Full-Time Faculty Academic Leave Applications
All principal full-time faculty members are entitled to apply for a paid academic leave after every ten teaching semesters. Academic leaves may be for one semester at full pay or two consecutive semesters at half pay. Unpaid leaves are available to faculty members at all ranks and in all types of appointments as long as the criteria for leaves of absence listed above are met. See the Full-Time Faculty Handbook for additional information regarding leave policies.
The deadline to request an academic leave is typically mid to late October for the following academic year.
Academic Leave Application Forms 2027-2028
Applications for Academic Leave requests are now available for the 2027-2028 Academic Year. In order to be considered for an academic leave in AY2027-2028, applications must be submitted by Friday, October 16, 2026.
In the new two-college model, there is one form for all full-time faculty: 2026 Academic Leave Application Form
Paid Academic Leave Guidelines
- A full-time faculty member accrues academic leave equity for each semester of full-time teaching. A faculty member is eligible to apply for a paid academic leave after 10 semesters of teaching or after 10 teaching semesters since the conclusion of their last academic leave, whichever is later. (max of two semesters accrued per Academic Year)
- Eligibility to apply for academic leave starts upon appointment as principal full-time faculty. If a leave is granted, the full-time faculty member’s clock restarts the first semester upon return from a paid academic leave (including post probationary review leave) and resumption of full-time teaching.
- Principal full-time faculty with a proportional appointment (less than 100%) remain eligible for paid academic leave following the same accrual and application process.
- Banking: If a faculty member does not apply or take an academic leave after they have accrued 10 teaching semesters, they remain eligible to apply at any time during the open period of when leave applications are accepted (every Fall semester). However, the clock begins again upon return from the paid leave. There is no banking of accrued time. The only exception to this is when a faculty member is asked to defer their eligible leave due to institutional/programmatic needs.
- Conversions: A faculty member who has been converted from a fixed-term contract to an RTA contract can count their pre-RTA terms of full-time teaching towards their academic leave equity eligibility as a principal full-time faculty member.
- Academic Leave reporting/accountability upon returning: Faculty must write a summary on the activities pursued and specific accomplishments achieved during their leave, that shall be sent to the dean and to the provost.