Campus Sabbatical Information
- Vice President for Academic Affairs : Application process and link to current year’s form
- Office of the Provost – Communication No. 19 and Sabbatical Application Guidelines
“The University of Illinois Statutes Article IX, Section 7, states that faculty “may be granted a sabbatical leave of absence with pay for the purpose of study, research, or other pursuit, the object of which is to increase the faculty member’s usefulness to the University” (Section 7.a.), and that “leaves of absence granted…are given to members of the faculty primarily for the purpose of enabling them to acquire additional knowledge and competency in their respective fields” (Section 7.e.).
Work toward a graduate degree does not qualify as an acceptable program for a sabbatical leave.
All sabbatical leaves are subject to approval by the Board of Trustees, upon recommendation of the President of the University.”
[Excerpt from Guidelines for Sabbatical Leaves of Absence; University of Illinois, Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs]
Librarianship is both a theoretical field of study and a practicing profession. Because of the dual nature of the field, sabbaticals taken by Library faculty can have any of several objectives:
- To make important contributions to the knowledge base of librarianship and information science or the field of the faculty member’s expertise in which he or she is a practicing librarian;
- To acquire additional knowledge that will enable one to help the University Library better carry out its service goals with respect to the University or the broader applicable community;
- To enhance one’s capability to carry out current or new responsibilities.
Sabbaticals can be useful to further your current program of research or to prepare yourself as you begin research in a new area of librarianship or information science. From a practical perspective, you may choose to use your sabbatical leave to enhance your capability to carry out current responsibilities that are recognized as part of the service goals of the University Library in the UIUC community. In preparing a request for a sabbatical leave, it is important for you to determine in which of the above categories your proposal can be classified so that the content of your proposal can be clearly linked with a contribution that is recognized as beneficial to you and to the University of Illinois.
Library Sabbatical Process
- In September, faculty should discuss their sabbatical leave plans with their unit head (as appropriate), division coordinator, and the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Mary Laskowski.
- Librarians wishing to apply for sabbatical submit a Word document draft by the First Friday in October to Mary Laskowski (mkschnei@illinois.edu) for review by BHRSC and Library Administration. Please note: faculty members should not submit the application in the campus online system until this review has been completed.
- When entering the form on the campus system (after the Library review of your draft has been completed), the netid for the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (‘mkschnei‘) should be entered for the UEO contact.
- Associate Dean for Academic Affairs informs Dean and forwards copy of application materials to the relevant division coordinator for division review.
- Division Advisory Committee reviews applications, consulting unit heads, AULs, and directors as needed in regard to coverage issues and sabbatical research plans.
- If more than one faculty member in the division requests a sabbatical, the Division Advisory Committee should rank them.
- Division coordinator sends a draft coverage plan and evaluation to Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, based on consultation with the advisory committee and the unit head.
- Division coordinator should advise applicant of any suggested changes or clarifications to the draft.
- The initial evaluation of sabbatical proposals is carried out within each divisional advisory committee. If the committee believes further information is needed, the division coordinator will meet with the applicant to discuss this. The division coordinator will prepare a brief evaluative statement to accompany the applicant’s proposal when it is forwarded to the University Librarian, based on the comments and recommendations of the members of the divisional advisory committee. Below are several suggested areas in which comments and remarks ought to be prepared for each proposal. The goal of this evaluation is to enable divisions to use objective guidelines to assess the strength and clarity of each proposal, and to provide constructive feedback to the applicant (if necessary) and advice to the University Librarian regarding the strength of the proposal.
- Clear statement of the type of activity or activities planned: basic (theoretical) research, applied (practical application) research, professional development and/or further development in an area of expertise or a new area;
- Clear statement of research methods to be used (if applicable). Quantitative methods: survey research, statistical analysis, modeling or simulation of activities or functions. Qualitative methods: critical essay, historical research, archival research;
- Clear statement of plan for acquiring new knowledge or furthering existing expertise (if applicable);
- When facilities will be used and arrangements made for such use;
- Explanation for why the period of leave will be used in a particular location;
- Well-developed general work plan;
- Applicant relates the proposed activity to other work in the field. Has it been attempted before? If so, how will the proposed work enhance the understanding of the applicant’s area?
- Applicant states the potential significance or usefulness of this work as: a scholarly or creative production, an educational tool, or as a means of improving their capabilities and value in carrying out primary responsibilities.
- Division Coordinator prepares an evaluative statement based on the comments and recommendations of the Division Advisory Committee. Reviews due to Associate Dean for Academic Affairs affairs by the Fourth Friday in October.
