1. Holidays. For faculty the following days are university holidays: (usually including the Friday preceding any such holiday which falls on Saturday and the Monday following any such holiday which falls on Sunday)
| New Year's Day |
Thanksgiving |
| Memorial Day |
day following Thanksgiving Day |
| Independence Day |
day preceding Christmas Day |
| Labor Day |
Christmas Day |
| day preceding New Year's Day |
|
Two (2) floating holidays scheduled during the Christmas break; plus up to two (2) additional floating holidays scheduled during the Christmas - New Year's break, if the university is officially closed.
A faculty member is not eligible for holiday pay if the holiday occurs during an unpaid leave of absence, or if the holiday falls during a suspension without pay, or the holiday occurs during a time when he/she is not on pay status.
2. Vacation. Vacation for faculty members on academic year appointments is limited by the academic calendar and is not accrued. Faculty on annual appointments accrue vacation at the rate of five days per calendar quarter of completed service. A prorated number of days for a partial quarter of service will be computed when necessary. Approval of the use of accrued vacation is the responsibility of the appropriate unit head. Vacation time may not be charged until it is earned. Faculty with accrued vacation terminating their employment will be eligible for their accrued vacation, not to exceed 20 days, provided at least four weeks' notice of their intent to leave is received. Up to 20 days of accrued vacation may be carried from one calendar year into the next.
3. Salary Continuation. The university will provide to the extent described below a salary continuation program for full time faculty which is designed to provide salary protection in the event of personal circumstances which do not allow a faculty member to continue work. This program is intended only as a form of insurance and is subject to careful scrutiny of each appointing officer. The appointing officer may require proof that any absence at any time is appropriate. Salary continuation may be approved only for the following reasons:
A. Faculty member's childbirth, illness, injury, hospitalization, and appointments pertaining to health. In cases of injuries compensable under worker's compensation or no fault auto insurance, salary continuation may be used to the extent that the payments fail to equal the faculty member's regular base earnings.
B. Faculty member's child, step child, foster child, spouse, parent, or household member's illness, injury, hospitalization and appointments pertaining to health (limited to a reasonable amount).
C. The death of a faculty member's child, stepchild, foster child, spouse, brother, brother-in-law, sister, sister-in-law, parent or parent-in-law, grandparent, grandparent-in-law, or household member.
D. Attendance at a funeral other than above (maximum one day).
E. Inclement weather causing unusually hazardous conditions which necessitates the closing of the university.
All full-time faculty members will be allowed compensation at their regular base rate of pay for an absence that falls under paragraph "A" above for the entire absence period not to exceed six months from the date of illness, injury or hospitalization. No salary continuation as such will be accrued or reported although each appointing officer will be responsible for the equitable application of the policy.
4. Sabbatical Leave. Sabbatical leaves are intended primarily to encourage and promote the professional growth of those with faculty status and to enhance their teaching and scholarly effectiveness. Sabbaticals are a part of the university's responsibility in relation to faculty growth and development. Such leaves contribute to the accomplishment of these ends by enabling the faculty to undertake specific, planned activities involving study, research, or creative work of mutual benefit to the applicant and to the Grand Valley State University. The providing of resources necessary for sabbatical leaves is a high priority for the university.
A. Eligibility. Sabbatical leave may be granted after six consecutive years of full-time service. Such leave may not be awarded to the same person more than once in seven years and leave time shall not be cumulative. Up to two years of full-time service, on a regular appointment with full faculty status, at the rank of instructor or above, or its equivalent, at other accredited institutions of higher education shall count toward fulfillment of the eligibility period. Upon receiving tenure, credit similar to that granted to full-time, regular faculty who are entering from other institutions may be granted to those who served as full-time visiting Grand Valley faculty at the rank of instructor or above and who moved into a tenure track faculty position without a break in Grand Valley service. Only tenured Grand Valley faculty are eligible to receive a sabbatical.
Time spent by research advisors and principal researchers should count toward eligibility for sabbatical award. Persons who have had regular faculty appointments at GVSU but have also been a research associate for no more than three years will be able to count these years toward sabbatical eligibility. If a person has been a research associate more than three years, the Research and Development Committee will compare the work done by that research associate to regular faculty responsibilities to see whether any or all of the years spent by the person as a research associate should count toward eligibility for sabbatical.
