Sabbatical leave 

Sesquicentennial sabbatical: a type of sabbatical awarded through a competitive application process. The sesquicentennial sabbatical (a.k.a. "sesqui") had its origins in the University’s 150th anniversary celebration. 

Endowed chair sabbatical: a type of sabbatical granted to endowed chairs for whom an accelerated leave schedule is included in the offer letter.  

Sabbatical for other reasons: a type of sabbatical to which a Dean, Provost, or President has committed in writing as the result of an administrative assignment (such as a department chair assignment). 

Educational leave 

External award: a type of educational leave that may be granted to faculty receiving external, nationally recognized, prestigious awards or fellowships.  

Educational leave for other reasons: educational leave may also cover other types of activity associated with the faculty member's pursuit of new knowledge, techniques, and experiences that may be considered educational and enhancing the faculty member's ability to contribute to the University. 

All personal leave types are defined in University policy HRM-038. 

Purpose: to allow faculty to devote 100% of their effort to research  

Eligibility: Tenure-track faculty successfully reappointed in their 3rd year are eligible for a pre-tenure sesqui in their fourth year. Tenured faculty who have completed 10 or more semesters of full-time teaching since their last leave, are also eligible for sesqui sabbatical. Faculty on an accelerated leave schedule associated with a named professorship are not eligible for sesqui. Faculty must report on work accomplished during their previous sesqui in order to be eligible for a subsequent one. 

Leave type: Sabbatical 

Compensation: may be taken as one semester at full pay or a year at half pay. The award of an external research grant or fellowship does not affect the leave entitlement and may be held simultaneously. In such cases, however, the total compensation for nine months may not exceed the normal University salary for the same period.  

Application: Sesqui sabbaticals are awarded through a competitive application process. Publications or other research accomplishments resulting from the sesqui are expected in order to remain competitive for future sesquis. 

Timing:  

If a faculty member defers a sesqui, the accumulation of full-time teaching semesters towards the next leave (a.k.a. "sesqui clock") does not reset until the leave has been taken.  

The College makes an exception to this rule if the sesqui is deferred at the request of the College or University (for example, to take on an administrative role). Exceptions should be documented in the appointment letter. 

Faculty receiving a sesqui must return to full-time teaching, research, and service responsibilities at the University for at least two semesters after the completion of the sesqui, or the full cost of salary and benefits received during the sesqui must be repaid to the University. 

Request and approval: Sesqui sabbaticals are requested during the leave request process in the fall semester of the academic year prior to the year in which the sesqui will be taken. Sesqui sabbaticals must be approved by the department chair and divisional Associate Dean.  

Purpose: to allow faculty to devote 100% of their effort to research  

Eligibility: Endowed chairs, where the sabbatical is included in the endowed chair appointment letter (i.e., not nonrenewable chairs), are eligible for one semester of leave following 5 semesters of full-time teaching. Faculty eligible for endowed chair sabbaticals are not eligible for sesqui sabbatical. 

Leave type: Sabbatical 

Compensation: may be taken as one semester at full pay or a year at half pay. The award of an external research grant or fellowship does not affect the leave entitlement and may be held simultaneously. In such cases, however, the total compensation for nine months may not exceed the normal University salary for the same period.  

Timing:  

A faculty member may defer an endowed chair sabbatical until they have taught for 10 full-time semesters and become eligible for a full year of leave at full pay. No more than one semester of endowed chair sabbatical may be deferred in this way. 

New endowed chairs normally become eligible for the first endowed chair sabbatical after 5 full time teaching semesters after the endowed chair election. However, the initial endowed chair leave may occur sooner if, when including semesters prior to endowed chair election, a faculty member has completed ten semesters (not necessarily continuous) of full-time teaching and research in residence since the previous sabbatical. 

An endowed chair sabbatical may not be assigned during the last semester before retirement or resignation from the University. 

Request and approval: Endowed chair sabbaticals are requested during the leave request process in the fall semester of the academic year prior to the academic year in which the leave is to be taken and approved by the department chair. 

Purpose: to allow faculty to devote 100% of their effort to research  

Eligibility: Faculty who have a sabbatical committed in writing by the Dean, Provost, or President as a result of an administrative assignment (such as department chair) in Arts & Sciences or elsewhere in the University.  

Leave type: sabbatical leave 

Compensation: may be taken as one semester at full pay or a year at half pay. 

Request and approval: These leaves are pre-approved but the timing should be registered during the leave request process in the fall semester prior to the academic year in which the leave is to be taken. 

Purpose: full-time pursuit of sponsored research activities relating to the award 

Eligibility: Tenure-track, tenured or academic general faculty receiving external, nationally recognized, prestigious awards or fellowships may request an educational leave to pursue research related to an external award.  

Leave type: educational leave 

Compensation: may be approved at partial or full pay, depending on the type of award. Tenured and tenure-track faculty may be eligible for a salary topoff, following the College's topoff policy. 

Timing: Faculty receiving an educational leave with a salary topoff must return to full-time teaching, research, and service responsibilities at the University for at least two semesters after the completion of the leave, or the full cost of salary and benefits paid by the College during the leave must be repaid to the University. 

Request and approval: These leaves and any associated topoff may be requested via the leave request process once formal confirmation of the award is received. Leaves and topoffs are approved by the divisional Associate Dean. 

Purpose: to support activities associated with the faculty member's pursuit of new knowledge, techniques, and experiences that may be considered educational and will enhance the faculty member's future ability to contribute to the mission of the College and University.  

Eligibility: Tenure-track, tenured or academic general faculty on multiyear contracts 

Leave type: educational leave 

Compensation: typically approved as leave without pay. 

Timing: may be approved for one or two semesters. 

Request and approval: These leaves may be requested via the leave request process as circumstances arise. Approval is by the divisional Associate Dean. 

All personal leave types are defined in University policy HRM-038. 

Personal, family, and parental leaves may be requested via the College leave request process as circumstances arise. Other types of leave should be requested directly through UVA HR.