I. PURPOSE
The purpose of the New York Medical College (NYMC or College) School of Medicine (SOM) Sabbatical Policy & Procedure is to provide a formal mechanism by which eligible faculty may receive a sabbatical leave.
II. POLICY
It is recognized by the College that a policy that encourages faculty to take sabbatical leave is a key component for maintaining a rich and productive scholarly environment. It is the policy of NYMC SOM that Eligible Faculty shall be eligible for sabbatical leave of up to one (1) year, at the discretion of the Dean, after each 7-year period of full-time employment in faculty duties.
III. SCOPE
Individuals with a faculty appointment in the SOM who meet eligibility criteria for sabbatical leave.
IV. DEFINITIONS
Eligible Faculty - SOM faculty shall be eligible for sabbatical leave after each 7-year period of full-time employment by NYMC in faculty duties if they have achieved at least the rank of Associate Professor.
V. PROCEDURES
Sabbatical Leave Application & Criteria
A. Eligible Faculty must initiate a request for sabbatical leave with their primary department chair, and any non-primary department chairs, if applicable. The chairs will submit recommendations to grant the faculty member's sabbatical leave to the Dean of the SOM.
B. Requests must include a meaningful written proposal describing the place, purpose, and nature of the work to be pursued during the sabbatical, and any outside salary support, stipend or other compensation or award available.
C. In deciding whether to grant the sabbatical leave, the Dean of the SOM will consider the overall value of the sabbatical to the SOM including (1) the impact of the absence of the faculty member to the functioning of the department, (2) the purpose of the proposed sabbatical and its scholarly nature, (3) the current status of the faculty member and (4) the financial impact to the SOM budget.
D. If the leave is denied, the faculty member shall be notified, in writing, of the reasons. The faculty member may appeal the denial to the Dean. In an unsuccessful appeal, the faculty member may file a grievance according to Faculty Grievance Policy and Procedures.
E. Any substantial change in the place, purpose, or nature of an approved sabbatical leave request requires prior written approval of the Dean.
Salary Support and Length of Sabbatical Leave
A. Absent separate agreement between the Dean and the faculty member, faculty on sabbatical leave are entitled up to six (6) months continuation of the full College hard money components of their normal salaries. Faculty who are granted leaves of greater than six (6) months will have their compensation spread equally across the approved length of the leave such that they will receive a total compensation amount equal to the six (6) month hard money components of their salaries. Salary support as so determined, and benefits, will be made available from the faculty member's respective department hard money salary budgets in the same proportions as the faculty member's full-time salary support and benefits have been chargeable to such budgets. Salary support and benefits, if any, made available to the College for sabbatical purposes from soft money sources (e.g., grants, affiliation contracts and departmental faculty practice funds) and not otherwise encumbered may be used to support a faculty member's sabbatical leave to the extent, when added to any hard money sabbatical support, that the faculty member receives up to an amount equal to their full salary and benefits during normal College employment.
B. If there will be support from sources outside the College, whenever payable, in the form of salary, stipend, award or other compensation available to a faculty member in connection with sabbatical activities, salary support from the College will be reduced as necessary so that the sum of the College's sabbatical salary support plus the outside support will not exceed the faculty member's full-time salary during normal College employment. Under special circumstances the Dean may, in advance, authorize recovery by a faculty member on sabbatical of more than the amount of the faculty member's normal full-time salary from such outside sources to defray unusual personal expenses to be incurred because of the sabbatical.
C. Faculty on sabbatical leave shall receive their fringe benefits as full-time faculty; however, retirement benefits will be calculated on actual salary amounts paid by the College during the sabbatical leave.
VI. EFFECTIVE DATE
This policy is effective immediately upon approval of NYMC SOM Faculty Bylaws.
Any future revision of this policy and procedure shall be taken into consideration by the Dean of the SOM in consultation with the Executive Committee of the Faculty Senate. Such policy changes shall become effective with a majority vote of the Dean’s Executive Committee and the Dean’s approval.
VII. POLICY MANAGEMENT
Executive Stakeholder: Dean, School of Medicine
Oversight Office: Office of Faculty & Academic Affairs
