ARTICLE 20 - PROFESSIONAL LEAVE
20.1 The purpose of professional leave is to provide eligible employees an opportunity for professional growth and development, thereby enhancing the quality of their future service to the College.
20.2 Eligibility- Employees must meet the following requirements to be eligible for professional leave:
20.21 Must have completed six or more academic years of employment since appointment as a probationary bargaining unit employee, (or since appointment to a temporary appointment that was immediately followed by a probationary appointment), or since any previous professional leave. Any year in which a Faculty has an unpaid leave of absence of one full term or more, or an Academic Professional has a leave of absence of three months or more, shall not constitute a completed year of service for purposes of computing eligibility for professional leave, unless the absence was leave for service in appointed or elected office under Article 19.941. Time spent as a temporary one or two term Faculty does not count towards eligibility.
20.22 An academic year in which a Management-approved unpaid leave of absence for educational purposes, guest lectureship or a professional Faculty exchange program occurs will constitute a completed year of service for purposes of determining eligibility under 20.21, provided that no other unpaid leaves of absence of one full term or more occur for Faculty or three months or more for an Academic Professional during that year.
20.23 Must agree to complete one academic year of full-time College employment upon return from professional leave before retirement, unless other arrangements are mutually agreed upon prior to the leave.
20.3 Appropriate professional leave activities may include:
20.31 Admission to a recognized college, university or technical school for the purpose of advanced education leading to a higher degree or certificate.
20.32 A work experience program designed to update and/or upgrade technical skills related to the employee's instructional area, program, discipline or work assignment.
20.33 Personal study, research, writing or other project related to the employee's instructional area, program, discipline or work assignment.
20.34 Travel related to the improvement of instructional abilities in the Faculty's instructional area, program or discipline.
20.35 Education and/or other appropriate work experience activities which would enable the employee to qualify for another position at the College.
20.36 A program designed to meet multiple objectives such as study, research, special project, work experience and/or travel.
20.4 Number and Compensation - Faculty
20.41 The number of professional leaves in any fiscal year shall not exceed five percent of the total number of continuous appointment Faculty as of July 1 of the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year in which the leaves are to be granted.
20.42 Professional leaves may be granted for one, two or three consecutive terms in the same appointment year. A Faculty on professional leave shall receive payment during the fiscal year of the leave as provided in 20.421, 20.422 or 20.423. Compensation for Instructors shall include the number of non-teaching contract days proportionate to the length of the leave. Reductions in salary shall be pro-rated over the entire year. There shall be no reduction in health, dental, prescription, vision care, life insurance or tuition waivers. Faculty shall not be entitled to use any of the leaves provided in Article 19 of this Agreement while on professional leave.
20.421 Leave of one term = 100% of scheduled annual salary.
20.422 Leave of two terms = 75% of scheduled annual salary.
20.423 Leave of three terms = 65% of scheduled annual salary.
20.43 If a Faculty decides not to return to the College upon completion of the professional leave, the Faculty shall repay the difference between the amount paid during the year of the leave and the amount actually earned as determined by pro-rating the Faculty annual salary for the number of days worked during that year.
20.5 Number and Compensation - Academic Professionals
20.51 The number of professional leaves is limited to a maximum of five percent of continuous appointment Academic Professionals as of July 1 of the fiscal year preceding the fiscal year in which the leaves are to be granted.
20.52 Professional leaves may be granted for up to 12 months with compensation as follows:
Period of leave
Approximate percentage of scheduled annual salary. Reductions shall be pro-rated over the entire year. Three months or less
100% Four months
95% Five months
90% Six months
85% Seven months
81.67% Eight months
78.34% Nine months
75% Ten months
71.67% Eleven months
68.34% Twelve months
65%
20.53 Professional leave shall normally be taken as a full leave of absence for a continuous block of time. However, employees may be approved to take professional leave on an intermittent basis or on a reduced work schedule. Such leave shall begin and end within the same fiscal year, unless otherwise approved by the District President.
20.54 Reductions in salary shall be pro-rated over the entire year. There shall be no reduction in health, dental, prescription, vision care, life insurance or tuition waivers. Employees shall not be entitled to use any of the leaves in Article 19 while on professional leave.
20.55 If an Academic Professional does not return to the College upon completion of the professional leave, the employee must reimburse the College in the manner described in 20.43 for Faculty.
20.6 Application Procedures
20.61 Guidelines, an outline of the approval process, and the format for professional leave applications shall be published and distributed by Management by June 1 of the fiscal year preceding the application deadline. These may differ for Faculty and Academic Professional.
20.62 Applicants who desire assistance preparing their application may first submit their application to a Federation Professional Leave Review Committee. Any such applications should be submitted to the Federation Review Committee as early as possible.
20.63 Applicants shall submit their formal leave applications to their administrative supervisors according to the published format. The applications shall be submitted not later than November 1 of the academic year preceding the year for which professional leave is requested.
20.64 A list of Faculty and a list of Academic Professionals applying for professional leave shall be provided to the Federation by December 10 of the academic year in which the application was submitted.
20.65 Applications may be returned to applicants for revision or additional information at any step of the approval process.
20.66 The District President shall determine which applications will be submitted for action by the College Board and shall notify each applicant of approval or non-approval by March 1 of the academic year in which the application was submitted.
20.7 There shall be no changes in the professional leave plan without prior approval of the Administrative Supervisor, Dean of Instruction/Student Development or Director, Campus President/Executive Officer/Vice-President and the District President.
20.71 In the event that an employee is unable to complete the professional leave plan, the College is under no obligation to reinstate the employee to full employment during the period for which the professional leave was granted. If a revised plan is not approved and if the employee does not return to work for the remainder of the professional leave period, the employee will be considered to be on an unpaid leave of absence for the period of the professional leave. Salary and benefits will be pro-rated according to the actual number of days (if any) worked at the College. The employee will reimburse the College for any excess payments which may have resulted.
20.8 The employee shall submit a written report within three months of the completion of the professional leave, unless otherwise agreed to in writing.
20.81 The report shall summarize work completed and how it is to be utilized in the professional assignment of the employee.
20.82 Copies of the report will be provided to the Administrative Supervisor, Dean of Instruction/Student Development or Director, the Campus President/Executive Officer/Vice President, District President and to the Federation.
20.83 The employee will also be available to make one or more formal presentation(s) of professional leave accomplishments to Management, Faculty, Academic Professionals and/or the College Board.