In accordance with university policies, sabbatical leave may be granted at the discretion of the administration in order to enable appointed personnel to make advances in their profession, to remain effective in their current positions, or to render the greatest possible service to the University of Arizona.
The University Handbook for Appointed Personnel 8.03.02 explains the university’s sabbatical policy in detail. It specifies that sabbatical leaves may only be granted to appointed personnel who have served on full-time continuous fiscal or academic year appointments at the university for a period of not less than six years. Only individuals with tenure or continuing status are eligible for sabbatical leave. Leaves of absence without pay totaling no more than one year may be counted toward a sabbatical leave. Time served in excess of six years may not be accumulated toward future sabbaticals. Please see the College of Humanities Timetable for Sabbatical Leave as a reference for determining eligibility.
In the fall of each year a memorandum is sent by the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs to all academic deans initiating the sabbatical process. The COH Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, in turn, initiates the sabbatical application and review process within the college immediately after the memorandum is received. All sabbatical leave applications within the College of Humanities should be submitted following the instructions provided by the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs. The applications are reviewed at the unit level by the Head or Director, who provides an assessment of the applicant’s project and a recommendation concerning the request for sabbatical leave. Heads and Directors are also responsible for ensuring that the sabbatical application is complete before presentation for college-level review. Please refer to the memorandum from the COH Associate Dean concerning sabbatical leave applications and the items required for a complete file. Incomplete applications at the departmental level should not be forwarded to the college level. The college deadline of November 1st is firm.
University policy requires that each college have a Sabbatical Review Committee consisting of at least three people. Within COH, the college-level review process begins after November 1st, the date by which Heads and Directors are to present sabbatical leave requests to the Associate Dean. The college-level Sabbatical Review Committee provides its assessment and recommendation to the Dean by mid-December. COH applicants will be notified of the college-level decision in writing, usually no later than early January of each year. Successful sabbatical leave applications are then reported to the Office of the Vice Provost. A candidate whose sabbatical proposal is denied at the college level has the right to appeal to the university's Sabbatical Leave Advisory Committee.
A report documenting the sabbatical activities must be filed with the Associate Dean, as applicable, no later than the end of the second semester following a sabbatical leave.
Memo - COH Sabbatical Leave Requests for AY 2025-2026