APPLICATION AND RECOMMENDATION PROCESS

14.4.1 Application for sabbatical leave shall be submitted on forms developed by the Recognition Committee and approved by the FA and the District. Completed applications must be filed in Human Resources by November 1 of the year preceding the fiscal year for which the

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sabbatical is to become effective. No more than two applications per year shall be submitted by any one person.

14.4.2 Procedures

14.4.2.1 Application for sabbatical leave shall be submitted to the Dean for comment and signature with sufficient time to comply with the deadline date of filing with Human Resources by November 1.

14.4.2.2 If the Dean has concerns or comments, these should be presented in writing and discussed with the applicant. The applicant may amend the application to address the Dean’s comments or concerns and may resubmit the amended version to the Dean. If discrepancies and/or disagreements are resolved, pertinent comments shall be removed and shall not be passed beyond this point.

14.4.2.3 The Dean shall forward the sabbatical application to the President for review and signature. If the President has concerns or comments, the President shall notify the Dean and the applicant in writing, and give the applicant an opportunity to amend the application to address these comments and concerns. If the applicant then chooses to amend the application, and the President’s comments and concerns are resolved; such comments shall not be passed beyond this point. The applicant will then resubmit the application to the President for signature.

However, this must be done by the November 1 deadline for filing in Human Resources. If the applicant chooses not to amend the application to address the President’s comments or concerns, the President will sign the application and send it to PRC with his/her comments.

14.4.2.4 The PRC shall review each application and accompanying documentation, if any, and interview all applicants. Based on the results of the review and interview, the PRC shall forward a written recommendation to the Chancellor. If the PRC recommends denial of an application it shall state in writing specific reasons for doing so and shall send a copy of the denial to the applicant.

14.4.2.5 The Chancellor shall review the application and accompanying documentation and may interview the applicant. Based on the merits of the application and the recommendation of the PRC, the Chancellor may add and submit recommendations and forward them with the application and the PRC recommendation to the Board of Trustees.

14.5 AUTHORIZATION

Board actions on sabbatical applications are to be taken no later than the first meeting in February. In the event that an approved leave cannot be taken, alternate requests may be granted within the maximum percentage authorized, up to March 1 of the year preceding the fiscal year in which the sabbatical is to be taken.

85 14.6 SERVICE OBLIGATION

Recipients of sabbatical leaves shall contract to serve the District for twice the period of leave in full time service. The grantee shall indemnify the District against loss in the event of failure twice the period of leave in full time service after return from the sabbatical by executing a contract in a form approved by the Board of Trustees binding the faculty member to return for twice the period of leave in full time service.

14.7 REPORTS

14.7.1 Reports are required in order to satisfy the conditions under which sabbaticals are granted.

Failure to submit the reports to the PRC may result in loss of the sabbatical leave, the cessation of salary payments, and/or recouping of payments already made.

14.7.1.1 Interim Reports

The District shall require an interim report at the midpoint of each semester on the faculty member's progress in fulfilling the sabbatical obligation. This report may be oral or written based on the judgment of the PRC. Any significant changes in the approved sabbatical activities must be submitted to the PRC for approval prior to implementation. A faculty member who is notified that the sabbatical payments are to be discontinued may return to work if the faculty member’s position has not been filled.

14.7.1.2 Oral Report

An oral presentation to faculty, students, and/or the community regarding the completed report is required in order to communicate to the college community the concomitant benefits of the leave. It is the faculty member's responsibility to arrange for an oral presentation and to notify the PRC. College or university work taken as part of the sabbatical program shall be referenced in the report and verified by official transcripts sent directly to Human Resources by the conferring institution.

14.7.1.3 Written Report Upon Completion of the Sabbatical Leave

Faculty members returning from sabbatical leave shall be required to submit a written report to the President (or designee) and to the PRC by the end of the first returning semester. The report shall describe in detail the learning activities that took place during the sabbatical leave, the benefits accrued to the faculty member and to the District, and that the approved sabbatical plan was completed in its entirety. College or university course work taken as part of the sabbatical program of activities shall also be described via such a report and verified by official transcript sent directly to Human Resources by the conferring institution. All required written reports shall be presented in a professional format, style, and content which reflect college level standards. The PRC will develop standards and procedures for the preparation of sabbatical reports and will submit them to the District and the Faculty Association for approval.

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14.7.1.4 The PRC shall review the written report and shall forward a recommendation to the Chancellor for approval or rejection based upon whether the sabbatical recipient successfully fulfilled all of the requirements of the sabbatical agreement.

14.7.1.5 If the PRC rejects the report, they shall meet with and advise the faculty member of their decision. After consultation with the faculty member, the PRC shall set forth the reasons for rejection in writing together with specific recommendations for satisfactory completion of the sabbatical obligation. The faculty member shall, no later than thirty (30) days after receipt of the rejection notice, submit a revised report to the PRC and to the President of the college.

14.7.1.6 The President and the PRC, independently, shall review the revised report. If both accept the revisions, the PRC shall forward its recommendation to the Chancellor.

If either the President or the PRC does not accept the revisions, both parties shall meet to try to achieve consensus. If consensus is achieved, the recommendation shall be forwarded to the Chancellor. If there is no consensus, the parties shall both state their reasons in separate documents and will forward their recommendations to the Chancellor. Both the President and PRC shall provide a copy of these documents to the faculty member.

14.7.1.7 The Chancellor shall review the recommendations submitted by the PRC and the President if appropriate, and accompanying documentation.

14.7.1.8 If, the applicant's sabbatical report is rejected, the faculty member may request to meet with the Chancellor within 10 days to appeal this decision. The Chancellor may accept the appeal or not. If the Chancellor does not accept the appeal, upon approval of the Board of Trustees, the District may pursue available legal means to recoup the funds paid to the faculty member while on sabbatical leave.

14.8 GRADES

14.8.1 Successful completion of an academic activity during a sabbatical shall normally be demonstrated by a grade "B" on an individual course or a "B" point average on more than one course. Exceptions may be considered when an academic institution grades on a

"pass/fail" system or when a grade other than "B" is declared as the normal qualifying grade by the conferring institution in a specific academic activity.

14.8.2 A faculty member who does not achieve "B" or "Pass" or "Qualifying" grade, as applicable, may be permitted to take the course or courses within the next academic year unless circumstances develop beyond the control of the faculty member that would prevent such completion. In that instance, the faculty member and the PRC shall come to an agreement on a reasonable alternative.

14.9 COMPENSATION