Professional and Research Leave for Library Faculty

This memo explains the policy and the procedures for requesting professional/research leave as provided for in the University System of Maryland’s Board of Regents’ “Policy on Professional and/or Research Leave for Faculty Members Engaged Exclusively or Primarily in Library Services,” approved April 7, 2000, and available at http://www.usmh.usmd.edu/Leadership/BoardOfRegents/Bylaws/SectionII/II201.html

The Board of Regents Policy states:

Librarians may be granted professional and research leave for the purposes of conducting scholarly work or doing applied research which will enhance the library faculty member's performance and professional development in their assigned area of responsibility. To be eligible for professional and research leave, the library faculty member must hold permanent status and must have been in active service with the institution for at least six years prior to the start of the leave period. The library faculty member must remain on active service with the institution for an additional period of at least six years to become eligible for a subsequent professional and research leave. The same time periods for eligibility shall apply to part-time librarians whose appointments are at least fifty-percent time.

The criteria for deciding the granting of leave will be:

• quality of the applicant's performance in their area of assigned responsibility,
• estimated scholarly and/or practical value of the project and its expected outcome,
• qualifications of the applicant for completing the project,
• availability of resources for administrative support,
• plan for coverage of responsibilities if leave is granted, and
• ability of the Libraries to sustain this leave by itself or in conjunction with other concurrent research leaves.

The granting of professional and research leave is not an entitlement. It is an opportunity to contribute to the scholarship of librarianship or in an area closely allied to the individual faculty assignment, including significant job-related professional development. Such leave requires the approval of both the Dean of Libraries and the Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost. The director of the division in which the library faculty member is employed will evaluate each proposal and forward a recommendation to the Dean of Libraries. Ordinarily, professional and research leave may be granted for up to six months at full compensation or up to one year at one half the recipient's normal compensation for the period of the leave. Leave will usually commence on January 1 or July 1 as negotiated with the director of the division.

As a condition for receiving professional and research leave, the recipient must complete a University-obligated service agreement which states that the employee agrees to return promptly to the institution at the termination of the leave and to return to his or her previous position for at least one year. This does not preclude the faculty member from applying for promotion or assuming different responsibilities within the Libraries.

Faculty should note that according to the Board of Regents policy:

During the period of the leave, the recipient will be permitted, with the approval of the President or designee, to accept, in addition to the compensation he or she receives from the institution, such grants, awards, contracts, fellowships, of other compensation or stipends as may be related to the approved professional or research leave project. All benefits and privileges of a library faculty member on professional and research leave shall continue in the same manner as if he or she were not on such leave, i.e., leave accrual, opportunity for promotion, merit raises and other benefits.

Procedures

1. Requests for professional and research leave normally should be submitted to the division director at least six months prior to the proposed leave. Proposals shall include the following elements:
• The dates and nature of the scholarly work or project and how much of it is projected to be completed in the leave time.
• Enumeration of the benefits expected for the applicant, the Libraries, the University, the profession, and/or the subject discipline.
• Updated curriculum vitae. The curriculum vitae should include the date of initial appointment, effective date of permanent status, date of current rank, and a record of any previous professional leave. A summary of the qualifications of the applicant for undertaking and completing the task should be included.
• The need for library facilities or other services. The Libraries may provide office supplies, photocopying, computer time for data analysis, and other administrative support.
• Plan for coverage of job responsibilities while on leave.
• Letter from the applicant's supervisor (in consultation with the director) that explains why the library faculty member merits professional or research leave.
• List of names of individuals who may be able to support the qualification of the candidate and the value and importance of the proposed project.
• A brief budget indicating any direct or indirect costs associated directly with the leave and sources of support (including grant funds and/or library resources) that will be required.

  2. The proposal shall be reviewed by the director who will forward an evaluation of proposals for further review by the Dean of Libraries and the Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost. The applicant will be provided with a timely written response which will either convey approval of the leave or the reasons for the request being denied.

  3. Upon return from professional and research leave, the library faculty member will submit a summary report to the Dean of Libraries. A presentation to library staff will be given within 60 days after the conclusion of the professional and research leave.

  ADMINISTRATIVE MEMO # 42 

  Effective July 1, 2005 
  Supersedes none 

  Suggested revisions to any Administrative Memo should be addressed to the Director for Planning & Administrative Services.

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