Professional Leaves

We value when faculty wish to pursue scholarly achievements or meritorious service. UMKC offers faculty three types of professional leave to conduct research, pursue professional development or fulfill a professional goal.

Development, research and sabbatical leaves are “professional” and require the faculty member to submit a report of accomplishment to the Office of the Provost/Faculty Affairs within 45 days of the leave end date.

Development Leave

Tenured, tenure-track and full-time, ranked non-tenure track faculty members are eligible to apply for a development leave to pursue personal, professional, instructional, or administrative development. Development leave may be taken for a period of time up to a full year. If a faculty member receives external fellowship or grant support for a development leave, the university may supplement such support to provide full regular salary; if such external support is not received, the university may provide full regular salary. Additional travel funds and leave related expenses may be provided as deemed appropriate.

Read UM System policy CRR 340.070 A.2

Research Leave

Tenured, tenure-track, and full-time, ranked non-tenure track research faculty members with established scholarly, artistic or research records are eligible to apply for a research leave. A research leave may be taken for a period of time up to a full year. If a faculty member receives an external fellowship or grant support for a research leave, the university may supplement such support to provide full regular salary; if such external support is not received, the university may provide full regular salary. Additional travel funds and leave related expenses may be provided as deemed appropriate.

Read UM System policy CRR 340.070 A.1

Sabbatical

Tenured faculty members are eligible to apply for a sabbatical leave after six or more years of service, and can reapply for subsequent sabbatical leaves six years after the prior sabbatical leave. Sabbatical leaves may be taken for a period of time up to a full year. A faculty member on a sabbatical leave will receive up to one-half their regular annual salary. Additional travel funds and leave related expenses may be provided as deemed appropriate

Read UM System policy CRR 340.070 A.3

Application for Professional Leave

Step 1) Determine leave options

Step 2) Complete and submit documentation

  • Must be received by the Office of the Provost no less than 90 days in advance of requested leave effective date
  • All faculty members who accept a paid leave must state their intention to return to the university for the same amount of time they plan to be gone.
  • Candidates should work with their unit Human Resource Business Partner (HRBP) to complete the Request for Leave of Absence Form UM108 (PDF). Form UM108 is required for all professional leaves in addition to medical and personal, paid or unpaid. UNUM notice of FMLA approval pending receipt of required documentation must be attached to form UM108 for all medical leave requests.
  • Candidates should create and attach the appropriate documentation for the selected leave type as required in CRR 340.070 Faculty Leave policy.
  • Candidates should forward the completed and signed form with all necessary documentation to their department chair for approval.

Step 3) Documentation review

  • The department chair reviews the leave form and documentation, then signs original form if approved. The department chair sends a memo of support to the dean with the original form and all documentation.
  • The dean reviews the leave form and documentation, then signs the original form if approved. The dean writes a memo of support to the provost. Please note that deans are responsible for arranging coverage of candidate’s duties and responsibilities during the leave period.
  • The dean sends the original form with all documentation to unit HRBP for final review and processing.
  • The unit HRBP is responsible for ensuring the leave form is complete and accurate, and that all necessary documentation is attached (original leave form, dean memo, chair memo) followed by any additional documentation appropriate to the selected leave type as required in CRR 340.070 faculty leave policy.
  • The unit HRBP sends the signed, original documentation via email to Faculty Affairs.
  • The provost reviews all leave request documentation, then issues a letter of approval or denial to the candidate.
  • The provost retains all original documentation; a scanned copy of all signed documentation is returned via email to candidate, chair, dean and unit HRBP.
  • The unit HRBP attaches a copy of the approved request for leave of absence form UM108 to the candidate’s leave of absence Personnel Action Form (PAF) three weeks prior to the leave effective date and sends it to the Office of the Provost via campus mail for processing attn: Susan Hankins.

Step 4) Post-leave

  • Candidates report back to work, in person, to their department chair on or before the stated leave of absence end date.
  • The department chair notifies the unit HRBP of the date the candidate has returned to work.
  • The unit HRBP prepares the return from leave of absence PAF with a copy of the approved request for leave of absence form UM108 and emails it to Faculty Affairs for processing attn: Chris Popoola.
  • For professional leave only, candidates must prepare a “Report of Accomplishment” as required by CRR 340.070 Faculty Leave policy and submit it to their department chair and Faculty Affairs via email attn: Chris Popoola within 45 days of the leave end date.

Professional Leave Facts

Please keep the following tips in mind when applying for professional leave:

  • The Office of the Provost suggests a minimum period of seven years between professional and sabbatical leaves, unless fully funded from external resources.
  • Faculty must return to the university from any paid professional leave to perform their standard duties as assigned (in-house) for, at minimum, the same amount of time they were on leave before they are eligible to apply for any other type of paid professional leave.

Report of Accomplishment

All Research, Development and Sabbatical Professional leaves require the employee to submit a written Report of Accomplishment to the Office of the Provost/Faculty Affairs within 45 days of the leave period end date.

While there is no required form or format to the Report of Accomplishments, it should act as a summary report that references the following:

  • Faculty member’s name, title, department and unit
  • Leave period and type
  • Comparison of the original purpose of the leave to the actual leave accomplishments, explaining any variances from the original leave plan
  • Highlights of any benefits to yourself and the university resulting from the work accomplished during the leave period

Leave reports can demonstrate the productivity and value of the research, development or sabbatical leave benefit to our faculty, departments, academic units, the university and our community.

Please send Research and Development Leave Reports of Accomplishment via email to Faculty Affairs attn: Chris Popoola.