Academic Affairs

Sabbatical Leave

Sabbatical leave is granted for purposes of research, writing, advanced study, travel undertaken for observation and study of conditions in our own or in other countries affecting the applicant's field or related scholarly or professional activities. Sabbatical leave is a privilege and not a right. It is granted only when it can be shown that the applicant is capable of using this period in a manner that will thereafter increase the applicant's effectiveness to the University and to the state. Sabbatical Leaves should be granted when it can be shown that the faculty member will use the time in a manner which will provide increased service to the University either through study and research, writing, advanced study, or travel related to the applicant's field or professional activities.

Sabbatical Leave Eligibility

Faculty appointed at 0.5 FTE or more, with the rank of Senior Instructor I, Senior Instructor II, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Assistant Professor of Practice, Associate Professor of Practice, Professor of Practice, Assistant Teaching Professor, Associate Teaching Professor, Teaching Professor, Research Associate, Senior Research Associate I or Senior Research Associate II may be considered for sabbatical leave if the faculty member is: 

  1. in the first academic year of tenure, continuous appointment, or the 7th year of a research appointment. 
    and either of 2) OR 3) are met 
  2. has been continuously appointed at PSU without interruption by a sabbatical leave for 18 academic quarters (excluding summer session) for 9-month faculty or, in the case of 12-month faculty, 72 months.  
  3. has accumulated the equivalent of 6.0 FTE years at PSU over an indefinite period of 9-month or 12-month appointments uninterrupted by a sabbatical leave.

Department chairs/directors will normally be ineligible for a sabbatical leave until the conclusion of their terms, although exceptional cases may be considered by the Dean in consultation with the Provost. 

Sabbatical leave privileges may be granted to employees in special positions of responsibility and trust, even though they do not hold academic rank. Eligibility for this class of employees will be determined in the manner described above. Recommendations for sabbatical leave for such members not otherwise qualified may be made in exceptional cases only at the discretion of the President or the President's designee

Sabbatical Application

  1. Complete the Application for Sabbatical Leave 
  2. Develop a statement of purpose for your sabbatical leave request: This summary statement (typically 1-2 pages) should discuss the proposed activities and be informative both to other specialists in the applicant's discipline as well as to other literate readers. The statement should include: 
    1. objectives for the proposed leave and expected significance;
    2. relation to longer-term goals of the applicant's professional career;
    3. relation to the applicant's research and/or teaching assignments;
    4. a general plan of how the leave time will be spent;
    5. a description of any formal or informal study, experiments planned, lectures scheduled, teaching assignments contracted at other institutions, etc.;
    6. a description of any grants applied for or received to support the leave.
  3. A current Curriculum Vitae (CV)
  4. Obtain a statement of support from the Department Chair addressed to the Dean.
  5. Submit the complete application to the relevant Dean's office pursuant to the deadlines established and posted by the Dean's office. Departments may also have deadlines.

If a request for a sabbatical is denied by the Dean, the faculty member may appeal that decision to the Provost. The appeal should include a rationale for the appeal and a description of the negative impact of the denial. 

Sabbatical Dates

Sabbaticals follow the academic calendar. Sabbaticals that span academic years (split sabbatical) can be approved at the Dean’s discretion.

  • Fall term: 9/16, 20XX - 12/15, 20XX
  • Winter term: 12/16, 20XX - 3/15, 20XX
  • Spring term:  3/16, 20XX - 6/15, 20XX
  • Academic year (three terms): from 9/16, 20XX - 6/15, 20XX 

Sabbatical Compensation

  • Sabbatical Compensation per Article 30, Section 8 of the PSU-AAUP Collective Bargaining Agreement:
  • 9 month academic ranked faculty:
    • 1 term sabbatical (85% of salary during the sabbatical period)
    • 2 term sabbatical (80% of salary during the sabbatical period)
    • 3 term sabbatical (75% of salary during the sabbatical period)
  • 12 month academic ranked faculty: 
    • 4 month sabbatical (85% of salary during the sabbatical period)
    • 8 month sabbatical (80% of salary during the sabbatical period)
    • 12 month sabbatical (75% of salary during the sabbatical period)
  • Faculty may supplement their sabbatical salaries to a reasonable degree, provided that such supplementation strictly conforms to the stated and approved purposes of the sabbatical leave.
  • While on sabbatical leave, employees are subject to regular employment policies, including the outside employment policy.

Other Requirements

  • Faculty members must submit Sabbatical Leave Reports of Accomplishments, due midway through the term of return to the relevant Department Chair with a copy to the Dean.
  • Faculty must return to the University for a period of at least three academic terms of service on completion of the leave. Summer term may, at the University's discretion, be counted as an academic term for this purpose. If a member fails to fulfill this obligation, the member shall repay the full salary paid during the leave plus the health and retirement contributions paid by the University on behalf of the member during the leave. This amount is due and payable three months following the date designated in the sabbatical agreement for the member to return to the University.

Learn More

  • Sabbatical Leaves per Article 32, Section 7 of the PSU-AAUP Collective Bargaining Agreement.