Principle

Overview 

Sabbatical Leave provides Geographic Full-time (GFT) clinical faculty members with the opportunity to take time away from their normal academic duties to engage in scholarly activities. Sabbatical Leave provides an opportunity for faculty members to enhance their effectiveness as academics through intellectual growth and scholarly renewal. Memorial University (Memorial) supports Sabbatical Leave for its GFT clinical faculty members. One (1) year Sabbatical Leaves for GFT clinical faculty members can be taken in a minimum of four (4) month blocks.

Purpose

To govern the granting of periods of Sabbatical Leave.

Scope

GFT Clinical Faculty members in the Faculty of Medicine (FoM) who are members of:

• a Professional Medical Corporation (PMC) or the Medical Practice Associate (MPA) and contribute a portion of their earnings to the FoM; or, 
• the Discipline of Laboratory Medicine.

Definitions

Geographic Full-time (GFT) Clinical Faculty — Physicians in practice with a Geographic Full- Time (GFT) academic appointment with the Faculty of Medicine (FoM).

Sabbatical Leave — An opportunity for faculty members to engage in research, scholarship, creative or professional activities to foster their academic or professional effectiveness.

Policy

1.0 Eligibility for Sabbatical Leave

1.1 GFT Clinical Faculty members are eligible for Sabbatical Leave once they receive tenure. Contract GFT Clinical Faculty members will be eligible for Sabbatical Leave once they are promoted to Associate Professor and have met the eligible years of service.

1.2 GFT Clinical Faculty members are eligible to apply for Sabbatical Leave as outlined in Section 21.16 in the MUNFA Collective Agreement.

1.2.1 Prior service in a contractual full-time appointment at Memorial can be included in the calculation of years of eligible service. 

1.2.2 GFT Clinical Faculty members must meet with their Discipline Chair to discuss their plan for a Sabbatical Leave. 

1.3 GFT Clinical Faculty members completing an administrative appointment are normally not eligible to take a Sabbatical Leave during their term. 

1.3.1 GFT Clinical Faculty members completing an administrative appointment are eligible for administrative leave following their period of service based on their role. 

1.3.2 If a GFT Clinical Faculty member has not served enough time in their administrative appointment to qualify for administrative leave, the period of service in the administrative appointment may be considered eligible service towards Sabbatical Leave. For more information, please review the Memorial Administrative Leave for Academic Administrators Policy.

2.0 Sabbatical Leave Provisions 

2.1 Scholarly activities that are appropriate for a Sabbatical Leave include, but are not limited to: 

2.1.1 Completing additional training (e.g., physician leadership training; Master's in Medical Education; advanced clinical training that will enhance the educational experience of learners); 

2.1.2 Undertaking a major research project; 

2.1.3 Completing an observership; 

2.1.4 Writing journal articles/book chapters. 

2.2 Sabbatical Leave will not be approved for individuals who wish to participate in alternate employment opportunities. 

2.3 Once a Sabbatical Leave has been approved, the GFT Clinical Faculty member is expected to take the Sabbatical Leave, as scheduled.  

2.3.1 Requests for modifications to the Sabbatical period will be subject to section 21.24 in the MUNFA collective agreement.

2.4 Within forty (40) working days of completing a Sabbatical Leave, the GFT Clinical Faculty member shall submit to their Discipline Chair a final report (which may include a presentation to the discipline, at the discretion of the Discipline Chair) describing the scholarly activities completed and outcomes achieved during the Sabbatical Leave. 

2.4.1 Faculty members who are completing a twelve (12) month Sabbatical Leave in a minimum of four (4) month blocks will be required to submit an update on their progress to their Discipline Chair after each completed block.

2.4.2 If the GFT Clinical Faculty member does not produce the final report within the indicated timeframe, it will be noted on the faculty member's annual performance review form. 

2.5 As outlined in section 21.30 in the MUNFA collective agreement, when a Sabbatical Leave is complete, the GFT Clinical Faculty member shall normally return to the university for a period of time equal to (not less than) the duration of the Sabbatical Leave and shall return to their normal duties. 

2.6 A Discipline Chair can deny future Sabbatical Leaves for a GFT Clinical Faculty & member if they did not satisfactorily perform during a previous Sabbatical Leave.

Procedures: