21.22 Sabbatical Leave

Sabbatical leave is a benefit provided to enable tenured Members to maintain their effectiveness as teachers, scholars, and professionals. A sabbatical leave is for the purpose of scholarly and creative activity and/or of professional development, to the benefit not only of the leave-taker, but also of the Employer, students, and of the academic community in general.

21.23

Eligible Members requesting a sabbatical leave shall make application in writing to the Dean/Director as follows:

a) if a Member wishes to apply for a sabbatical to start any time between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022, they must apply before 1 March 2020.

b) if a Member wishes to apply for a sabbatical to start any time between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023, they must apply before 1 March 2021.

c) if a Member wishes to apply for a sabbatical to start any time between 1 July 2023 and 30 June 2024, they must apply before 1 March 2022.

d) if a Member wishes to apply for a sabbatical to start any time between 1 July 2024 and 30 June 2025, they must apply before 1 March 2023.

21.24

The application shall include a summary of scholarly and professional activities undertaken by the Member during their most recent leave (see Article 21.32) as well as a detailed statement of plans (namely goals and objectives, methodology and expected outcomes of the research proposed) for the entire period of the sabbatical leave and shall indicate the benefits which shall accrue to the applicant, to the institution, and to the academic community. Applications shall be submitted on the appropriate form.

21.25

The Department of the applicant shall meet with the applicant and make a recommendation based on Article 21.22 by 1 April. The Dean/Director shall meet with the applicant and forward the application, the Department’s recommendation, and their own recommendation to the President, by 15 April.

21.26

(a) The Employer shall provide paid Special Leaves and Sabbatical Leaves for all eligible Members. For the Members employed in the Special Projects, the Employer shall provide paid Special Leaves and Sabbatical Leaves for a full year for one (1) Member (or equivalent) in any one (1) year, provided there is (are) Member(s) entitled to such a leave under the provisions of this Article.

(b) Members will be permitted to apply for a sabbatical over a two-year period. In that event, seniority toward a future sabbatical shall be counted from the time of return from the second half of the sabbatical, but shall include the period of service between the two sabbatical halves.

(c) A Member may opt to apply for a one-half (1/2) sabbatical leave after six (6) years of service. Should this option be approved, the Member shall be entitled to receive one hundred percent (100%) of salary and benefits. If this option is taken, the Member will be deemed to have received the equivalent of a full sabbatical.

(d) The Employer shall provide four (4) full-time or equivalent appointments in each academic year for the purpose of replacing Members on Sabbatical Leave.

(e) The Employer shall make available a pool of funds sufficient to replace forty-two (42) sessional courses (i.e. the equivalent of three (3) courses for 14 full-year sabbatical leaves) each academic year for the purpose of replacing Members on Sabbatical Leave.

(f) The funds identified in (d) and (e) will be managed by the Office of the Vice-President, and (as per Article 9.4(d)) allocated to departments no later than 15 November of the preceding academic year. These funds will be allocated to academic programs across the University through consultation with the Deans and in accordance with academic programming needs (including by reference to factors outlined in 9.4 (a)). The Employer shall issue contracts for the term and sessional appointments as suitable candidates are identified.

21.27

Ordinarily, no more than one (1) Member from a Department of four (4) or fewer eligible Members, two (2) Members from a Department of five (5) to nine (9) eligible Members, three (3) Members from a Department of ten (10) to fourteen (14) eligible Members, and four (4) Members from a Department of fifteen (15) or more eligible Members shall be on paid leave other than sick, compassionate, or maternity leave at any one time. The Employer may permit these quotas to be exceeded.

21.28

If necessary, Members shall defer their sabbatical leaves in order to meet the requirements of Articles 21.26 and 21.27. Members shall defer leaves in the order:

(a) those who were last on sabbatical or similar (as defined in Articles 21.20 and 21.22) leave, and if (a) does not solve the problem, then

(b) those with the least seniority.

21.29

Members who defer their sabbatical leave in order to meet the requirements of Article 21.26 or 21.27, shall not forfeit the leave credits which they have accumulated. The excess service due to the application of Article 21.26 or 21.27 shall be credited against a subsequent sabbatical leave.

21.30

The President shall submit their decisions to the Board of Governors for ratification and shall inform the applicants by 31 May. Refusals shall be accompanied by reasons.

21.31

Once leave has been granted, it is expected that it will be taken. Only under extraordinary conditions may the applicant cancel the leave by notifying the Dean/Director at least eight (8) months prior to the commencement of the leave. It is the responsibility of the Member to notify the Dean/Director in writing of any changes in plans and to consult with the Dean/Director on these changed plans.

21.32

A Member shall submit to their Dean/Director within one (1) month after their return from sabbatical leave a full written account of the scholarly and professional activities undertaken during that leave. This report shall indicate how the statement of plans submitted in accordance with Articles 21.24 and 21.31 have been or shall be realized. This report and scholarly and creative activities (as defined by Article 8.3 (c)) during the sabbatical or during the period following the sabbatical shall be taken into account by the Dean/Director and the Department in evaluating applications for a subsequent sabbatical leave.

21.33

A Member who has taken a sabbatical leave is under an obligation to return to Brandon University for a period equal in length to the duration of the sabbatical leave or to reimburse the University an amount equal to their salary while they were on leave. This requirement may be waived by mutual agreement of the Member and the Employer.

21.34

Tenured Members are eligible for a full sabbatical leave after six (6) years and for a half sabbatical leave after three (3) years of service at Brandon University. Service to be counted as time towards a sabbatical must be uninterrupted by a sabbatical or by any other leave declared by the Employer to be for the same purpose as sabbatical leave. A Member shall be entitled to count similar previous service at any recognized university toward a first sabbatical leave at Brandon University (excluded service includes, but is not limited to, sessional appointments and graduate teaching assistantships). Such service shall be counted two (2) years elsewhere as one (1) year at Brandon University to a maximum of two (2) years toward a full sabbatical leave and one (1) year toward a half sabbatical leave and shall be stipulated in the original letter of appointment. The excess service due to the application of Article 21.26 or 21.27 shall be counted as accumulated service towards sabbatical.

21.35

A full sabbatical leave shall be from 1 July to 30 June next and a half sabbatical leave from either 1 July to 31 December next or 1 January to 30 June next or as agreed by the Employer and the Member.

21.36

A Member’s salary while on sabbatical leave shall be eighty percent (80%) of their annual salary in effect during the sabbatical period, or as calculated based on Article 7.13 (c) (xv) for those Members on amended appointment, with the Employer continuing benefit payments at base salary rates (however, see Article 21.26 (c)).

21.37

If (a) a Member’s sabbatical salary, plus (b) other income arising out of the sabbatical leave, exceeds (c) their base salary at Brandon University plus reasonable travel and additional living costs for themself and their dependents, then the Employer shall reduce (a) until a+b=c. Any monies recovered under this Clause shall be dedicated to research at Brandon University.

21.38

In accordance with existing Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) policy and regulations, a Member may apply to receive part of their salary as a research grant.

21.39

A Member going on sabbatical leave shall be encouraged to apply for financial assistance from external sources. Entitlement to leave, however, shall not be dependent upon receiving such assistance.

21.40

Members on sabbatical or special leave shall not be required to participate in Brandon University activities (for example, university committee work, Pension Trustees Committee responsibilities, teaching on a sessional basis) other than those for which the sabbatical was given. However, if the Member’s Department requires a decision which is of importance to the Member, including recommendations on workload, parts of the program affecting the Member’s teaching workload, selection of a departmental chair, selection committees for appointments in the Member’s department (term or probationary positions) and others as determined by the Department, and the Member is available, the Member may attend meetings called for that purpose.

Should the Member not be available locally, they may participate as a non-voting Member of the selection committee. For all other matters identified above, they shall be requested to participate and vote by mail or e-mail on important decisions. Every reasonable effort shall be made to notify the Member at least one week in advance of such decisions.