Faculty Sabbatical Program 2010-2011
Guidelines for the Evaluation of Sabbatical Proposals
PREAMBLE. Given the increase in the number of faculty applying for sabbaticals it can no longer be assumed that all applications will be approved. Under these new and more competitive conditions, it is absolutely necessary that the UW-Parkside sabbatical review process include (1) more careful, long-term planning; and (2) greater transparency in the process of evaluation and selection. This set of revised guidelines and deadlines is a response to these needs. They were developed by this year’s Sabbatical Proposal Review Committee in consultation with the Chair of the University Committee, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Provost, and those members of the campus community who responded to a call for comments and suggestions.
All previous guidelines regarding faculty eligibility, length of sabbatical leave, proposal criteria, and other conditions shall remain in effect
The Sabbatical Proposal Review Committee shall use the following criteria to evaluate and rank each proposal. Before the review of proposals, the committee will meet to discuss these criteria, and their process of deliberation. Copies of all proposals must be submitted to each committee member at least one week prior to deliberation. Each committee member should come to the deliberative meeting with preliminary rankings and comments for each proposal. The committee chair is responsible for establishing a process by which final rankings and comments are arrived at (by majority vote, consensus, or in some other way). The report to the Provost shall include both numerical rankings and narrative commentary.
(Note: The University Committee was skeptical about using a strict point system. An alternative method would be to use these same criteria with the understanding that criterion #1, overall quality, will be the most important and criteria #2 - #7 will be weighted essentially equally.)
- Overall quality (25 points). How well-conceived is the proposal? Considerations should include clarity, thoroughness, and organization. Are the goals clearly stated and are they understandable by a general audience? Is this a substantial project meriting the release time requested? Is the methodology clear, precise and well-planned? Does the author make explicit connections to appropriate scholarship? Is there consistency between the project focus, goals, methodology and scholarship?
- Relationship of the proposed activity to the plans and/or goals of the departments, the university, and the system (12.5 points). Does the proposal make explicit, relevant and demonstrable connections to the plans and goals of the department, the university, and the UW-System?
The UW-Parkside mission and goals may be found at www.uwp.edu/mission.cfm.
The Board of Regents for the University of Wisconsin-System has established the following priorities for sabbatical awards in the 2005-07 biennium. Preference shall be given to proposals that promote the scholarship of teaching and learning, that support the mission of the institution, and that reflect one or more of the following emphases:
- Interdisciplinary activities;
- Collaborative program activities;
- International education;
- Application of technology to instruction and distance education.
- Significance (12.5 points). How significant are the potential contributions of the project to the candidate’s discipline, in terms of (a) the development of teaching and student learning; (b) contributions to scholarship; (c) contributions to service? The proposal should make explicit, relevant, and demonstrable connections to area (a). (Note: This criterion does not rule out proposals that focus on issues other than teaching. Proposals that address research in the applicant's area of expertise are encouraged, however, a connection between the applicant's research interests and teaching responsibilities must be established.)
- Potential of the project to enhance the applicant’s overall effectiveness as a teacher/scholar (12.5 points). How well do the proposed activities mesh with the applicant’s long-term professional plans and accomplishments? How well do the proposed activities mesh with the applicant’s ongoing contributions to teaching and student learning?
- Feasibility (12.5 points). Does the applicant have the background and expertise necessary to carry out the proposed activity within the time lines indicated in the proposal? How do the final reports of any previous sabbatical leaves by the applicant match with the proposals for those sabbatical leaves?
- Candidate’s contributions to teaching over the past 5 years (12.5 points). The Regent’s statement on sabbatical awards indicates that “preference shall be given to those making significant contributions to teaching…” The candidate’s proposal and the department’s letter of support must include an explicit and evidence-based statement on the quality of the candidate’s teaching over the past five years. To what degree has the candidate demonstrated excellence in teaching, and with what level of consistency?
- Candidate's contributions in other areas (12.5 points). In addition to the candidate's record in the area of teaching, significant accomplishments and contributions in research and service should also be considered.
DEADLINES. The following deadlines have been established according to UW-Parkside Faculty Senate Guidelines (October 4, 2005) and UW System reporting requirements on sabbatical proposals:
March, 2009. Provost sends formal call for sabbatical proposals for academic year 18 months hence (UWS ACPS-3.3).
April, 2009. The University Committee shall appoint six faculty members to the Sabbatical Proposal Review Committee. Two members shall come from the Committee on Teaching and Learning, two from the Committee on Research and Creative Activity, and two from the pool of faculty who recently received sabbatical leaves. At least four of the six electoral divisions shall be represented.
May, 2009. The Sabbatical Proposal Review Committee will conduct a workshop for faculty who plan to submit proposals in the fall.
June-July, 2009. Faculty who plan to submit proposals in the fall must hold a discussion with the Research Administration Office.
September 18, 2009. Faculty should submit their proposals to their department chair, applying either for a full academic year or one semester sabbatical. Proposals should be reviewed by the department executive committee. Application forms and a complete set of guidelines are available from the office of the provost/vice chancellor.
October 1 , 2009. Department chairs should recommend approval or disapproval and forward proposals to the dean of the appropriate school. Materials submitted by chairs must include:
- The application materials submitted by each candidate.
- The departmental executive committee’s recommendations regarding the sabbatical proposals received by that department, including the executive committee's assessment of each proposal.
- A statement regarding the programmatic implications of each proposed leave, including:
- the effect on the pattern of course offerings within the program,
- options for colleague coverage, schedule modification, replacement of faculty, and the costs attendant upon each option
- If more than one proposal comes from any given department, a ranked list must accompany the proposals.
October 8, 2009. Deans shall forward completed proposals and departmental recommendations together with their own ranking and recommendation for approval or disapproval to the Sabbatical Proposal Review Committee. In recommending approval, the dean must be in a position to assure acceptable arrangements for coverage of the applicant's faculty responsibilities during the sabbatical period.
October 15, 2009. The Sabbatical Proposal Review Committee shall apply the UW-Parkside Guidelines for the Evaluation of Sabbatical Proposals and provide the Provost with a ranked list of all proposals.
October 28, 2009. The Provost will consider the advice of the Deans and of the Sabbatical Proposal Review Committee and make recommendations to the Chancellor, who will make final determinations regarding sabbatical awards, subject to approval by the Board of Regents. Sabbatical awards will be announced following the December meeting of the Board of Regents.
Sabbatical application (PDF)
