Leaves
Leaves Heading link
Absences from duty (paid or unpaid) must be reported to the departmental office. More detailed information regarding the leaves described below can be accessed via the University Human Resources website
A leave of absence without pay will be designated as educational if the purpose of the leave is for study, research, or other pursuits, the object of which is to increase the faculty member’s usefulness to the University. These types of leaves allow the faculty member to continue his or her scholarship or research activities and, if taken by an assistant professor in the tenure probationary track, the time spent on leave from UIC will count toward the tenure probationary period. Sabbatical leave service credit is generally granted under an educational leave as well, but must be requested at the time of the educational leave. For further information regarding the procedures for requesting an educational leave access the link above.
Faculty who take a leave to accept a position at another institution or independent agency will not be granted an educational leave, but may be granted a personal leave (refer to 7 below).
- Family and Medical Leave (FMLA)
- Family Military Leave
- Funeral/Bereavement Leave
- Leave of Absence without Pay (Full or Partial)
On the recommendation of the head or chairperson of a department and with the concurrence of the dean of the college, or on the recommendation/approval of the dean or director of an independent campus unit, a member of the faculty may be granted a leave of absence without pay for a period of one year or less. Such a leave may be renewed in special circumstances, ordinarily for not more than one year, with approval by the provost or the vice chancellor for health affairs. Leaves for longer periods or frequently recurring leaves would not seem to serve the best interests of the university. It is the obligation of the head of the unit to justify the approval of the leave.
To continue to receive service and earnings credit for retirement purposes, an employee who is granted a leave of absence without pay must file an election to pay the employee contributions of 8 percent of salary, which are automatically deducted from the employee’s earnings when pay is being received. The State Universities Retirement System (SURS) will notify the employee upon receipt of the leave of absence information from the campus. The employee should follow up with SURS to make sure all appropriate documentation has been completed and is on record. Sick Leave and vacation (if applicable) does not accrue when an employee is on an unpaid leave of absence. Additionally, the employee must complete a Leave of Absence Worksheet for insurance coverage. See the Leave section on the University Human Resources website or contact Benefits Services with questions.
Within strictly defined limits, tenure-track assistant professors who provide service to the university for less than a full appointment year (as in the taking of leave without pay) may determine whether they wish to have that year counted toward completion of the probationary period toward tenure (see Section VI, Item I.). Time spent on a leave of absence without pay does not ordinarily count toward the probationary period of a faculty member on definite tenure, nor does it ordinarily count as service in establishing eligibility for a sabbatical leave with pay, unless recommended and agreed upon in advance.
Article IX, Section 7 of the University of Illinois Statutes grants a member of the faculty who has the rank of professor, associate professor, or assistant professor a sabbatical leave of absence with pay for the purpose of study, research, or other pursuit, the object of which is to increase the faculty member’s usefulness to the university. To be eligible, a faculty member holding one of the preceding ranks must have served the university for one of the periods indicated below on a full-time appointment as an assistant professor or higher rank since the faculty member’s original appointment or since the termination of that faculty member’s last leave on salary. The leave must be recommended by the head or chairperson of the faculty member’s department with the concurrence of the dean of the college (or on recommendation of the dean or director of an independent campus unit), and is subject to approval by the chancellor, pending approval by the Board of Trustees.
The following sabbatical leave options are available: Heading link
| Period of Full-Time Service* | Nine-Month Faculty | Twelve-Month Faculty |
|---|---|---|
| *Since original hire or last leave on salary. | ||
| After nine (9) appointment years: | Same as after eight (8) appointment years. | Nine months (three-fourths of an appointment year) at full salary. |
| After eight (8) appointment years: | Two semesters at two-thirds salary OR one semester at full salary. | Twelve months (full appointment year) at two-thirds salary OR eight months (two-thirds of an appointment year) at full salary. |
| Period of Full-Time Service* | Nine-Month Faculty | Twelve-Month Faculty |
| After six (6) appointment years: | Two semesters at half salary OR one semester at full salary. | Twelve months (full appointment year) at half salary OR six months (one-half of an appointment year) at full salary. |
| After four (4) appointment years: | One semester at two-thirds salary. | Six months (one-half an appointment year) at two-thirds salary. |
| After three (3) appointment years: | One semester at half salary. | Six months (one-half of an appointment year) at half salary OR three months (one-fourth of an appointment year) at full salary. |
After a sabbatical leave Heading link
After a sabbatical leave, credit toward the next sabbatical begins to accumulate at the beginning of the next semester (for faculty members on nine-month appointments) or the next month (for faculty members on twelve-month appointments) upon the faculty member’s return to full-time service. Time spent on leave of absence without pay may not be counted as credit toward a sabbatical leave.
For further information regarding the application process and guidelines including supplemental salary, reimbursements, and reporting requirements access the link above or see the Guidelines for Sabbatical Leaves on the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs website.
A member of the faculty to whom a sabbatical leave of absence has been granted must agree to return to the university on the expiration of the leave and to remain in its service for at least one year thereafter; and the university, on its part, will agree to retain the faculty member in its service for the period of one year after return from sabbatical. Upon returning from sabbatical leave, the faculty member is required to submit—through the appropriate department head or chairperson and dean or director—a report to the chancellor on the work undertaken during the sabbatical period.
Each faculty member seeking sabbatical leave must prepare a sabbatical leave application and a sufficiently detailed statement about the proposed program of study, travel, and the type of supplementary financial aid to be received or applied for. This material is transmitted through the head of the department and the dean of the college (or the director of a similar unit) to the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. Applications are reviewed by the vice chancellor for research and the vice chancellor for health affairs, as applicable, whose recommendations are forwarded to the provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs in review of the applications (as the chancellor’s designee). The provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs transmits, with recommendations, to the vice president for academic affairs (as the president’s designee) who submits recommendations to the Board of Trustees. Applications will not be approved if any additional costs to the university are involved.