Sabbaticals have been identified as an important tool to help faculty remain current in their responsibilities. By having a dedicated break from traditional responsibilities, faculty members have self-reported rejuvenation and recommitment to their professional work. Institutional policies, however, are largely vague and lack measures to help…

In the context of increased expectations for accountability and growing controversy surrounding sabbatical leave programs, it is important to address seemingly simple questions of who is or should be awarded a sabbatical and what the rationale is for the award. The study attempted to offer some insight on these issues by examining the factors that…

Personal narratives provide typically unabashed enthusiasm for sabbatical leave programs, but few studies have explored the results of sabbaticals and the impact that these sabbaticals can and do have on the department and the university. This paper reports on the creation of an assessment instrument to measure the impact of a faculty member's…

Describes a survey of chief academic officers at 65 randomly selected community colleges that assessed perceptions regarding faculty sabbatical leaves. Reveals that administrators agreed that sabbaticals contribute to a sense of rejuvenation and renewal, among other things, but tended to disagree that they help faculty become better scholars and…

This paper reviews the literature on college faculty sabbatical leave and sabbatical leave programs often described as 'paid vacations' with no accountability. The literature indicates that sabbatical leave was an important part of any faculty development program. Those who took sabbatical leaves overwhelmingly reported the experience as a…

Describes a study that reviewed the sabbatical program at the University of Alabama. Indicates that while faculty believed they were better teachers and scholars as a result of taking sabbatical leave, the objective data do not support these perceptions. (JDI)

This paper reviews the history of sabbatical leave in secondary and postsecondary education, as well as contemporary research on sabbatical leave, and offers some personal narratives of the sabbatical experience. It explains that sabbatical leave programs began at Harvard University in 1880, with professors granted a year of leave at half-pay…

This literature review assesses where higher education is in relation to faculty development and where faculty development efforts need to go. Literature on faculty development has addressed the nature of faculty development in light of faculty needs at various stages of their professional careers. Results suggest that career stage affects…

Seeks to identify and reach consensus on criteria that can be used to assess and evaluate faculty sabbaticals. Using a sample of senior academic affairs administrators, 16 assessment criteria were identified, with recommendations made for further research and current practice. The measures included: increased scholarly output, new research…

To identify the benefits and outcomes of sabbatical leave practices of community colleges, a survey was undertaken of senior academic affairs administrators at community colleges across the United States. Questionnaires were mailed to 100 administrators requesting information on sabbatical practices at their college, their perceptions of the…