Administrative Policies

KCTCS Sabbatical Leave

The purpose of all sabbatical leaves is to provide opportunities for study, research, creative effort, improvement of teaching capabilities and methods and related travel in order that the quality of each recipient’s service to the KCTCS students may be enhanced.

Faculty Sabbatical Leave. Faculty members are eligible for leaves of absence after six years of continuous service with KCTCS and/or antecedent organizations for leaves of absence under a different option after three years of continuous service. All such sabbatical leaves shall be approved by the Chancellor.

After six years of continuous eligible service, an individual may apply for one year’s leave (academic year for appointees on academic year, 10-month, 11-month, or 12-month assignments) at one-half salary or six months’ leave (academic semester for appointees on academic year, 10-month, 11-month, or 12-month assignments) at full salary.

After three years of continuous eligible service, an appointee may apply for six months’ leave, a mini-sabbatical (academic semester for appointees on academic year, 10-month, 11-month, or 12-month assignments) at one-half salary. Normally, "continuous service" is interrupted by a sabbatical leave; i.e., no service prior to a sabbatical may be credited toward eligibility for future sabbatical leave. However, in the event that it becomes necessary for an individual to postpone a sabbatical leave at the request of and/or for the benefit of KCTCS or one of its education units, the period of postponement shall be counted as part of the six years of service necessary for the individual to again become eligible for sabbatical leave. The request for and/or agreement that the sabbatical leave be postponed must be made in writing by the president/ceo of the individual’s institution and be approved by the Chancellor. The request or agreement must specify the period of postponement and the reason for it. In no case shall cumulative sabbatical leave be granted for a single period longer than one full year at full salary.

Leaves of absence without pay are not normally credited toward eligibility for sabbatical leave. However, exception maybe made when the leave enhances the value of the individual to KCTCS, e.g., a leave to accept a fellowship or a grant, service for professional organizations, etc. In no case shall the leave of absence without pay be considered as an interruption of continuous service. Sabbatical leave shall be granted with the understanding that the recipient, following the leave, will continue in service with the KCTCS for at least the length of the sabbatical leave.

Faculty may be required to document employment offers, and admission to educational programs prior to the granting of any sabbatical leave. KCTCS may also require you to furnish evidence of satisfactory work or academic performance in sabbatical period activities. Faculty earnings during sabbatical leaves may not exceed a faculty member’s regular KCTCS earnings.

To enable KCTCS to plan its instructional offerings during your absence on sabbatical, leave requests must be submitted six months before you plan to begin the leave. Your institution president/ceo must notify you within 60 days if your requested leave is to be postponed or denied and the reasons for the delay or the denial.