- In late October or early November, the division coordinator meets with the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (if necessary). The coordinator should be prepared to discuss the ranking as well as plans for addressing staffing during the absence of the faculty member, including alternatives suggested by the Division Advisory Committee and unit head. As necessary, the coordinator and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs will coordinate with other AULs and the Dean to discuss applications and coverage issues.
- Final applications, including revised applications from candidates and evaluations and coverage plans from the division coordinator, are due the Second Friday In November.
- The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs reviews the applications with the University Librarian, who provides a final ranking and evaluative statements.
- By December 1, the University Library Administration submits approved Sabbatical Leave Applications for campus and university review.
- Applicants are notified of the status of their applications by the Secretary of the Board of Trustees following the Board’s meeting in March of following year.
- Upon the faculty member’s return from sabbatical leave, they are required to submit a report. The report is due within 60 days of completing the leave. Instructions and forms for the report are included in Communication No.19.
Guidelines for Preparing Sabbatical Applications
Proposed Period of Leave and Salary Rates
A total of 14 possible options (combinations of leave duration and fraction of salary to be paid) are given in Article IX, Section 7.a. of the University Statutes.
The six options in Article IX, Section 7. a. (1-3) available to faculty members on academic-year (9-month service basis) appointments are:
After eight years of full-time service: academic year at 2/3rds pay or one semester at full pay
After six years of full-time service: academic year at ½ pay or one semester at full pay
After four years of full-time service: one semester at 2/3rds pay
After three years of full-time service: one semester at ½ pay
The eight options in Article IX, Section 7.a. (4) available to faculty on 11- month (twelve month service basis) appointments are:
After nine years of full-time service: ¾ year (9-months) at full pay
After eight years of full-time service: full year at 2/3rds pay or 2/3rds year at full pay
After six years of full-time service: full year at ½ pay or ½ year at full pay
After four years of full-time service: ½ year at 2/3rds pay
After three years of full-time service: ½ year at ½ pay or ¼ year at full pay
Other options are not available.
[Proposed period of leave excerpt from Guidelines for Sabbatical Leaves of Absence; University of Illinois, Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs]
It is the norm that sabbatical leaves occur within a single academic year. Taking a short (e.g., three-month) sabbatical is considered irregular. The practice of splitting a sabbatical leave and extending it over more than one academic year is discouraged. However, for faculty in small or one-person units, or those who have unique responsibilities that the Department agrees are not easily replaced for long periods of time, a sabbatical period of three months may be justified. In small or one-person Library units, there often develops a relationship of a symbiotic nature between the Library faculty member’s primary responsibilities and the community served. For example, a librarian’s knowledge of the scope of the particular collection in a unit may be uniquely valuable. An acting colleague may not possess the expertise or the background to carry out these responsibilities for an extended period of time.
In order to ensure maximum productivity during a shortened sabbatical leave, the nature of the work to be carried out ought to be specifically detailed, and realistic. Taking a short leave may be appropriate for professional development or completing an article. The rationale for continuing the same project in two short sabbaticals over a period of two years may be difficult to justify combining sabbatical leave salary with salary from project funds, unless the project has an extended timeline.
Please note that it is not University Library practice to compensate faculty for additional responsibilities that they may take on in support of each other’s sabbatical leaves. However, unit heads who receive a unit head stipend should also be aware that this stipend will be suspended for the duration of their sabbatical. The stipend may be awarded to an acting unit head in their place, depending on the specific leave coverage plan in place.
Number of Sabbaticals Granted in Any One Year
From a capacity point of view, the Library needs to maintain a ceiling on the number of sabbaticals approved in any one year. Three-month sabbaticals should be counted as one-half for calculation purposes, i.e. two three-month requests would equal one request. Eight to ten percent of the faculty is an appropriate maximum. As the percentage of tenured faculty increases, the percentage can be adjusted upward. When numerous applications have been recommended, an effort will be made to distribute the approval of sabbaticals equitably among the represented divisions in the application pool.
Sample Library Sabbatical Plan Statements
In many cases, previous applicants are willing to share drafts. Please contact Mary Laskowski if you are interested in these materials.
Example: “To study cognitive processes during the use of information retrieval systems that allow user-defined information retrieval pathways.”
Example: “To compile a comprehensive annotated bibliography of research in a particular field.”
Example: “To study the marketing of books to libraries by publishers.”
Example: To analyze serial cancellations at five Midwestern university libraries for the period 1987/88 – 1991/92 and to examine the impact these cancellations have made on library research collections.”
Example: “To examine the relationships between government information sources in paper, microform, and electronic formats, and to determine their relative usefulness.”
Example: “To complete a survey of library training practices for graduate students providing reference services and to apply insights gained to revising the library’s present training program.”
Please direct questions to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs (Mary Laskowski, as of May 2022)
Updated 3/25/2025