Instructional, Research, and Clinical Faculty Short-Term Sabbatical Program

The Johnson Beth-El (JBE) College of Nursing and Health Sciences at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) recognizes the valuable contributions of Instructional, Research, and Clinical (IRC) faculty and their commitment to excellence in teaching, research, clinical practice, and service. This policy establishes a formal process for offering short-term sabbaticals to eligible IRC faculty within JBE, intended to support professional growth and generate outcomes that benefit the department, college, university, and community.

A short-term sabbatical is a small-scale leave from regular teaching, research, service, or clinical duties, typically involving a one-course release or a full release from responsibilities for a defined period (e.g., 2 to 8 weeks). These sabbaticals are designed to enable faculty to engage in intensive scholarly, clinical, or professional development activities. The college will typically not hire its faculty who are on sabbatical to teach courses. Any requested exceptions to this provision or other requirements of this policy shall be subject to review and approval by the department chair and dean.

Each short-term sabbatical must produce a measurable outcome that aligns with the mission of the department, college, and university, and at least one of the following goals:

• Enhancement of teaching effectiveness or course/curricular innovation
• Advancement of research or scholarship, including clinical or pedagogical research
• Grant writing
• IPE
• Acquisition or enhancement of clinical skills relevant to faculty practice and student education
• Engagement in professional development aligned with faculty roles (e.g., advanced training, certification)
• Development or strengthening of community outreach and partnerships (e.g., community-based projects, service-learning)

To be eligible, faculty must:

1. Have completed at least six consecutive years of full-time service in an IRC appointment within the JBE College of Nursing and Health Sciences.
   1. An IRC faculty member on an appointment of 50-99% is also eligible for a sabbatical after six years at a proportional rate of pay or have the interval between sabbaticals adjusted, rather than the salary (based on the average percentage of FTE appointment during the time under consideration).
   2. In calculating service years for the purpose of sabbatical eligibility, periods of time when a faculty member took a leave of absence may count, depending on the circumstances and subject to approval by the department chair and dean.
2. Be in good standing with a record of satisfactory performance evaluations (“meets expectations”) or above for all six years or for whatever time period is under consideration for faculty at an appointment of 50-99%.

Eligible faculty must submit a formal application at least three months prior to the proposed short-term sabbatical start date.

Applications will be reviewed by the IRC faculty member’s Department Chair and College Dean for final approval. Decisions will be based on:

• Merit and feasibility of the proposal
• Potential impact on the department, college, university, and community
• Departmental coverage and instructional continuity during the release period
• Availability of department/college funds

Faculty are required to submit a brief written report (2-3 pages) summarizing activities, accomplishments, and next steps within four weeks of sabbatical completion. Where applicable, faculty may be asked to share their outcomes in a faculty forum or college-wide event.

In accepting a sabbatical assignment, IRC faculty agree to return to the college upon following the sabbatical and work for at least two semesters for 9-month faculty and one year for 12-month faculty.

If an IRC faculty on sabbatical finds it necessary or desirable to substantially alter their work plan (including change in sabbatical time frame) or academic objectives of the sabbatical project, they should inform the department chair and dean in writing as soon as possible. This communication should include the reason(s) for the proposed change(s), which will need both department chair and dean approval.

The department/college will provide support for course release and, when possible, limited funding for materials, travel, or fees related to the sabbatical project. Additional funding may be requested through internal or external grant mechanisms. The total university salary for IRC faculty member, from sabbatical pay and any contract or grant administered through the university, shall not exceed university limits.

If two or more members in the same department simultaneously become eligible for sabbatical assignments and it becomes necessary to limit the number of sabbaticals in the unit, the selection shall be based upon the quality of the sabbatical plan, its immediate relevance to unit goals, and the length of time since the applicant’s last sabbatical. Department chairs may add additional criteria at their discretion.

Faculty receiving a short-term sabbatical will not be eligible for another sabbatical until after another six years (or equivalent for 50-99% appointments) meeting the above noted eligibility requirements and only if they successfully accomplished the goals of their previous sabbatical.