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Handbook of Operating Procedures
Chapter 2 - Faculty and Academics
Previous Publication Date: October 26, 2020
Publication Date: November 7, 2022
Policy Reviewed Date: September 11, 2020
Policy Owner: VP for Academic Affairs


2.25 Faculty Development Leave Program


I. POLICY STATEMENT


Development leaves for faculty members may be granted as set out in Texas Education Code Section 51.101 et seq. upon approval by the UTSA President. The faculty development leave program enables tenured and tenure-track faculty members to engage in study, teaching enhancement, research, writing, field observations, creative activity, or other similar projects for the purpose of adding to their disciplinary or institutional corpus of knowledge.


II. RATIONALE


The Texas Legislature's purpose in establishing Faculty Development Leaves of Absence is to further improve the quality of higher education available to the students at state-supported colleges and universities and to establish the faculty development leave program as part of the compensation for the faculty of these colleges and universities.


III. SCOPE


This policy applies to all The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) tenured and tenure-track faculty


IV. WEBSITE ADDRESS FOR THIS POLICY


http://www.utsa.edu/hop/chapter2/2.25.html


V. RELATED STATUTES, POLICIES, REQUIREMENTS OR STANDARDS


  1. UTSA or UT System Policies or the Board of Regents' Rules & Regulations
    1. UT System Regents Rule 30201 Leave Policies, Section
    2. UTSA Handbook of Operating Procedures (HOP) policy 2.02, Section IX. A.1-3
  2. Other Policies & Standards
    1. Texas Education Code, Sections 51.101 - 51.108

VI. CONTACTS


If you have any questions about HOP policy 2.25, Faculty Development Leave Program, contact the following office:

Academic Affairs
210-458-4110


VII. DEFINITIONS


  1. Development Leave Activity (DLA) Report
    1. A development leave activity report prepared by the Faculty Member that details the activities, and results of those activities, the faculty member engaged in while on faculty development leave.
  2. Faculty Member
    1. A person who is employed by UTSA on a full-time basis as a member of the faculty, holding either a tenured or tenure-track title, as defined in HOP 2.02.  

VIII. RESPONSIBILITIES


  1. Academic Affairs
    1. Oversees the implementation of the Faculty Development Leave Program
  2. Dean
    1. Administers the application and selection process for the Program
    2. Reviews the DLA Report
  3. Department Chair/School Director
    1. Collects and submits the development leave applications to the dean
    2. Collects the DLA Report and submits it to the dean
  4.  Faculty member
    1. Submits the faculty development leave application to the department chair or school director, including a written plan to cover ongoing university duties
    2. Makes appropriate compliance arrangements for ongoing research-related commitments and activities
    3. Prepares and submits the DLA Report to the department chair or school director upon return

