leave to the department Chair, who shall determine whether the proposal fits the curricular and governance needs of the department, in consultation with Deans and Masters. A delay in the award of a Faculty Research Leave for curricular or governance reasons shall not delay the accumulation of years of service toward the next Faculty Research Leave.
Faculty members must be in full-time in-residence service, meeting the normal teaching responsibilities in their departments, for at least one full academic year following the Faculty Research Leave.
Elaborations
External funding. In general, the Divisions will not “top off” external awards during a Faculty Research Leave. The only exceptions are particularly prestigious fellowships that may provide less than 40 percent of salary and benefits.
All awards in support of salary during a Faculty Research Leave must be assigned to the Division. Fellowships that provide more than 40 percent of salary and benefits shall not entitle faculty members to additional salary, additional financial support for research, additional teaching relief, or additional time out of residence. The benefit the faculty member receives from external awards is an extension of the Faculty Research Leave. The benefit the Divisions derive is the ability to maintain a generous Faculty Research Leave policy.
Faculty members are expected to coordinate plans to take up external fellowships with the Faculty Research Leave. Still, special opportunities may arise. The Divisions will try to accommodate them on a case-by-case basis, possibly by advancing a Faculty Research Leave or by granting partial teaching relief and quarters out of residence. Years of service toward a Faculty Research Leave do not accrue during an externally-sponsored leave taken off-cycle.
Leaves of absence may not be taken in consecutive years. Normally a minimum of two years of service must accrue between leaves of absence, no matter how they are funded.
Service toward eligibility. Consecutive service toward a Faculty Research Leave does accrue during leaves of absence under the Parental Leave policy. Eligibility does not accrue during leaves of absence for any other purpose, such as to visit or teach at another university. A fourth quarter in residence for teaching or administration does not advance eligibility for a Faculty Research Leave.
Return to service. A faculty member must be in full-time in-residence service for at least one full year following a Faculty Research Leave. An exception is that first-term Assistant Professors may be granted a Faculty Research Leave during the fourth year of an initial four-year term.
Appointments at other institutions. Faculty may not accept paid employment at another university during a Faculty Research Leave. Faculty members may, however, extend a Faculty Research Leave for a third quarter by taking a visiting position at another university, if they arrange that the University is reimbursed at least 40 percent of salary and benefits.
Transition
This policy will take effect for Academic Year 2009–10. In consultation with the department Chairs, faculty eligibility for a first Faculty Research Leave will be assigned on the basis of (a) time since the last leave of absence; (b) priority for junior faculty; and (c) random assignment.
Application
Faculty members who wish to take advantage of a Faculty Research Leave in the year following should inform the department Chair no later than December 1. With the Chair, faculty members should discuss (a) their research plans during the Faculty Research Leave; (b) the applications they have made for support for an extension of the Faculty Research Leave, if applicable; (c) the impact of the Faculty Research Leave on the department’s curriculum and governance; and (d) the steps they propose to maintain contact with student advisees during the Faculty Research Leave. Department Chairs, at their discretion, may require a written elaboration of the faculty member’s plans. Chairs should submit their departments’ leave requests to the Dean by December 15. After approval by the Provost, the Dean will inform the Chairs in January.
First-term Assistant Professors may, in consultation with their Chairs, elect to take their first Research Leave in either the third or fourth year of the first term.
For faculty members in departments with expected teaching of three courses, the Faculty Research Leave grants a one-course reduction and two quarters out of residence.
