The two main types of leaves of absence available to the Faculty of the University of Pennsylvania are scholarly leave and leave for employment elsewhere. All leaves require the approval of the relevant department chair and dean and of the provost. Combinations of these types of leave are possible; however, such arrangements are governed by the principle that no faculty member will be on leave for more than four semesters during any six years that include the period of a requested leave without the explicit approval of the provost, president and trustees.

Scholarly Leaves

     It is appropriate that members of the Standing Faculty, Clinician-Educators, and full-time Research Faculty periodically be granted scholarly leaves for study and research. A scholarly leave is a means of recognizing a faculty member's high academic performance while at the University, future potential for growth, and opportunity to make a major contribution to knowledge. It is intended to extend and to accelerate intellectual growth and to enable a faculty member to pursue without distraction a project designed to this end including the advancement of personal knowledge or competence in the faculty member's current or potential areas of specialty. A scholarly leave is also intended to benefit the general academic community and the University. Therefore, a scholarly leave normally will be granted only to a faculty member who will have a continuing appointment with the University after the end of the leave and who, at the time of notification of approval for the leave, has not made a commitment inconsistent with return to the University.

     A scholarly leave is granted only to a faculty member who has presented an appropriate private program of study or research. It is recognized, however, that scholarly leaves for faculty members in the arts and professions can be based upon programs designed to increase professional competence even though these may not normally be interpreted as research programs.

     Approval of an application for scholarly leave is contingent upon adequate fiscal and personnel resources being available to meet instructional assignments and other departmental responsibilities. If exigencies require, it may become necessary to postpone leaves.

     Scholarly leave is normally not granted to University faculty members holding a term appointment. In special cases where faculty on term appointment are granted scholarly leave, the leave will be counted as part of the time accumulated toward tenure, unless the formal action approving the leave expressly provides otherwise.

     Scholarly leaves may be with or without salary from the University.

Scholarly Leaves without Salary

     Scholarly leaves without salary are occasionally granted. In these cases, the faculty member does not receive remuneration in the form of salary from the University of Pennsylvania or from any other organization. To the extent that personnel benefits are not financed under this arrangement, the faculty member may request that the University make contributions toward the cost of these personnel benefits as permitted by law and University benefits policies, provided that the faculty member continues individual contributions to the employee benefits plans.

Scholarly Leaves with Salary

(Revised policy approved by the Provost, effective January 1, 1989)

     Normally, an initial scholarly leave with salary is granted to a University faculty member holding the rank of assistant professor, associate professor, or professor after a period of six or more consecutive years of full-time service in the Standing Faculty, Standing Faculty-Clinician-Educator, or Research Faculty at the University. Additional paid scholarly leave may be granted periodically.

     Eligibility for consideration for up to a maximum of two semesters of leave at full academic base salary may be accrued at the rate of one semester of leave at up to half academic base salary (or equivalent) for each six semesters of full-time service:* 

     The University will administer all types of scholarly leave with flexibility, allowing faculty members to take advantage of special opportunities such as prestigious fellowships. In such cases, when a leave is granted earlier than would be expected, the interval between this leave and any subsequent leave will be adjusted to make the faculty member's leaves conform, on the average, to the guidelines above.

     Faculty members are encouraged to seek outside support wherever possible to permit them to take advantage of the full year leave option without loss of income. Total salary during the leave cannot exceed the normal academic salary for that period; if the outside support is such that the total would exceed the normal academic salary, the University contribution shall be appropriately reduced. Payments specifically designated by a supporting agency for travel or living expenses are exempt from this limitation; such payments may also be made from departmental or school budgets, but not from the benefits pool.

     It is the responsibility of an applicant for a scholarly leave to inform the University fully concerning the financial circumstances surrounding the leave, including any grant, fellowship, stipend or other compensation that is received during the leave period so that the University may make arrangements for appropriate financial support. Such information shall be presented as soon as it is available.

     A faculty member may not accept paid employment during a scholarly leave with salary except as provided within the University's policy governing extramural activity for compensation. Personnel benefits are continued to the extent permitted by law and University benefits policy during a paid leave provided the faculty member continues normal benefits contributions.

Leaves for Employment Elsewhere

     A leave of absence may be granted to a faculty member who wishes to accept a temporary post at another university, in governmental service, or in a private institution, agency, industry or firm. Such leaves are granted only when clear benefits in terms of scholarly opportunity or professional development derive from the leave and support the activities of the University. They are granted only when the personnel resources of the University are adequate to maintain the programs with which the faculty member is concerned in his or her absence.

     Normally a leave of absence for employment elsewhere will be for a period of one year. If there is sufficient justification, a second year of leave may be approved. A leave of absence for employment elsewhere will never be extended beyond two years with the single exception of leave to accept a Presidential appointment to a highlevel position in the federal government. In this one case, leave may be extended for a period as long as four years. The appointment of a faculty member who does not return to his or her duties at the University at the end of a leave for employment elsewhere will be terminated as of the end of the leave period.

     Normally the University does not contribute toward the salary or benefits of a faculty member on leave for employment elsewhere. Frequently employers will provide their own benefits plan to the faculty member or will reimburse the University in order to maintain University benefits coverage for the individual in question. However, the University urges the faculty member to retain appropriate benefits coverage while on leave and to make any necessary arrangements with the Office of Human Resources prior to the leave period.

Other Leaves

     The University recognizes that occasions may arise when faculty members may wish, or be forced, to request leaves of absence for purposes other than scholarly study or employment elsewhere. It will endeavor to be as generous as possible in granting these requests when they are compatible with the best interests of the faculty members, the students, and the University. If such a leave is granted to a member of the Standing Faculty on a term appointment, this leave will be counted as part of the time accumulated toward tenure unless expressly provided otherwise in the formal action approving the leave. Additional information on leaves is included in the University of Pennsylvania's Personnel Policy Manual.

Reduction in Duties

(Source: Provost's Memorandum January 23, 1991)

     Members of the standing faculty and the research faculty may request a reduction in duties for a period not to exceed six years. Such a reduction is granted only for whole years and requires Trustee approval; it will be granted for good and sufficient reason such as serious illness or injury, child care, service to the community, or anticipation of a move to emeritus status. Such reductions may be for 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, or 50% of full duties. Reduction in duties is always accompanied by a proportional reduction in salary and in those benefits, such as life insurance and retirement contributions, that are salary-based.

     Reduction in duties for child care may be granted to a faculty member to allow him or her to devote a fraction of his or her time to the care of dependent children. For untenured members of the standing faculty on the tenure track, assistant professors on the clinician-educator track, and assistant professors on the research track, one year is removed from the appropriate probationary period for each two years granted with 50% reduced duties. For faculty with a normal seven-year (ten-year) probationary period, the total probationary period including time spent at reduced duties for child care cannot exceed ten years (thirteen years). Faculty members who wish to devote full time to child care should consider requesting personal leave as described under the heading "Other Leaves."

Inactive Status

     Special arrangements whereby faculty members are released from academic duties for periods of time shorter than a single semester are not called leaves. Such arrangements require the approval of the Dean and are handled within the several schools; they do not involve the University benefits pool.

Resignation While on Leave

     If a faculty member while on leave accepts an appointment to another institution, it is the custom among institutions of higher learning for the new institution to reimburse the former institution for sums paid to the faculty member, or on his or her behalf, from the University funds during the period of the leave. The University of Pennsylvania generally observes this practice in its own appointment procedures, and it expects that faculty members who resign from the University of Pennsylvania while on leave will cooperate in seeking such reimbursement for the University from their new institutions.

* Accumulation cannot begin before July 1, 1982.