IX. PROCEDURES


  1. Eligibility
    1. After two consecutive academic years of full-time academic service (that need not include teaching) at UTSA, tenure track and tenured faculty members with the academic title of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor, may submit a proposal to be considered for a faculty development leave for one academic year at half regular salary or for half an academic year at full regular salary.
    2. No more than six percent of the UTSA faculty members may be on faculty development leave at any one time.
  2. Conditions
    1. A faculty member participating in the faculty development leave program may accept a grant for study, research, or travel from any institution of higher education or from a charitable, religious, or educational corporation or foundation, from any business enterprise, or from any federal, state, or local governmental agency per university policy.
    2. A faculty member participating in the faculty development leave program may not accept employment from any other person, corporation, or government, unless The University of Texas System (UT System) Board of Regents determines that it would be in the public interest to do so and expressly approves the employment in writing.
    3. A faculty member participating in the faculty development leave program shall continue to be a member of the Teacher Retirement System of Texas or of the Optional Retirement Program of the institution of higher education, just as any other member of the faculty on full-time duty.
    4. UTSA shall continue to deduct from the compensation paid to a faculty member participating in the faculty development leave program the monies required to be paid by them to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas or to the Optional Retirement Program, the contribution for Old Age and Survivors Insurance, and any other amounts required or authorized to be deducted from the compensation paid any faculty member.
    5. A faculty member participating in the faculty development leave program is a faculty member for purposes of participating in the programs and of receiving the benefits made available by or through UTSA or the state to faculty members.
    6. A faculty member participating in the faculty development leave program is excused from usual UTSA responsibilities during the period of the leave, substituting instead the proposed activities for which the leave was granted
    7. A faculty member participating in the faculty development leave program is eligible to receive merit awards based on the results of the activities undertaken during their participation in the faculty development leave program. The Faculty Member’s annual performance evaluations should also be based on the activities approved for the development leave period. The information used for the merit award and for the annual evaluation should be contained in the faculty member’s DLA Report.
  3. Required Steps
    1. Development Leave Requirements
      1.1 Academic Affairs shall notify the deans of the total number of faculty development leaves that may be granted by each college by no later than the end of the fall semester of the academic year preceding the year in which the development leaves will be made available.
      1.2 Each college shall determine its own process for awarding faculty development leaves. The process shall include an elected faculty committee. 
      1.3 Eligible faculty members interested in a faculty development leave should submit an application to the department chair/school director no later than the deadline designated by Academic Affairs.
      1.4 The department chair/school director will submit applications to the Dean’s Office by the date designated by the college process.
      1.5 Applications will be reviewed in the respective college through the process adopted by that college, as referenced in 2.2 below.
      1.6 Criteria for awarding development leave shall include but are not limited to
        1.6.1 the strength of the proposed development leave activities;
        1.6.2 the value of the proposed activities to the educational, research, and service mission of the department, college,           and University;
        1.6.3 the length of time since the previous development leave was granted (if applicable); and
        1.6.4 the positive outcomes of the previous development leave (if applicable), as documented by the faculty applicant.
      1.7 The college dean will notify selected faculty members via a written memorandum.

    2. Faculty Member Responsibilities
      2.1 A faculty member with ongoing University-related responsibilities must provide a written plan for covering those responsibilities while on development leave. This plan should be included as part of the development leave application.
      2.2 A faculty member must ensure appropriate compliance in the following areas before commencing their participation in the faculty development leave program:
        2.2.1 A faculty member who has active sponsored grants, contracts, or other agreements must include a written plan for            covering their sponsored project duties during their leave. A copy of this plan must be approved by the Vice
                President for Research, Economic Development and Knowledge Enterprise or designee.
        2.2.2 A faculty member who has an active IRB (human subject), IACUC (animal), or IBC (biosafety) protocol must notify           the corresponding University committee prior to commencing their participation in the faculty development leave           in order to participate.
        2.2.3 A faculty member with an active technology control plan or restricted data license, if leaving the University in order            to participate in the faculty development leave program, must submit to their Dean and the Director of the Office of           Export Controls, sixty days in advance of leaving, documentation detailing how the technology and/or data will be           safeguarded in their absence, especially if they have graduate students as authorized users on the plan or license.
        2.2.4 A faculty member leaving the country during their participation in the faculty development leave program and taking           any University-owned equipment, or conducting their leave activities at a foreign institution must consult with the           Office of Export Controls prior to travelling.

    3. Development Leave Report
      3.1 The faculty member who participates in the faculty development leave program must submit a DLA Report to the Dean through the Department Chair/School Director. The DLA Report should detail the activities for which the leave was granted, and the results of those activities.
      3.2 DLA Reports must be filed within one month of the conclusion of the leave period. Faculty Members who do not timely file their DLA Report may be subject to disciplinary action.

X. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR IMPLEMENTATION


None


XI. FORMS AND TOOLS/ONLINE PROCESSES


None


XII. APPENDIX


None


XIII. Dates Approved/Amended


11-07-2022
10-26-2020

04-13-2012