In computing consecutive years of service for the purpose of establishing eligibility, periods of vacation leave and periods of sick leave with salary shall be included; periods of leaves of absence other than vacation leave and sick leave will not ordinarily be included but shall not be deemed an interruption of otherwise consecutive service.
In the case of the faculty member on leave from a faculty position to hold an administrative position at Grand Valley, time on leave from the faculty position in the administrative position (up to three years) will be counted toward sabbatical eligibility, 1) if a faculty member returns to the faculty position, and 2) if the faculty member's unit so recommends.
Sabbaticals have profound staffing and personnel implications for divisions, hence decisions on granting sabbaticals should be made within the divisions, using the processes and criteria specified in the Administrative Manual for personnel decisions. The Research and Development Committee is appropriately involved in two possible ways: (1) to review the requests for funds that sometimes accompany the request for sabbatical release time, and (2) to advise the Provost if institutional funding considerations preclude granting all the sabbaticals recommended by the deans in a given year.
By April 1 each year the Human Resources Office will provide the academic deans with the names of faculty members eligible to apply during the coming Fall Semester. The deans then send a notice to each eligible person as a reminder, offering assistance in refining plans and indicating sources of relevant information.
B. Application and Approval Process. Decisions on granting sabbaticals are made within the division, using criteria listed below (Section D). The Research and Development Committee is involved only in the two following circumstances:
-- A request for funds (travel, equipment, etc.) accompanies the application for the sabbatical leave proposal.
-- The number of approved sabbatical proposals is judged to exceed the university's ability to fund all of them. The Research and Development Committee will then be directed by the Provost to carry out the procedures specified in Section F. The Provost will direct the Research and Development Committee to carry out procedures in Section F. and will notify the Faculty Salary and Budget Committee of inadequate funding (see F.1.).
1. Timetable for Approval Process.
Proposals should be submitted in accordance with the timetable for consideration of other personnel decisions during the Fall Semester:
October 15: applicants submit proposals to unit (including amendments, if any);
November 1: units submit recommended proposals to College Personnel Committee;
December 1: College Personnel Committee forwards recommended proposals to the Dean;
December 15: Dean forwards recommended proposals to Provost and (where funds are requested) to the Research and Development Committee;
January 21: Research and Development Committee forwards recommendations to Provost;
February 1: Provost forwards decisions to the President and informs deans and Research and Development Committee.
2. Applicants shall submit eight (8) copies of their proposals. Application forms are available at the Research and Development Office. One of the copies should be signed by the appropriate authority at each reviewing level.
3. At each level of review, the proposals shall be evaluated with reference to the conditions and criteria specified in Section D. Any reviewing group or person who reaches a negative recommendation on a proposal must convey that fact and reasons for it in writing to all previous levels of review within two (2) working days of the recommendation.
4. Applicants whose proposals have been rejected may appeal to the next level of review within five (5) working days of their receipt of the reasons for rejection.
-- If the proposal is approved on appeal, a written explanation of the reasons for the approval will be sent to the previous level(s) of review and to the applicant; written record of both the positive and negative recommendations will accompany the proposal when it is forwarded to the next level of review;
-- If the proposal is rejected on appeal it dies for that academic year and may not be considered by higher levels of review.
5. Applicants who seek financial support in addition to release time will have their requests for funds reviewed by the Research and Development Committee, so they must develop their proposals in accordance with the most recent edition of The Guide to Research and Development Center.
6. Members of the College Personnel Committee and the Research and Development Committee may not take part in the deliberations and vote on their own proposals.
C. Remuneration. Faculty on academic year appointment shall receive full academic year base salary when on leave one academic semester and fifty percent of academic year base salary when on leave two academic semesters. Faculty on annual appointment shall receive full fiscal year base salary when on leave for a period of up to six months and fifty percent of fiscal year base salary for a period of seven to twelve months. Applicants for sabbatical leave must specify other salaries, grants, fellowships, or financial support they expect to receive (or do receive) during the period of the leave. The combined incomes from such sources and the sabbatical grant shall not exceed the faculty member's normal salary plus expenses incurred because of the sabbatical leave. The recipient is expected to return to a regular appointment with Grand Valley for at least one academic year (or twelve months in the case of faculty on twelve month appointments) after the sabbatical period.
