| |
Southwestern
Community College - Policies and Procedures Manual |
| Policy
Title: |
Educational
Leave |
4.37 |
| Responsible
Division: |
Administrative
Services |
|
| Date
Approved: |
July
2002 |
|
| |
| EDUCATIONAL
LEAVE |
| 1. |
Educational
Leave With Pay
The
term “educational leave”
refers to the release from duties
or time normally required of a full-time
employee in carrying out his full
load of responsibilities assigned.
State funds may be used to pay employee
salaries while they are on educational
leave if the following criteria are
fulfilled: |
| a. |
The
employee is employed full-time on a
9, 10, 11, or 12 month basis. |
| b. |
The
employee has been a full-time employee
of the college for at least three (3)
years. |
| c. |
The
employee must indicate in writing, his/her
intent to be under contract to the college
for the next academic year. |
| d. |
Educational
leave with pay is not granted to any
employee more often than every third
year. |
| e. |
Educational
leave will not exceed a period of one
semester during a fiscal year. |
| f. |
An
employee who fails to honor the contract
shall be required to repay the amount
expended for the educational leave.
If the employee fulfills a portion of
the contract before failing to honor
the contract, repayment shall be based
on a pro-rata portion. |
|
| 2. |
Educational
Leave Without Pay
A
request for educational leave for
which the employee is not eligible
under the foregoing leave-with-pay
policy, must meet the following criteria
for consideration:
|
| a. |
The
benefit to the institution demonstrably
outweighs the penalty incurred by the
person’s absence. |
| b.
|
Duties
of the employee can be covered during
the leave period in a manner that is
acceptable to the administration. |
| c. |
No
cost is incurred by the institution
as a result of the proposed leave. |
| d.
|
Retention
of benefits -
| 1. |
The
employee shall retain all accumulated
sick leave, retirement status,
and time earned toward the performance
annual salary increase. Eligibility
to accumulate leave and time toward
salary increases ceases on the
date leave without pay begins. |
|
2. |
Accumulated
vacation leave may be exhausted
before going on leave without
pay, or the employee may choose
to retain part or all of accumulated
leave until return to state service.
If leave without pay extends through
December 31, any vacation leave
accumulation above 240 hours will
be automatically converted to
sick leave. When exhausting leave,
the employee continues to accumulate
leave, is eligible to take sick
leave, is entitled to holidays,
and is eligible for salary increases
during that period. If the employee
does not return to work following
leave without pay, the employee
shall be paid for any accumulated
vacation leave at time of separation. |
| 3. |
While
on leave without pay, the employee
may continue coverage under the
college health insurance program
by paying the full premium cost
(no contribution by the state). |
|
|
| 3.
|
Selection
of Candidates for Educational Leave
In the event that applications for educational
leave in any given year exceed the number
that can be released without jeopardizing
the ongoing programs of the college, Selection
will be determined as follows:
| 1. |
Applications
must be approved by the appropriate
Vice President and President. Complete
applications for educational leave by
employees must be forwarded to the president’s
office by February 1, for approval,
prior to the April meeting of the Board
of Trustees. |
| 2.
|
Criteria
to be used in determining eligibility
of qualified applicants are:
| a.
|
Employees
who need to complete specific
course work as a requirement of
employment. |
| b. |
Those
who need additional course work
to complete a degree, provided
the degree is directly related
to the employee’s assignment. |
| c. |
Employees
requesting courses which will
be beneficial to the college’s
instructional programs. |
|
| 3. |
In
the event that a selection must be made
among candidates qualifying equally
under the above criteria, the following
guides will be used:
| a. |
Employees
who have not previously utilized
educational leave. |
| b. |
Seniority
of employees. |
|
|
|
|
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