Sabbatical leave

Overview

A sabbatical leave provides an extended time for faculty to:

• Engage in research or scholarly activity
• Acquire new competencies or credentials
• Engage in approved teaching and learning activities, including course or curriculum development

The duration of leave for teaching faculty is one academic year, beginning January 1 or September 1, or a single semester (four month option). The duration of leave for non-teaching faculty, education advisors, and directors is four months.

Eligibility

All Type B Faculty, full-time and part-time, are eligible for sabbatical leave after seven (7) years of continuous service. Employees granted leave must continue working at the university for twice the leave period upon completion of their sabbatical or be subject to repayment of their sabbatical funds.

Apply by November 15

1. Log in to your ROMEO account (or create one)
2. Click on "Sabbatical Application Form - A" or "Sabbatical Application Form - B" depending on your selected stream (see below)
3. Complete and submit the application in ROMEO by November 15
   

Please refer to the Sabbatical handbook and other resources below when preparing your application to ensure you are following the correct process.

Types of leave

Under the Collective Agreement, approvable sabbatical leaves must fit into one of the following eight streams:

1. Research Project: A program or project of research, or work leading to research, designed in a manner making it acceptable within the guidelines now in use for the ‘Research Option’.
2. Scholarly Activity Project: A scholarly project or a program of activity in the creative arts designed in a manner making it acceptable within the guidelines now in use for the ‘Scholarly Activity Option’.
3. Teaching and Learning Project: A project of significant educational/professional value that benefits both the individual and the institution.
4. Curriculum Development Project: A course or program curriculum development project relevant to UFV’s current or planned programs.
5. Course or Training Program: Enrolment and participation in a training or educational program leading to new skills and competencies relevant to the faculty’s present or future teaching responsibilities.
6. Completion of Requirements for New Credentials Program: Course work, or research towards the completion of the requirements for new credentials relevant to the faculty’s responsibilities at UFV.
7. Indigenous Training/Teachings for Indigenous Faculty: A project, program or activity in Indigenous culture, s'iwes or Indigenous ways of knowing. The term s'iwes means sacred teaching.
8. Indigenous Training/Teachings for non-Indigenous Faculty: A project, program or activity learning from Indigenous peoples about culture, s'iwes or Indigenous ways of knowing. The term s'iwes means sacred teaching.

Applicants for streams 1 to 4 use Sabbatical Application "A" Form, and applicants for streams 5 to 8 use Sabbatical Application "B" Form.

(Please upload forms in ROMEO under the attachments tab in the applicable sabbatical application).

Visit the Human Resources website for more information.

Results will be announced March 15.

Resources to prepare for a sabbatical

‌Sabbatical handbook

• In-depth overview of sabbatical eligibility, conditions, types of leave, duration, etc.

Example sabbatical summaries

• To view examples of previous sabbatical summaries (1) log in to your MyUFV account, (2) click on the “Human Resources” tab on the left-hand side of the page, and (3) click on “Sabbatical Leave & Scholarly Activity.” You will be directed to a searchable database which includes summaries from sabbaticals and research option/scholarly activity applications for you to view, (select "Sabbatical" in the 'Leave Type' drop down menu).

 Preparing Your Sabbatical Application 2024 (PDF PowerPoint)

• This PowerPoint will guide you in writing the purpose, goals, design, and timeline sections of your application and what mistakes to avoid when writing your sabbatical application.

Sabbatical application form

• The sabbatical application form is located in ROMEO, UFV's online research administration platform. Log in to your ROMEO account to complete/submit your application by November 15.

• For sabbatical streams 1 to 4, please use the Sabbatical Application "A" Form. You can upload this document directly into the attachments tab in Romeo under the "Sabbatical Application Form - A".

• For sabbatical streams 5 to 8, please use the Sabbatical Application "B" Form. You can upload this document directly into the attachments tab in Romeo under the "Sabbatical Application Form - B".

‌Sabbatical leave final report

• Final reports are due two months after the end date of your sabbatical leave. Complete the Faculty Sabbatical Final Report Template, and email it to ROSA.Release@ufv.ca.

Sabbatical request for change form

• If the nature of your approved sabbatical changes during the course of your project, you must complete a Sabbatical request for change form‌, and submit it with all applicable documents to ROSA.Release@ufv.ca. 

‌Sabbatical deferral form

• Complete this form, and have it signed by your department head and dean, then email it to ROSA.Release@ufv.ca for review.