{"id":832,"date":"2014-05-14T12:39:28","date_gmt":"2014-05-14T17:39:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nicholls.edu\/policy-procedure-manual\/?page_id=832"},"modified":"2014-05-14T12:39:28","modified_gmt":"2014-05-14T17:39:28","slug":"2-8-faculty-development","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.nicholls.edu\/policy-procedure-manual\/2-faculty-personnel-policies\/2-8-faculty-development\/","title":{"rendered":"2.8. Faculty Development"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\n2.8.1\u00a0 Faculty Development Plans<\/a><\/p>\n

2.8.1.1 Specificity of Plans<\/a><\/p>\n

2.8.1.2 Department Head Responsibility<\/a><\/p>\n

2.8.2 Sabbatical Leaves<\/a><\/p>\n

2.8.2.1 Application for Sabbatical Leave<\/a><\/p>\n

2.8.3 The Presidential Award for Teaching Excellence<\/a><\/p>\n

2.8.4 Faculty Exchanges<\/a><\/p>\n

2.8.4.1 Faculty Travel<\/a><\/p>\n

2.8.4.2 Faculty Exchange Application Procedure<\/a><\/p>\n

2.8.5 Student Evaluations<\/a><\/p>\n

To assist faculty members in improving performance in teaching, scholarly activity, and service, the University, through the Office of the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, provides, subject to the availability of funds, a range of faculty development programs that may include provisions for travel; teaching improvement activities; alternate work from teaching; assistance in proposing and conducting unpaid research; support for publication, consulting, or grant activities; secretarial assistance; computer access; and other such institutional support as may be reasonably expected to enhance faculty development.<\/p>\n

Sabbatical leave, with its provisions for educational leaves, represents a major form of faculty development. The leave is not granted automatically and considerations for approval shall include the totality of circumstances surrounding the requests, including but not necessarily limited to previous forms of institutional support.<\/p>\n

Faculty development plans assist faculty members and the institution in designing, funding, and implementing faculty development programs.<\/p>\n

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2.8.1\u00a0 Faculty Development Plans<\/h3>\n

An individual Faculty Development Plan is fundamental to a faculty member’s professional growth and successful performance in teaching, scholarly activity, and service. This plan should respond to the missions, goals, and objectives of the Department, College, and University.<\/p>\n

In consideration of the individual faculty member’s priorities for professional growth and development, all academic faculty shall prepare and submit to the Department Head annual development plans (known as the Faculty Evaluation Agreement Form) that specify personal priorities in teaching or librarianship, scholarly activity, and service, as well as personal plans for promotion, tenure, and participation in faculty development programs. Department Heads shall submit these plans to their Dean.<\/p>\n

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2.8.1.1 Specificity of Plans<\/h4>\n

While the format of development plans may vary by department or college, faculty members shall prepare annual development plans to be submitted to the Department Head for approval by January 25, with the previous year’s Common Form. Modifications to faculty evaluation agreement forms may be submitted to Department Head through December 31. Plans shall specify<\/p>\n

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  1. those personal and professional plans and priorities related to faculty responsibilities in teaching, scholarly activity, and service;<\/li>\n
  2. those strategies and activities designed to meet priorities, including proposed courses to teach, plans for scholarly activities and service activities;<\/li>\n
  3. those institutional resources needed to support strategies and activities;<\/li>\n
  4. those benefits expected to accrue to the department, college, and the University as a result of the strategies and activities;<\/li>\n
  5. intent to apply for promotion or tenure in the subsequent academic year.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/blockquote>\n

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    2.8.1.2 Department Head Responsibility<\/h4>\n

    On or before March 15<\/strong>, Department Heads shall meet with faculty and Deans with Department Heads to discuss their Faculty Evaluation Agreement for the current year. Revisions in agreements may occur as a result of this meeting. Copies of revised plans shall be retained by faculty members and Department Heads and, as appropriate, Deans.<\/p>\n

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    2.8.2 Sabbatical Leaves<\/h3>\n

