Academic Professional Development Leave (Sabbatical) Policy
| Effective Date: | October 15, 2021 |
| Downloadable Version: |
 Academic Professional Development Leave (Sabbatical) Policy
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| Related Procedure(s): |
Academic Professional Development Leave (Sabbatical) Procedure
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| This document is available in alternate format on request. |
Purpose/Rationale:
The Humber College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning (hereafter referred to as "Humber'' or the "College") recognizes that it is in the interests of employees, students and the College that employees are given the opportunity by the College to pursue College-approved professional development activities outside the College. This will take place through further academic or technical studies or in industry where such activities will enhance the ability of the teacher, counsellor or librarian upon return to the College, to fulfill professional responsibilities (Collective Agreement 20.01).
The College is committed to investing in employees’ professional development, in order to build their capability and to support the effective delivery of an exceptional student learning experience. While Humber recognizes that employees bear the primary responsibility for undertaking continuous professional improvement in knowledge and skills, the College supports this through a variety of programs and instruments through which employees can access professional development programs.
Scope:
This policy applies to all full-time academic staff. This policy does not apply to support and administrative employees. It focuses primarily on sabbaticals. Other professional development opportunities are covered by policy # HR 111 Professional Development Policy.
Definitions:
Academic staff: Teachers (includes Full-time professors and instructors but not Partial load), librarians, and counsellors.
Leave: Professional Development Leave (commonly referred to as a sabbatical), as defined in Article 20 of the Academic Collective Agreement.
Policy:
1. General
1.1. Humber College will set its organizational goals and priorities. The College will develop and implement a range of strategies, programs and instruments designed to build employees progressive professional credentials, which will enable them to contribute to achieving these goals.
1.2. The college will approve Leaves, taking into consideration College strategic goals as well as the parameters outlined in the OPSEU Academic Collective Agreement, which permits the granting of professional development leaves.
1.3. The required number of Leaves to be awarded to academic staff, as stipulated in the Academic Collective Agreement, will be respected.
1.4. Goods and services provided by Humber shall be provided to persons with disabilities in accordance with the following key principles:
- A suitable substitute can be obtained;
- the leave will normally be for a period of from one to 12 months;
- the employee, upon termination of the professional development leave, will return to the College for a period of at least one year, failing which the employee shall repay the College all salaries and fringe benefits received by the employee while on professional development leave;
- in the event that more eligible employees apply for professional development leave than can be approved, preference for applications that fulfill the purpose of the leave as set in 20.02 (i) shall be given to the applicants with greater length of service since their last professional development leave;
- the salary paid to the employee during professional development leave will be based on what is stipulated in the current collective agreement.
1.5. To qualify for a Professional Development Leave, an employee will have completed not less than six (6) years of full-time employment with the College.
1.6. The College may, but is not required to, consider an application from an employee who has commenced a professional development leave within the preceding seven (7) years (CA, 20.02 vii).
1.7. The College may on its own initiative propose plans of Professional Development Leave to employees; however, no employee shall be under obligation to accept such a proposal (CA, 20.02 ix).
1.8. Any changes made to the Professional Development Plan once it has been approved must be re-approved in writing by the applicant’s immediate supervisor and that person’s supervisor.
2. Approving Candidates for a Leave
2.1. Activities during a Leave can include; but are not limited to:
- Development of new professional or technical skills through practical experience to reflect changes in the work force;
- Development of materials such as, but not restricted to, text, software, visual materials required of a specific course or courses;
- Retraining for skills required in a different department of the College or to teach in another discipline;
- Instructional, individual or directed research related to an identified need; and
- Completion of formal academic studies.
3. Approving Candidates for a Leave
3.1. In approving candidates for a leave, immediate supervisors are to consider the following:
3.1.1. The number of years of service the employee has worked without the benefit of a Professional Development Leave;
3.1.2. The link between the proposed activities and the functions of the employee upon returning to the College;
3.1.3. The link between the proposed activities and the College Strategic Plan and the academic area’s priorities; and
3.1.4. The feasibility of the professional development plan being completed in the proposed time.