D. Conditions and Criteria. A sabbatical proposal shall show promise that it will enhance the teaching, research or professional capabilities of the applicant. The sabbatical project, except in unusual cases, should require that the recipient spend a substantial part of their time off campus with a lengthy period of continuous release from normal responsibilities. The sabbatical leave will normally provide an opportunity for work in a different environment in order to learn, develop, or perfect understandings or skills which will improve the applicant's teaching and professional competence. The sabbatical project should not be accomplishable in shorter intervals with other forms of assistance available. A request for sabbatical leave must be accompanied by a well developed proposal for use of the leave time; the proposal shall conform to some or all of the criteria listed below:
1. A planned effort to retrain professionally.
2. Development of new capabilities for teaching or research.
3. A synthesis or development of prior effort or experiences.
4. Concern with a significant problem, area, or issue in the field of study.
5. Promise of a significant contribution to the subject under study or problem undertaken.
6. Practice of skills or application of research result which deepens or extends the applicant''s professional capabilities.
Exceptional proposals not otherwise in conformity with the criteria shall be judged according to the standards and needs of the appointment structure in which the applicant has his/her major appointment.
E. Format. In addition to the conditions and criteria that will be used in evaluating sabbatical proposals, several requirements in the presentation of the sabbatical request shall be observed. These are:
1. Arrangements for the proposed leave and a timetable of activities shall be clearly stated in the proposal. If the project requires collaboration with other institutions or persons, the collaboration must be described in the proposal and evidence provided that the institutions or persons involved agree with the arrangements.
2. A proposal must have a clear conceptual focus. Goals and objectives of the leave shall be stated.
3. A proposal shall be specific about the academic purpose of the leave.
4. A proposal shall cite evidence of academic preparation that contributes to its feasibility. There shall be a thorough attempt by the proposer to search the literature and to place the planned activity in the context of that literature.
5. A clear relationship between the proposed sabbatical leave and a proposer's academic unit shall be demonstrated.
6. Reports of the applicant's previous sabbaticals will be reviewed.
F. Selection Process When Not All Recommended Sabbaticals Can Be Awarded. There are two circumstances when not all recommended sabbaticals can be awarded: (1) inadequate funding, and (2) staffing problems.
1. Inadequate Funding.
In the event the university anticipates that the number of recommended sabbaticals requires funds greater than the amount available for support, the Provost will notify the Chair of the Faculty Salary and Budget Committee and, Chair's request explain the financial situation to the Chair or the Committee. The Committee's recommendation will be submitted by the Chair to the Provost within seven (7) calendar days. At the time of notification, the Provost will also notify the Research and Development Committee to begin the procedure described below.
a. The Research and Development Committee will use the eligible sabbaticals to establish three pools: A) those applicants who have at least six years of consecutive service at Grand Valley, B) those applicants who have five years of consecutive service at Grand Valley and, C) those applicants who have four years of consecutive service at Grand Valley.
b. The funds available will be used as follows: the eligible sabbaticals in pool A will be funded first, then those eligible in pool B, and finally the eligible sabbaticals in pool C.
c. If the funds available do not cover all of the requests within any one of the pools, but there is enough funding for at least one proposal in that pool, then the sabbatical proposals will be ranked in priority order by the appropriate divisional personnel committee considering the conditions and criteria in Section D and other relevant circumstances.
d. The Research and Development Committee will use these rankings in their determination of sabbaticals to be funded.
2. Staffing Problems
Upon determination of a staffing problem by the appointing officer after consultation with the appropriate unit head, the following procedure will be observed:
a. The Unit Head will submit a plan to the appointing officer indicating how the work of each applicant will be covered if his/her sabbatical is approved.
b. The unit will rank the sabbaticals considering the conditions and criteria in Section D and other relevant circumstances. This ranking will be forwarded to the College Personnel Committee and appointing officer with a written explanation.
c. The decision not to award a sabbatical because of staff problems will be made by the appointing officer after consultation with the College Personnel Committee and the appropriate Unit Head.
d. Applicants who are not awarded sabbaticals because of staffing problems will receive a written explanation from the appointing officer.