    Sabbatical leave, as defined by the Board of Supervisors, is an aspect of faculty development and may become a part of an individual\u2019s Faculty Development Plan.<\/p>\n

    According to Board of Supervisors policy provision for leave with pay for the purpose of \u201cprofessional and cultural improvement or for the purpose of rest and recuperation\u201d is a well\u2013established administrative device calculated to improve the quality of higher education professional service. The Board of Supervisors recognizes that such a policy is justifiable and desirable and provides for faculty leave under the conditions specified below.<\/p>\n

    \u201cFaculty\u201d is defined in LSA\u2013R.S. 17:3304 as \u201cMembers of the instructional staff of each college and university having the rank of instructor or higher and persons engaged in library, artistic, research and investigative positions of equal dignity.\u2026The head of each college and its academic officers shall be members of the faculty.\u201d<\/p>\n

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    1. For the purpose of professional or cultural improvement, or renewal, this leave may be granted for two semesters (52 weeks for 12\u2013month employees). It may be granted following any six or more consecutive fiscal years of active service in the institution where such individual is employed. An individual may not accumulate time in an attempt to qualify for more than one consecutive year of such leave. Leave also may be granted for one semester (26 weeks for 12\u2013month employees) following three or more consecutive years of such service by an individual, provided that absence due to sick leave shall not be deemed to interrupt the active service provided for herein. A sabbatical leave taken during a summer session shall be considered a semester for leave purposes.<\/li>\n
    2. The compensation from the state for the period of leave approved shall be at the rate of not more than 75 percent of the salary the individual will receive during the current fiscal year for the period of time leave is applied for and granted. Employers and employees shall contribute to the retirement system on the basis of full annual salary rate. Compensation payable to persons on leave shall be paid at the times at which salaries of the other members of the teaching staff are paid and in the same manner<\/li>\n
    3. In those cases where the faculty member or administrator receives outside compensation, such payment is to be approved in writing and in advance by the president as supportive of the purposes of the leave. If outside compensation plus paid leave would exceed the regular salary the leave pay will be reduced so that the institution will pay no leave if the outside compensation equals or exceeds the regular pay. But nothing shall prevent the faculty from being remunerated by outside agencies at higher rates than his or her regular pay.<\/li>\n
    4. After each leave period is completed, evidence as determined by the institution must be submitted to the appropriate supervisor to indicate that the purpose for which the leave was granted has been achieved.<\/li>\n
    5. At no time during any semester of an academic year shall the number of persons on leave with pay (except sick leave) exceed 5 percent of the total faculty.<\/li>\n
    6. In accepting a leave of absence with pay, the faculty member shall be understood to assume a legal obligation as listed in Acts 1991, 858 (R..S.17:3328) to return to the institution for at least one year of further service. A copy of this rule shall be included in the institution faculty handbook and made known to each applicant for such leave.<\/li>\n
    7. Individuals accepting sabbatical leave (with pay) are cautioned about prohibition against dual appointment or dual employment as described in LSA\u2013R.S . 42:63.<\/li>\n
    8. Sabbatical leave shall be granted only with prior Board approval.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Refusal by a faculty member or administrator to comply with provisions of the Board\u2019s leave and sabbatical leave policy shall result in the forfeiture of tenure and\/or employment.<\/p>\n

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      2.8.2.1 Application for Sabbatical Leave<\/h4>\n

      The form used for sabbatical leave applications is called \u201cBoard of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System Request for Leave of Absence.\u201d This form is available through the offices of the Academic Deans.<\/p>\n

      As mentioned in section titled Sabbatical Leave<\/em> in this Manual<\/em>, sabbatical leave is an aspect of Faculty Development and therefore can become a part of a faculty member\u2019s Development Plan. The following is the process for sabbatical leave programs:<\/p>\n

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      1. Applications for Sabbatical Leaves shall be submitted to the appropriate Department Head on or before November 1<\/strong>. Application for sabbatical leaves must include in the order listed, materials listed below:<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/blockquote>\n
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