Sabbatical Leave Guidelines

Nature and Purpose of a Sabbatical:

A sabbatical represents an opportunity for a tenured faculty member to engage in a planned scholarly activity that may integrate work to date, lay the foundation for continued inquiry or serve as a bridge to new perspectives, topics or methods of inquiry.  Sabbatical leaves represent a privilege earned through scholarly efforts made during the past six or more years, and as such, sabbatical leaves are not automatically granted every seven years or considered a reward for longevity. The plan must clearly describe the uniqueness of the scholarly activity and why a leave is necessary to accomplish the goals. The purpose and plan for the sabbatical must be carefully considered and endorsed by the Department Chair, the College Dean and the Provost.  To access this opportunity, a faculty member must meet the temporal criteria set forth in the University Policy on Sabbatical Leave and prepare a formal request in a timely manner.

Sabbatical Leave Application

The TU Sabbatical Leave Application form can be found here: Sabbatical Leave Application Form (Docusign)

• The completed application form must be submitted to the department chairperson, who forwards the application together with their recommendation to the college dean.
• If both the department chairperson and the dean of the college approve the application, the dean forwards the completed Sabbatical Leave Application to the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs by the third Monday of November.
• Faculty members will be notified in writing by the Office of the Provost of the granting or denial of the sabbatical request by the second Friday in February.

Sabbatical Project Description and Guidelines:

The sabbatical project must be clearly linked to the faculty member’s scholarship plan; and it must serve to advance the faculty member’s expertise or be focused on the faculty member’s development of a related or new area of expertise that relates to scholarship. The proposal must address advancement of that plan.  Thus, the sabbatical project ordinarily is not a stand-alone project.  The focus of the sabbatical project must be deemed to be “significant” within the discipline.  A broad definition of scholarship is used relative to sabbatical projects.

Detailed Information from the Faculty Handbook:

• University Policy on Sabbatical Leave
• Implementing Procedures for Towson University Policy on Sabbatical Leave (PDF)
• Sabbatical Leave Application Form (Docusign)

Changes to Sabbatical Plans:

Any proposed substantive change to a sabbatical plan must be submitted in writing to the Department Chairperson at least three months prior to the beginning of the sabbatical.  The change in plans must be approved by the Chairperson, the Dean, and the Vice Provost.