Faculty Research Leave Program

College of Education Faculty Research Leave Program
A primary goal of the College of Education Research Office is to provide support to faculty in their continual and lifelong development as scholars. Thus, the College provides opportunities for faculty to engage in pursuits that enhance their scholarship, revitalize their creative energy, and inform them of new and innovative knowledge and practices with the ultimate goal to develop and maintain their scholarship. A faculty member may request one semester research leave to take advantage of scholarly opportunities to pursue research projects. This one semester leave is based on the assumption that the faculty member will remain in the Athens area during the COE Research leave.  If the research project requires absence from Athens, then the faculty must align with the UGA 1.12-1 Educational and Professional leave” policy.

For more information on eligibility, requirements and the process, please read each of the following sections:

Eligibility Requirements

Prior Years of Service

  • Tenured faculty member who has been employed by the University of Georgia College of Education for at least five years is eligible to apply.
  • Administrators are not eligible.
  • Faculty members requesting a research leave must not be on the Research Office Advisory Board during the review of research leave proposals.

Frequency

  • An individual may receive only one research leave every five years.

Application Process

Application Deadline: Any request for a COE Research Leave beginning fall semester must be submitted to the COE Research Office no later than February 1st by the department head representing the faculty member requesting a research leave. Any request for a research leave beginning spring semester must be submitted to the COE Research Office no later than July 1st by the department head. Pending available funding the Research Advisory Board will review proposals for research leave. All proposals should be sent to Gabrielle Mason (gmason@uga.edu).

Role of the Department Head: The completed application is submitted to the faculty member’s department head by January 15th or June 15th. Faculty members should stipulate the semester they are requesting for the research leave. The department head must rank order applications if more than one is submitted. The department head must also provide a written statement about how the department’s undergraduate and graduate instructional needs—including supervision of the faculty member’s graduate advisees’ research projects, thesis and dissertations—will be met while the faculty member is on leave. This must be specific by giving course titles, numbers, enrollments, and faculty names who will provide course coverage and/or research supervision. When more than one faculty member is applying for a research leave, describe the total impact on the department and its instructional needs. All of the department head feedback should be included in the coversheet for each proposal.

The completed application along with the department head’s evaluation and statement are submitted to the Research Office by February 1st for a fall request and July 1st for a spring consideration.

Proposal Requirements

The proposal components must be written in 12-point font, with no less than 1-inch margins.

To apply for the Faculty Research Leave program, the faculty member must provide a proposal consisting of:

  • Cover Sheet: The first page of each proposal must be the program cover sheet, completed according to its directions and signed by the proposer and department head. Cover letters are not necessary and will not be distributed to the review committees. All information must be included in the proposal itself.
  • Abstract (Limit of 200 words): The abstract should be easily understood by a layperson.  The ideal abstract (a) educates the reader about the research by describing the content of the work, (b) gives a sense of the scope of the proposed project, and (c) conveys the importance of the research.
  • Prospectus (Limit of three single-spaced pages): The prospectus explains the project in terms that an educated reader from outside your field can understand.  Specify:
  • Purpose and significance: Describe the nature and significance of the research, including a clear, concise statement of the objectives of the research and your aims in undertaking it.
  • Work to be accomplished: Describe specifically what you plan to do during the research leave period, and where you will do the work.  Identify persons, if any, with whom you will work.
  • Projected results: What tangible results will your research leave have, what form will it take, and how and where will you share your results with others?
  • Justification (Limit of one-single spaced page): How will the research leave contribute to your own scholarly development?  How will the research leave contribute to your teaching (be specific with course titles, number of students taught)? How will the research leave benefit your department, college, and/or the University as a whole? Why does the research leave require time away from the normal activities of teaching and service? The justification must include the name of the person (s) covering instruction during the research leave.
  • Budget and Budget Justification: The Dean’s Office will provide funds for one course buy-out and the Department will provide resources for the second course buy-out. If a faculty member has only one course to buy-out, the Dean’s Office will cover that cost. The faculty member should detail any additional funding that they receive from other sources as a part of the research leave activities. The appropriateness of the budget will be considered in evaluating the proposal.
  • CV Summary (Limit of 5 pages): The proposal should include a list of your professional publications, creative and/or professional works, and any other information relevant to appraising the proposed leave objective(s).

Criteria for Review of Faculty Research Leave

Applications will be reviewed based on the following criteria:

  1. Scholarly or creative activities proposed
    • Potential for disseminating and/or applying anticipated achievements through publications, presentations, and development of curricular and instructional activities
    • Value of project, including its originality and potential contribution
    • Adequacy and feasibility of the project in relation to the length of the faculty research leave requested
    • Clarity and completeness of the proposal
    • Project’s potential for contributing to the faculty member’s development
    • Likelihood the project will contribute to the quality of the research and instructional program in the faculty member’s discipline and/or to the implementation of the College’s and University’s strategic plans
  2. Scholarly or creative productivity of the applicant
    • A faculty member will be rated on one or more of the following:
    • Likelihood the research leave will increase the chances of obtaining external funding in the future
    • Quality of academic products in relation to the field and years of academic service
    • Quantity of academic products in relation to the field and years of academic service
    • Consistency of academic products in relation to years of academic service
  3. Other academic achievements and contributions
    • Consultantships, editorial assignments, review assignments, and other invitations that imply peer recognition
    • Conferences, guest lectures, and other professional contributions
    • Special assignments, offices, and services performed for the college and/or University and other outside agencies and associations
    • Awards, fellowships, grants, offices, and other honors earned

Research Leave Conditions

Participation: A faculty member who is relieved of classroom teaching duties and committee assignments and granted a research-intensive semester under this policy will not, during that period, be paid by another institution. Service on a limited basis at another institution might occur, however, where the faculty member is engaged in special research, or affiliated with a special project at another institution. A faculty member who receives the research leave must continue to advise their doctoral students during this time period.

Prior to Departure: The faculty member will be responsible for facilitating a smooth transition for the continuance of his/her courses and disposition of advisees during the research leave. This may include the sharing of syllabi, reading lists, lectures, and other materials necessary to teach the courses and records related to student advisement and committee responsibilities, as appropriate. A meeting should take place with the person responsible for assigning classes to discuss such matters.

Reporting: After completion of the research-intensive semester, the faculty member must submit a written report to the Research Advisory Board describing what was accomplished. This two-page report is due no later than one month after the start of the next academic semester which follows the end of the research-intensive semester.

Return to Service at COE: Prior to being granted a COE research-intensive semester, the faculty member will be required to sign an agreement indicating that, he or she will return to the COE for at least one year. If the faculty member does not return to the COE for the time specified in the agreement, then he or she will reimburse the COE for compensation received from and any other expenses paid by the COE during the research leave.