Released Time Fellowships

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Faculty are encouraged to apply for released time fellowships if they are conducting research or engaged in additional study which can be completed during the academic semester for which they are requesting a reduced teaching load. Applicants may apply for a release of one or two courses; however, there is no guarantee that the release time fellowship applied for, if accepted, will be funded at the level requested. There is no monetary award associated with this type of fellowship, except for the continuance of full pay at current levels with reduced teaching responsibilities.

Released time fellowships are granted for release from one or more courses during an academic year or semester. Released time fellowships are also granted for Winter Term. However, all full-time teaching faculty members must continue to teach at least 12 credits during the academic year, including a minimum of one course in the Fall and Spring semesters. A possible exception exists for this credit-hour requirement for full-time teaching faculty.

As a result of initiatives of the Presidential Task Force for Scholarship, several additional course releases are available for research.

Any full-time teaching faculty member is eligible to apply for released time fellowships.

Decisions on research-related course releases are determined by an ad hoc committee chaired by one member of the Faculty Research and Development Committee and representatives from all the schools, including representatives from the three divisions in Arts and Sciences. Members of the Faculty Research and Development Committee that do not serve on this ad hoc committee are eligible to apply for research-related course releases.

Released time fellowships are not intended to be used for degree completion.

Recipients of released time fellowships are expected to return to the University for at least one semester. If recipients fail to complete these requirements in the semester(s) immediately following their released time, they will be required to repay monies advanced them by the University for their fellowship unless the University terminates their employment.

Application for a released time fellowship should be made via the online form provided by the Faculty Research and Development Committee. All applications for released time fellowships for the following academic year must be submitted on-line and approved by both the Chair and the Dean by the published deadline for all requests for University releases, the third Friday of September.

The decisions of the Faculty Research and Development Committee and ad hoc committee for research-related course releases will be decided by blind review and based on the criteria stated in the beginning of this section and the merits of each individual case. The Faculty Research and Development Committee will report all decisions to the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs.

Upon completion of the released time fellowship, the faculty member is expected to submit a report to the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs. The report should address the following:

• The research or development objectives accomplished during the period of the released time award
• The refinements or changes, if any, to the original research or development plan
• A description of how the released time project has influenced the teaching, mentoring, or future scholarship activities of the recipient

The publication of the results of research projects supported by a grant from the University should include a printed acknowledgment of financial assistance from the University.