Current through all regulations passed and filed through September 16, 2024
(A)
General statement.
The university of Akron is committed to
the development of an academic community recognized for its achievement in
contributing, transmitting and using knowledge and ideas. An essential means
for the faculty periodically to enhance competence and widen professional
activity is a faculty improvement program. The major purpose of this program is
to promote the professional growth and new or renewed intellectual achievement
of faculty in the school of law. Provision for improvement leave for all other
faculty is set forth in the collective bargaining agreement between the
university of Akron and the American association of university professors, the
university of Akron chapter, which became effective in
2005.
(B)
Eligibility.
(1)
Any full-time
faculty member in the school of law with at least seven academic years of
teaching service at the university of Akron may be granted professional leave
for a period of not more than one academic year to engage in further education,
research, or any other activity approved by the board. A full-time faculty
member in the school of law is one whose full-time responsibilities are to the
university of Akron and who holds the rank of instructor, assistant professor,
associate professor, professor or distinguished professor.
(2)
If the faculty
member in the school of law shows that the project is better served by dividing
the leave over two academic years, the split leave may be permitted at the
discretion of the president and the board provided that such an understanding
is reached before the leave is approved.
(3)
A faculty
improvement leave shall not be granted solely for the purpose of acquiring an
advanced degree, becoming self-employed, or obtaining employment
elsewhere.
(4)
A faculty member in the school of law who has completed
a professional leave must complete another seven years of service at the
university of Akron before becoming eligible for another grant of professional
leave.
(5)
Professional leave taken as part of the faculty
improvement program shall not be deemed to be in lieu of assignments in
connection with a specific research, scholarly or creative
program.
(C)
Compensation and other benefits.
(1)
The university of
Akron shall pay the faculty member in the school of law for or during a period
of professional leave a salary not to exceed the amount that would have been
paid to said faculty member for the performance of regular duties during the
period of the leave. For purposes of this provision, salary for the performance
of regular duties shall include both base salary and such amounts as the
faculty member receives, if any, in connection with being named a chair holder
and/or for performing other assigned duties at the time the leave is granted,
provided that during the period of leave the faculty member retains such chair
holder designation and/or continues to perform such other assigned duties. A
faculty member shall receive not less than full pay for one semester of
professional leave. If the professional leave is for two semesters, the faculty
member will receive one-half compensation for each of the two semesters. The
salary paid for such leave may not be suitable for inclusion in a final average
salary for retirement purposes.
(2)
No faculty member
in the school of law shall, by virtue of being on professional leave, suffer a
reduction or termination of regular employee retirement or insurance benefits
or of any other benefit or privilege received as a faculty member at the
university of Akron. Whenever such a benefit would be reduced because of a
reduction in the faculty member's salary during the professional leave, the
faculty member shall be given a chance to have the benefit increased to its
normal level, in accordance with rules adopted by the board.
A person granted leave under the
faculty improvement program will be considered as providing full-time service
to the university during that period of leave, and shall be paid a salary and
other benefits as provided for in this rule, but shall not be paid any
additional stipend or other compensation by the university for any reason
whatsoever during such period of leave. In addition no outside employment,
whether for compensation or otherwise, shall be performed without the prior
written approval of the dean, the senior vice president and provost and chief
operating officer, the president, and the board of trustees. The salary will be
subject to retirement deductions and other appropriate tax
deductions.
(3)
No professional leave shall be granted that requires a
compensating addition to the permanent faculty of the university. A fund will
be established under the direction of the president of the university to
receive monies from any person, foundation, corporation, political subdivision,
or the federal government to support the faculty improvement program of the
university of Akron. This fund shall be used to support the salaries of
part-time, temporary, or visiting faculty hired on a temporary basis to assume
the duties of the faculty member on leave; to provide for unusual expenses of
the faculty member on leave when such expenses are more than the faculty
member's regular salary could be expected to cover; and to provide for other
expenses involved in the operation of the faculty improvement program.
Recommendations for the expenditures of such funds shall be forwarded from the
senior vice president and provost and chief operating officer to the president
of the university for final action.
(D)
Method of
application and selection.
(1)
Application for professional leave, including the
specific plan referenced below, which shall be submitted before November first
of the academic year preceding the professional leave through the dean of the
school of law to the provost, and will be accompanied by a statement as to how
the faculty member's load is to be covered. The provost will submit to the
president for review and transmission to the board those proposals, which are
recommended for approval. At each level of the foregoing process, faculty
review committees may be appointed when appropriate.
(2)
The leave is to
be supported by a specific plan that shall evidence that the leave will
increase individual effectiveness or produce academically or socially useful
results. A leave may entail specialized scholarly activity or be designed to
provide broad cultural experience and enlarged perspective. The specific plan
submitted by faculty must ensure the productive results sought by the
university.
(3)
If the faculty member's proposal is not approved,
specific reasons for the disapproval shall be given in writing to the applicant
by the provost.
(E)
Accountability.
Faculty members in the school of law
are expected to return to the university of Akron for at least one academic
year after completion of their professional leave. At the completion of the
professional leave, the faculty member shall submit to the senior vice
president and provost and chief operating officer of the university a report
detailing the accomplishments of the faculty member under this professional
improvement program.
(F)
Acceptance
conditions.
Each proposal for faculty improvement
leave in the school of law shall include the following statement subscribed to
by the faculty member, indicating acceptance of the conditions for award of
professional leave:
(1)
I have read and understand the faculty improvement
rule, 3359-11-04 of the Administrative code, and agree to be bound by its terms
in the event my leave proposal granted.
(2)
In submitting my
proposal for professional leave. I am representing that my request is solely
for the purpose of obtaining a professional leave, and receiving the benefits
of that leave as provided in rule 3359-11-04 of the Administrative code, and
that I am not considering self-employment, employment by any company,
governmental or other entity, or employment at any other institution of higher
education, including any institution or entity at which I may spend some time
during my faculty improvement leave.
(3)
I understand and
agree that the grant of my faculty improvement leave by the university of Akron
is based in significant part upon my promise to return to the university of
Akron upon completion of that leave and remain there for at least one full
academic year. I understand and agree that should I decide to leave the
university of Akron and accept another full-time position from a different
employer, or become self-employed, before the end of one full academic year
after completing my faculty improvement leave, I will repay prorata to the
university that portion of my salary paid to me which I was on faculty
improvement leave. I agree to make such repayment in full within thirty days of
my separation from the university of Akron. I understand that the requirement
of repayment shall not apply in the event of my retirement, death, or
disability.
Replaces: 3359-11-04
