FACULTY DEVELOPMENT FELLOWSHIP

SECTION 3.9.1.1, AGREEMENT BETWEEN REGENTS AND UNO/AAUP

A.     Subject to the availability of funds, the demonstrated benefit to the institution in terms of professional development, and the ability of the institution, its colleges and departments to maintain programs and program emphasis and to thereby achieve their mission and meet their enrollment demand, any Unit Member on Continuous Appointment who has completed six years of full-time service at UNO at any academic rank shall be eligible to apply for a Faculty Development Fellowship either for a full year at half pay and full benefits or for a half year at full pay and full benefits.  Each six-year period of full-time service shall renew eligibility to apply for a Faculty Development Fellowship.

 B.     Faculty Development Fellowships are to be taken only for professional development.  An application which sets forth the length of the professional leave and its relationship to the Unit Member's professional development shall be prepared by the Unit Member and filed with the appropriate Dean.  The application shall be reviewed by the Unit Member's department and subject to the approval of the appropriate Dean, (in consultation with an elected faculty advisory group), the Vice Chancellor, the Chancellor, and the Board.  Such leaves shall not be considered to be an entitlement or an automatic reward for years of service.  The substantive decision of the Board or Administration to approve or disapprove applications for Faculty Development Fellowship shall not be grievable under this Agreement.

C.     The time period of the Faculty Development Fellowship and its activities shall be considered service to UNO for all purposes.  Based upon a written report submitted by a Unit Member on Faculty Development Fellowship, such Unit Member shall be eligible for consideration for salary adjustments on the same basis as other continuing Unit Members.  No Unit Member on Faculty Development Fellowship shall be required to contribute to the compensation of any substitute(s) to perform all or any part of that Unit Member's assigned workload.

D.     The recipient of a Faculty Development Fellowship agrees to resume his/her duties at the University of Nebraska upon termination of the leave and continue such duties for a period of at least one academic year, and if he/she fails to do so in strict accordance with said agreement, agrees to reimburse the University for all pay received during the leave of absence, unless waived by the Board or its designee.

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES APPROVED BY ACADEMIC AFFAIRS 1/10/94:

1.      FDF’s will be available to all eligible faculty on a competitive basis.  According to provisions outlined in Regents policy and the faculty collective bargaining agreement, each applicant must submit a written proposal to his or her department chairperson/school director.  In order for a faculty member to be eligible to compete for the award of FDF, he or she must have completed six full years of service.  Each FDF recipient must spend at least one year in the employment of the University after completing the FDF and must submit a written report to his or her dean about activities undertaken during the FDF award period.  This report will be used in the evaluation of future requests for additional PPL’s by the faculty member.

2.      Each year the Office of Academic Affairs will prepare a list for each college of all faculty eligible to compete for award of FDF.  The dean and the appropriate faculty advisory groups in each college will review the FDF applications submitted by the college faculty.  The dean will prepare a recommendation to the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs which ranks the applications in priority order and also indicates for each applicant the duties that will be deferred until the applicant returns, or will be assumed by replacement faculty, or undertaken by another faculty member.  The recommendation from the college dean is due in the Office of Academic Affairs on the date specified in the Academic Affairs Administrative Calendar.

3.      The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs will utilize current Regents Policy to determine the number of FDF awards to be made each year.  Normally, the total number of awards will not exceed the target award number stated in the Regents Policy (i.e., one of ten eligible faculty; BRUN Minutes, 54, p 132, April 8, 1989).

COLLEGE PROCEDURES

Applications will be submitted to the department chairman.  A standard form is provided by the office of the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.  The application will include:

1. Detailed statement of plans for leave period, including
   a.  how the faculty member and UNO will benefit.
   b.  if applicable, what supplemental funds are expected and from what source.
2.  A curriculum vitae.
3. Any other supportive materials, e.g., letters from colleagues, research  previously completed--and, for  proposals on teaching, a description of  improvement of instruction activities.

Department chairperson, in consultation with the appropriate faculty committee, will:

Evaluate the proposal and recommend approval/disapproval.

Include a statement on how the department plans to resolve possible hardships that might occur to students as a result of the applicant's absence.

Forward application and recommendation to the college.

College of Arts and Sciences Advisory Committee will:

Evaluate all proposals.

Submit a list of applicants to the Dean with recommendations.  If there is more than one applicant for any time period (full year or half year), and Committee will specify the recommended priorities based upon criteria in the contract, the applicants' proposals, and the recommendation of the department chairman.

Faculty Development Fellowship Application