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112 Leaves of Absence

When funds are available, leaves with partial pay may be granted for the purpose of scholarly work and encouraging professional development. Only persons who have been employed by the University of West Georgia for at least three years are eligible. Such leaves are for a calendar year or less and are subject to renewal.

112.01 Faculty Paid Leave

Faculty paid leave is one mechanism for encouraging professional growth and development. The University of West Georgia shares with other universities the traditional responsibilities to discover, develop, preserve and disseminate knowledge. Much of this mission is realized through the professional, scholarly and creative activities of faculty members and through their interactions with students. Therefore, faculty development is a critical element in reaching West Georgia's goal of achieving educational excellence within a personal environment. 112.0101 Eligibility and Application Procedures

Tenured faculty may apply for paid leave during or after their sixth year of full-time service at the University of West Georgia. Time spent on any type of leave of absence is not counted as full-time service. Faculty members who are being reviewed for tenure are not eligible to apply for paid leave during that year.

At the time of application, the faculty member will be asked to sign an agreement indicating that:

For a leave with pay up to one year, the faculty member agrees to return to the institution at the end of the leave for a period of at least one year.
For leaves of one year or greater (with pay), the faculty member agrees to return to the institution at the end of the leave for a period of at least two years.
In the event that the faculty member does not return to the institution for the full amount of time specified in the agreement, he or she agrees to reimburse the University for the amount of compensation while on leave, as well as any other expenses paid by the University during the leave.

Faculty may be granted an award of paid leave no more often than every seventh year of full-time service at the University of West Georgia.

112.0102 Awards

Granting of leave will depend upon availability of resources to fund the hiring of part-time or replacement faculty and upon the merit of the proposal. The most common award options would be one year off with 1/2 pay or 1/2 year off with full pay, however other arrangements which better meet the needs of the individual faculty members project may be considered. Leaves with pay will require that the appropriate Dean/Library Director certify that during the leave, the unit will be able to:

Satisfactorily carry on its instructional, research and administrative activities.
Fulfill obligations to graduate students or honors students whose programs or theses are being directed by the faculty member.

Faculty members granted leave on the basis of the activities included in the proposal must file a report with the department chair/library unit head and Dean/Library Director indicating what was accomplished during paid leave. A public presentation is also required when the faculty member returns to teaching and/or other duties.