SABBATICAL LEAVE

Guidelines

A. Priority in the selection of applicants for sabbatical leave shall be given primarily in terms of the value of the leave to the District as a whole. In estimating the value of the leave to the District, its worth shall be judged not only in terms of immediate worth but also in terms of what the applicant may contribute following his/her return to the District through classroom teaching, leadership, curriculum development, teaching methods, or administrative duties.

B. Unless the District Trustees approve a larger number of sabbatical leaves, five percent of the total number of full-time employees (as referenced in the Agreement Between Redwoods Community College District and College of the Redwoods Faculty Organization) may be granted leave in any one fiscal year. (Certificated administrators are not included
in this percentage and are not part of these guidelines.)

C. A negotiated amount of revenues from lottery funds will be reserved to support the sabbatical leave program.

D. All departments of the College shall be given equal consideration in determining priority.

E. The selection committee shall consider the merits of each application, as follows:

1. Twenty-five percent based on service to College of the Redwoods. Such service would be determined on the basis of committee work, participation in shared governance or instructional improvement activities, or other activities beneficial to the College.

2. Seventy-five percent based on the worthiness of the sabbatical leave proposal. All other considerations being equal, the Sabbatical Leave Committee shall give consideration to any extenuating circumstances and to the past service given to the District by the individuals.

3. Any ties shall be decided by lot.

Eligibility

A. Sabbatical leave must be preceded by at least six consecutive years of employment, all of which shall have been served as a regular, credentialed, full-time employee of the College of the Redwoods.

B. Leaves authorized by the Education Code and granted by the Board of Trustees will not interrupt the six-year sequence. However, there must be at least a total of six years of actual employment.

Application

A. Persons eligible for and desiring a sabbatical leave shall apply on the "Application for Sabbatical Leave" form obtained from the President's Office. Each application must be submitted with Part (A) completed.

B. The application shall be filed with the President of the College during the month of November of the academic year prior to desired leave time. All applications shall be forwarded from the President to the Sabbatical Leave Committee during the first week of December for their processing.

C. The Sabbatical Leave Committee shall process the applications and hold a personal interview with each worthy applicant. It may reject those applications not considered worthy. Upon completion of the screening process, the worthy applicants shall be listed in order of the recommendation for leave. This shall be accomplished and returned to the President of the College by January 21. The President shall review the list and submit his/her recommendations for approval and disapproval to the Board for its action at the first Board meeting in February.

D. Those not receiving leave because of the restriction of the number on leave shall be considered alternates in the order listed. In the event that an applicant who has been granted leave cannot take his/her leave, the alternate list will be used to select a replacement. In no case will an alternate be appointed to fill a vacant leave position
after May 1, unless he/she can furnish the College with an acceptable replacement for himself/herself for his/her proposed term of absence. In no case will a vacancy be filled after September 1. Either or both of these last two restrictions may be waived if the Vice President determines that no replacement will be required.

E. The list of applicants shall be valid for the one year under consideration. In no way does a position on the list have any implication for future listings. Applications must be resubmitted each year to be considered for leave.

Employee's Commitment

A. Acceptance of leave implies an obligation to return to active duty as a full-time College of the Redwoods employee for at least two years following return from leave. While the applicant is required to return to the District for a minimum of two years, a minimum expectation for granting a sabbatical may be five years.

B. Should the employee return for one year only, then he/she assumes the responsibility to repay the District one-half of remuneration paid during leave. Two years' return to full-time duty shall remove any obligation or commitment to the District in regard to the sabbatical
leave.

C. The employee's commitment agreement as stated in the application shall be in lieu of the employee's posting bond.

D. The employee's obligation shall be exonerated in the event that failure of the employee to return and render two years of active service is caused by the death or the physical or the mental disability of the employee.

E. Within sixty days of his/her return to district service, each employee shall file with the Sabbatical Leave Committee a written report relative to the purpose of the sabbatical leave. This report must provide evidence that the intent of the sabbatical leave plan has been fulfilled, and the Sabbatical Leave Committee may make recommendations for rewrite if deemed necessary. The Sabbatical Leave Committee will report to the President of the College and the Board of Trustees on whether or not the intent of the sabbatical leave plan was fulfilled.

