Virginia Tech® home

Research Leaves

Study-research leave may be granted to faculty members for research and/or advanced study necessary to enhance the competencies of those faculty members to carry out their obligations to the university. (At other universities this program is often called “sabbatical.”)

Full-time tenured faculty members with the rank of associate professor or higher, having accrued a minimum of six years of service, are eligible for study-research leave. Requests may be submitted prior to completion of six years of service, but faculty members must have tenure and have completed the sixth year before the leave period begins.

Research assignment is a special category of study-research leave that is awarded to a tenured academic faculty member for one semester of intensive study or research that increases the quality of the individual’s professional stature and future contributions to the university. It may be taken in lieu of an ordinary yearlong study-research leave.

  • Study-Research Leave: one year, partial salary (not to exceed one-half salary), full employee benefits
  • Research Assignment: one semester, full salary, full employee benefits

Please consult the Faculty Handbook Chapter 3, Sections 3.8 and 3.9 for detailed descriptions of these types of leave.

Application Process

To apply for study-research leave or research assignment, the following forms should be completed and submitted electronically to the college dean's office to be approved and submitted to the Provost's office via Sharepoint.

The Research Leave Request Process

Research Leave Requests are submitted one academic year (or calendar year for CY faculty) in advance of the proposed leave date. This provides adequate time for review of the proposals at the department, college, and university level before being brought to the Board of Visitors. For faculty requesting a spring research leave, this means that the proposal would be submitted more than a year in advance of the leave dates.

Research Leave requests are brought to the Board of Visitors for review and approval at their spring meeting, which usually falls in March or April.

Deadlines

  • November 1: Request for leave due to department head, including the Memorandum of Agreement (see "Research Leave Resources" at bottom of page for links to these forms).
  • November 15: Department-approved requests due to dean, including the department-approved Memorandum of Agreement and P4B forms.
  • December 15: Dean-approved requests due to provost's office
  • Spring: Provost-approved requests presented to Board of Visitors for approval.
  • After Spring BOV meeting: Faculty member, department head, dean, and human resources notified of Board of Visitors approval.

Change to Approved Research Leave or Special Leave with Pay

If you plan to make any changes to your approved research leave, please contact your department head/chair as soon as possible to help them ensure that departmental teaching needs are appropriately covered. With your department’s support, you can initiate the change request process.

Changes to research leaves (for COVID-19 related or other reasons) that can be approved without additional BOV approval include:

  • a postponement of leave for up to 1 year
  • a change from a full year leave to a half-year leave
  • a change in the location of your research leave
  • a cancellation of leave

Changes to the scope of your research leave will be considered on a case-by-case basis. To request a change to an approved research leave, please complete and submit the Change to Approved Research Leave or Special Leave with Pay to your department for department head/chair approval. The department will then route the request to your college’s dean for review and approval, and then to the Provost’s office for approval.  You will receive a letter notifying you of the approved change.

Please email Rachel Gabriele with any questions related to changes to your research leave.

Reporting

Within two months of return to service, faculty members on study-research leave or research assignment are required to submit a brief report describing their activities and accomplishments. Reports should be submitted electronically, with copies to the department head and dean.

Research Leave Resources

Before you go on leave:

Changes to your leave:

When you return from leave:

Questions?

Email Rachel Gabriele, Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs