Academic Professional Development Leave (Sabbatical) Policy
| Effective Date: | December 1, 2024 |
| Downloadable Version: |
 Academic Professional Development Leave (Sabbatical) Policy
|
| 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'') recognizes that it is in the interests of employees, students and Humber that employees are given the opportunity by Humber to pursue Humber-approved professional development activities outside Humber. 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 Humber, to fulfill professional responsibilities (Collective Agreement 20.01).
Humber 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, Humber 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 will set its organizational goals and priorities. Humber 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. Humber will approve Leaves, taking into consideration Humber’s 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. Please refer to 20.02 of the collective agreement for a full description of the current conditions to be met. These may include, but are not restricted, to the following:
1.4.1. A suitable substitute can be obtained;
1.4.2. the leave will normally be for a period of from one to 12 months;
1.4.3. the employee, upon termination of the professional development leave, will return to Humber for a period of at least one year, failing which the employee shall repay Humber all salaries and fringe benefits received by the employee while on professional development leave;
1.4.4. 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;
1.4.5. 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 Humber.