F. When formal college credit has been earned during the leave, an official transcript shall be attached to this report.

G. Should the Board determine that the intent of the leave has not been reasonably fulfilled, the Board of Trustees reserves the right to take such action as may be necessary to recover the funds paid to the employee while on leave.

H. In case the program of study, related work experience, or itinerary of travel, as agreed upon by the employee and the District, is interrupted by serious accident or illness during such leave and the accident or illness is properly verified by a qualified physician, such
interruption shall not constitute a violation of the contract or prejudice the employee against receiving the rights and benefits provided for under the terms of the sabbatical leave. However, this is providing such interruption is not extended over a period of time that
would cause the purposes of sabbatical leave to be abandoned. In such latter case, the "sabbatical leave" and its benefits may be terminated. In all cases of serious injury or illness of an employee on sabbatical leave, the President of the College shall be promptly notified by registered letter.

Financial Arrangements

A. Salary:

1. An employee who is granted a sabbatical leave of absence shall receive such automatic changes in salary rating and placement as would have been received had he/she remained in active service on the campus.

2. Employees on sabbatical leave shall be paid at same intervals as they would if working on campus.

3. The employee is responsible for making arrangements to receive his/her payments before leaving the campus area.

B. The amounts paid to the employee while on sabbatical leave will be as follows:

1. For the period July 1 to June 30 of the academic year, the employee will receive 60 percent of his/her current annual contract salary.

2. For a sabbatical leave of one semester or, at the discretion of the President, any four and one-half month period, he/she shall receive his/her regular contract salary for the full year.

3. Of the three options available, only one may be selected. However, under exceptional circumstances the Sabbatical Leave Committee may approve additional options.

C. Employee Benefits Conditions:

1. Income Protection Insurance:

a. A copy of the application for leave must be submitted and reviewed by the insurance company. Such letter is to state fully the projected activities of the leave, location, time, purpose, and length of leave.

b. Individual applications will be reviewed and approved or disallowed (by the insurance company) on the following criteria:

1. Is the exposure to more hazardous situations?
2. Maximum duration to be one year.
3. Is there provision for payroll deduction?
4. Assurance that the employee on returning has a position waiting.

c. If the insurance company approves the leave (in regard to income protection insurance only), the payroll deduction shall continue as if the employee was employed full time.

2. Workers' Compensation:

Both the governing board of the District and the District shall be freed from any liability for the payment of any compensation or damages provided by law for the death or injury of any employee of the District employed in a position requiring certification qualifications when the death or injury occurs while the employee is on a leave of absence granted under provisions of Sections 87775 to 87780, inclusive, of the Education Code.

3. Retirement:

The Sabbatical leave year is counted as a year of service for retirement purposes in the State Teachers Retirement System.

4. Sick Leave:

All rights of employees regarding sick leave shall accrue in regard to keeping the accumulated earned sick leave. Sick leave is earned during the time on approved sabbatical leave.

5. Insurance Premiums:

a. The District shall pay the same portion of the insurance premiums for the employee as it would if the employee were actually employed on campus.

b. While on leave, the employee shall be considered an active member of the staff and entitled to insurance benefits, provided he/she continues to pay any required insurance premiums.

Screening Committee

A. Membership:

1. The appropriate Vice President (permanent Chairperson)
2. One person selected by CRFO
3. Two faculty members (chosen by the Academic Senate)
4. One person appointed by the College President

B. Term of Office:

Except for the Chairperson, each member shall serve for three years.

C. No one may remain on the Committee if he/she plans to or actually files an application for leave. Replacement will be selected by the same procedure as was used for the original appointment.

Employer's Commitment

A. At the expiration of the sabbatical leave the employee shall, unless the employee agrees otherwise, be reinstated in the position held by him/her at the time of the granting of the said leave of absence.

B. No one shall lose any vacation time due to his/her taking a leave, and no one shall earn any vacation time while on sabbatical leave.

C. The Board has the right to reject any and all sabbatical applications.

Approved: June 1983; August 1985
Revised: August 6, 1996