Under the Board of Regents Policy Manual, Georgia Southern University grants leave with pay for the purposes of promoting scholarly work, enhancing teaching and encouraging professional development. Educational leave is awarded to highly productive faculty who demonstrate academic excellence.  Educational leaves may be year long leaves at half salary or semester leaves at full salary. Faculty approved for an educational leave are required to return to Georgia Southern University for the academic year following their educational leave.  

Eligibility A tenured faculty member is eligible to apply for educational leave. Faculty considered must be tenured and have seven or more years of full-time employment at Georgia Southern University. An individual approved for educational leave is eligible to apply for another leave in seven years.

Process 
1.  The faculty member submits an educational leave proposal to his/her department chair for consideration.
2.  An educational leave proposal recommended by the department chair is forwarded to a college level review committee comprised of at least three faculty members with two-thirds or more of their workload in teaching.
3.  The college level committee forwards proposals along with its recommendations to the dean for consideration.
4.  Educational leave proposals recommended by the dean are forwarded to a review committee appointed by the Provost.
5.  The university level committee forwards proposals along with its recommendations to the Provost.
6.  The Provost Office notifies applicant of the final decision, with copies to his/her dean and chair.
Written feedback will be provided to a faculty member whose application is not successful at any stage of the process. Appeals of educational leave recommendations must be carried out in accordance with college procedures, but may culminate in an appeal to the dean. Recommendations made at the college level, or beyond, may be appealed to the Provost within 14 calendar days of notification of the decision.

1. Purpose of Activity State the purpose of the proposed activity to be conducted during the educational leave.   
2. Expected Outcome(s) with Assessments State the expected outcome(s) of the proposed project. Identify what is to be accomplished during the educational leave. State how the expected outcome(s) will be assessed. Identify how you will know the outcomes have been accomplished.
3. Significance of Project Identify the significance of the project. Describe how the proposed project addresses the University’s, college’s and/or department’s strategic plan and mission.  Discuss the potential impact of the project.
4. Time Frame Outline a time frame for the project, indicating dates for the accomplishment of specific outcomes.
5. Reporting Mechanism Specify how the results of the project will be reported to the department and college. Identify the time frame for reporting. Please note that the results of an educational leave will be included in the faculty member’s annual evaluation.

Timeline A faculty member requesting educational leave for fall semester or for an entire year submits an educational leave application to the department chair by January 10th. Recommendations are due to the university level committee by March 1st with recommendations to the Provost by April 1st. A faculty member requesting an educational leave for spring semester submits an educational leave application to the department chair by June 10th. Recommendations are due to the university level committee by August 1st with recommendations to the Provost by September 1st.

Special Notice Please note that receipt of this award for the development of creative and scholarly works and new material, devices, processes, or other inventions, which may have commercial potential, are governed by the Georgia Southern University Intellectual Property Policy. University personnel are required to provide the Provost with a project disclosure on forms provided by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. The Intellectual Property Policy is published in the Faculty Handbook and can be accessed at http://academics.georgiasouthern.edu/provost/handbook/facultyhandbook.pdf (p. Sec2:56). 

Revised September 2007