Policy 5.20 - Educational Leave

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Educational leave is the release from job duties required of a full-time employee in order for the employee to participate in activities designed to further his/her education.With Pay

State Funds

The college may use state funds to pay salaries for professional personnel while on educational leave, provided the leave meets all of the following conditions:

1. The employee is employed full time on a nine-, ten-, eleven-, or twelve-month basis.
2. The employee is under contract to return to the college in the following year and expresses an intention to honor this contract.
3. Educational leave does not exceed one semester per fiscal year.
4. The employee’s absence does not impair the teaching and administrative services that are required for his/her department.
5. The employee enrolls in a full-time course load as appropriate to the specific time period (e.g., full semester, summer session) or participates in an activity considered by the appropriate vice-president to be the equivalent of a full-time load.
6. The studies engaged in during each educational leave are directly related to Improving the competence of the employee in the teaching or administrative duties assigned.
7. Preference is given to the employee whose application specifies courses that will provide an additional competency in teaching or administrative duties. (E.g., a biology instructor could become proficient in the teaching of anatomy.)
8. Educational leave is granted only with the approval of the president and the Board. The granting of educational leave with pay is based in part on whether the institution can best spare the services of the employee at the time requested
9. An employee who fails to honor the contract stipulated in Number 2 of this policy is required to repay the amount expended for the educational leave. If the employee fulfills a portion of the contract before failing to honor the contract, repayment is based on a pro-rated portion. (E.g., if an employee works four months of a twelve-month contract, a repayment of 66.7 percent of the educational leave is required.)

Special Funds

Special funds may be used to provide educational leave. For the purpose of this policy, special funds are defined as other than state funds. Expenditure of special funds for educational leave is governed by the same policies that apply to the expenditure of state funds. In some instances, prior approval must be granted by the funding source. Educational leave with payment from special funds is subject to the same conditions as those that apply to educational leave using state funds. Financial support may be made in the form of payment of salary, registration fees, books, travel, and/or subsistence.

Without Pay

Educational leave without pay for educational purposes may be granted by the president and the Board. The college cannot guarantee the position held by the individual at the commencement of educational leave. If the same position is available, the individual is assigned to that position. If a position at a comparable level for which the individual is qualified is available, the individual may be considered for that position. If the individual is not employed by the college, assistance is provided in seeking employment elsewhere. Certain employee benefits that pertain to educational leave without pay may be negotiated with the college by the employee. The individual must return to state service as a member of the Retirement System within 12 months after the end of the leave and complete three consecutive years of service after returning to duty, or it will be necessary to repay the college the prorated amount paid for retirement. Individuals who are interested in the effect of educational leave without pay upon retirement benefits should contact the Retirement System for more details. Requests for educational leave must be submitted through the appropriate supervisor to the president for approval.

Adopted: March 19, 1985

Revised: July 20, 2010

Reviewed: