Eligibility and Purpose

Faculty in tenure-track positions (assistant, associate, and full professors) are eligible for sabbatical leave. Sabbatical is granted to enhance faculty effectiveness in teaching and research. Faculty can apply for sabbatical for study, research, or scholarly pursuits beneficial to the faculty and the university.

Key Eligibility Criteria

• Eligibility for First Sabbatical: Assistant Professors can request their first sabbatical after 8 years of service, including the junior paid leave (one semester).
• Without Junior Paid Leave: If an Assistant Professor doesn’t take junior paid leave (e.g., early promotion), they can request their first sabbatical after accumulating 12 semesters of service credit post-tenure.
• Accumulated Credit: Upon first eligibility, the faculty member receives 12 semesters of service credit.
• Leaves of absence (paid or unpaid) do not count toward sabbatical, except for junior paid leave.
• Credit Accumulation: Assistant, Associate, and full Professors accumulate service credits based on continuous service.

Service Credit Accumulation and Pay

The following table outlines how service credits are accumulated and the pay rate during sabbatical:

Additional Sabbatical Guidelines

• Faculty can accumulate up to 24 semesters of service credit, in other words, it's capped at 24 credits.
• Sabbatical timing must align with the department's ability to meet teaching and other needs.
• Approval depends on satisfactory performance in scholarship, teaching, and creative activity.
• Additional credit can be granted for administrative roles or special service, such as serving as a college magister.

Sabbatical Service Requirements

Faculty members are required to return to service after a sabbatical:

• Sabbatical using up to 15 service credits: Must return for at least one full year.
• Sabbatical using 16 or more credits: Must return for at least two full years.

Conditions and Restrictions

• Faculty must have a minimum of six semesters of accumulated service credit (= 12 credits) to be eligible for any sabbatical leave.
• Full-time employment during sabbatical is not allowed without special approval, but some short-term consulting or honorariums for lectures are permitted.
• Grants and fellowships may be accepted, as long as they align with the purposes of the sabbatical leave.
• Sabbaticals are allowed no more frequently than every four years, and typically no more than every six years, except in special circumstances.

For further details, consult Rice University Policy Number 208 on Sabbatical Leaves.