3. Status of Delayed Sabbaticals.
a. Applicants who are not awarded sabbaticals because of inadequate funding or staffing problems are invited to reapply the following year.
b. If an applicant's sabbatical is delayed because of staffing or funding problems, he/she will be given priority within their pool for the following year, assuming his/her proposal is recommended. If a person who is delayed in taking a sabbatical leave because of staffing or funding problems is granted a sabbatical in a later year, that person will not be required to wait an additional 6 years from the later date before becoming eligible to apply for another sabbatical, but will be eligible to apply 6 years from the previous eligibility year.
G. Alteration of Project. If a faculty member should desire to alter the original project approved for the sabbatical leave by the Provost, then the faculty member must submit a revised proposal to the appropriate College Personnel Committees and the Research and Development Committee at least a full semester before the sabbatical would have commenced.
If a faculty member should decide not to take a sabbatical leave which has been approved by the Provost, then the faculty member must so inform the dean of the appointing unit at least a full semester before the sabbatical would have commenced. If the faculty member cancels a sabbatical leave later than a full semester before the start of the leave, the dean shall be free to deny the request. This deadline may be waived in very unusual circumstances.
H. Final Report. Each faculty member returning from sabbatical leave will provide a written account of the sabbatical activities and accomplishments and deposit copies with his/her appointing officer, the Provost, the President, the Research and Development Center, and the library. The report shall be filed no later than the end of the first semester after return to campus and shall include an account of the financial remuneration received during the sabbatical leave.
I. The Research and Development Committee. The committee shall consist of two faculty members representing different disciplines elected from each of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of Engineering and Computing, College of Health Professions and Seidman College of Business; two members total from the College of Education, Kirkhof College of Nursing, and College of Community and Public Services according to a schedule of rotation to be established by the Executive Committee of the Senate; one member from the Library, and the Director of the Research and Development Center. The chairperson will be appointed from this group by the Provost or designee. The term of office shall be two years, with staggered terms. Elections will be held in the Winter Semester, with terms to commence in the Fall Semester.
The Research and Development Committee shall be responsible for reviewing sabbatical leave policies and procedures and shall recommend changes, when needed, to the UAS. It shall also facilitate ways in which returning faculty can make new knowledge and insights available to the Grand Valley community.
5. Leaves of Absence with Partial Pay.
A. Jury Duty. A faculty member who loses time from his/her assigned responsibilities because of jury duty will receive the difference between his/her pay for jury duty and his/her regular base pay if such service occurs at a time when the faculty member is on pay status.
B. Military Duty. A faculty member who loses time from his/her assigned responsibilities because of military training as a reservist or National Guardsman or due to a civil disturbance, not exceeding four weeks per year, will receive the difference between his/her military base pay and his/her regular pay if such service occurs while the faculty member is on pay status.
6. Leaves of Absence without Pay from the University. A faculty member may request a leave of absence without pay for educational, medical, or personal reasons for a period of from one to twelve months. Such request shall be approved by the appointing officer. Any accrued benefits will be protected during the leave although additional benefits will not accrue. The faculty member may continue existing group benefits with the appropriate university's contribution. Contribution to the retirement plan will not accrue during the leave period. In case of medical leave the university may require a physician's statement concerning the faculty member's ability to perform his/her assigned responsibilities either before departure or just prior to returning to active employment.
Absences without pay for a period of less than one month will be considered as lost time and are subject to the approval of the appointing officer.
7. Alternate Service. Faculty on academic year appointments may fulfill their full academic year responsibilities on the basis of working any two of the three academic semesters without loss of base academic year salary with the balance of the year considered vacation. A faculty member who serves in a full time capacity for an additional (third) academic semester, without additional compensation, shall be entitled to a compensatory equivalent semester of vacation during the subsequent academic year at the compensation level in effect when the vacation was earned, if all arrangements are approved by the appointing officer, the provost, and the president in advance. Should, due to a change of circumstances, a faculty member who has fulfilled the prior service obligation be allowed to work during the semester he/she expected to be on vacation, all such work shall be at a rate and under the conditions described in Section 2.20.3.
8. Group Life, Medical and Dental Insurance. The university will provide coverage for all faculty appointed one-half time or more and their dependents and household members (as defined in plan documents) to the extent of the group insurance policies in effect providing the faculty member's appropriate payments are maintained. The schedule of benefits provided and their cost are described in materials available through the Human Resources Office.
9. Group Disability. All full time faculty are eligible to participate in the total disability benefits program subject to the provisions of the master contract. The benefits provided are described in materials available through the Human Resources Office.
10. Retirement.
A. University Base Plan. Effective July 1, 1996, regular faculty and executive, administrative and professional staff with appointments of one-half time or more will be eligible to participate in the base retirement plan comprised of three investment alternatives:
1) Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA),
2) College Retirement Equities Fund (CREF),
3) Fidelity Investments - institutional retirement plan
Eligible faculty and staff will begin participation immediately upon employment. Participants are fully vested after completion of two years of employment.
The university will make a contribution equal to 12% of the participant's base salary. No contribution is required from the faculty or staff member.
Participants may elect an allocation of their university contribution among the three investment alternatives once a year. Allocation changes within those alternatives will be allowed as frequently as permitted by that carrier.
The normal retirement age used as a basis for calculating a full benefit is age 65. There is no mandatory retirement age.
A more detailed description of the base retirement plan related to pay out options, availability of funds and allocation changes and transfers within funds is contained in materials available in the Human Resources Office.
B. Supplemental Retirement Accounts. All regular faculty and staff may elect to have the university provide payment for tax deferred saving plans which qualify for IRS Code Section 403(b) and beginning July, 1, 2002 section 457(b) status through companies approved by the university. Faculty and staff can defer in such amounts as permitted by IRS Code Section 403(b) and 457(b). The election of such a benefit in no way affects the faculty or staff member's mandatory participation in the university's retirement program. The university retains the right to modify or terminate this optional deferral program upon reasonable notice to faculty and staff.
C. Medical Insurance for Retirees. As modified July 1, 1996, the university will provide a medical insurance plan for official retirees. An official retiree (including early retirees) for purposes of this benefit, will be defined as any regular university faculty or staff member who is employed by the university at the time of retirement, who is vested in a university sponsored retirement plan and whose years of university service and age total a minimum of 75.
Official retirees will be reimbursed for participation in the plan based on years of service.
Benefits will also be provided to the spouse, dependents, and household member of the retiree based on the same formula, less the dependent charge. The materials describing the program are available through the Human Resources Office. The university retains the right to modify or terminate this plan upon reasonable notice to faculty, staff and retirees.
11. Tuition Reduction Programs
A. Academic Participation for Faculty, Staff and Retirees. Effective fall semester, 1988, a regular faculty or staff member may with approval of his/her supervisor, enroll in Grand Valley State University courses tuition free, one of which may be taken during working hours each fiscal year. Retirees may enroll with the approval of the Human Resources Office. The materials describing the program are available through the Human Resources Office.
B. Reduced Tuition for Spouses, Eligible Dependents and Household Members of Faculty, Staff and Retirees. Effective fall semester, 1988, spouses, eligible dependents, and household members of regular faculty, staff and retirees are eligible for a 50 percent reduction of their tuition costs for all Grand Valley State University courses. Spouses, eligible dependents, and household members of regular faculty, staff and retirees who use this benefit are subject to the admission and academic requirements of the university. The materials describing the program are available through the Human Resources Office.
12. Flexible Spending Accounts. Faculty may elect once a year to participate in the Flexible Spending Accounts pursuant to the plan established under IRS Code Section 125. The materials describing the program and its options are available through the Human Resources Office. The university retains the right to modify or terminate this program upon reasonable notice to the faculty members.
13. Adoption Assistance. Effective January 1, 2001 all regular full time and part time faculty and staff are eligible for adoption assistance. The benefits provided are described in materials available through the Human Resources Office.
