Release Time Policy

September 17, 1999

Faculty and staff can be budgeted for participation in contract activity in different ways. The desirability or benefits of any given approach depend upon the nature of the work to be performed, the timing and duration of the contract, and the current obligations of the individual participant. The following paragraphs describe the policy options for twelve-month staff and faculty and for teaching faculty on nine-month appointments.

Twelve-Month Appointees

Release Time Compensation. Release time requests for faculty and staff on twelve-month appointments must include salary prorated to the requested release time and benefits as determined by the Office for Sponsored Programs. Release time must be approved in advance by the participant’s supervisor and the Dean’s Office. State salary dollars released through participation in a sponsored project will be shared equally between the participating Department and the Dean’s Office.

Release Time Match. If a project requires a match and the sponsor is willing to accept an in-kind contribution, salary and benefits can be used as an in-kind match with the approval of the participant, participant’s supervisor, and the Dean’s Office. Participants whose salary is used as a match must be advised that they will be jointly responsible to the sponsor and to the University for time accounting and job performance.

Faculty on Nine-Month Appointments

Faculty members are encouraged to use sponsored projects for summer support. However, sponsored program opportunities not infrequently require work product during the academic year. Release time can be an excellent approach to supporting such projects. However, as outlined above, the release time must be consistent with the work product specified in the sponsored program and include full benefits. Requests for release time must be approved in advance by the participating Department and by the Dean’s Office.

Research Release. Faculty who wish to engage in sponsored projects during the academic year will normally seek release time from their research hours. Unlike a 25 percent course release, research hours can be committed in any increment between 1 and 50 percent — assuming a 50 percent teaching and research distribution. Release time requests must include salary prorated to the requested release time and benefits as determined by the Office for Sponsored Programs. Funds released in this manner will be shared equally between the Dean’s Office and the participating Department.

As an incentive to encourage and support sponsored research, the Dean’s Office will match dollar for dollar up to one-half of its share a departmental contribution to an operating account to be used at the discretion of the participating faculty member. Under this provision, an individual using his/her research time to budget participation in a sponsored project could at the Department’s discretion have access to one-half of their released salary as an operating budget. These funds could be used for travel, equipment, student support, or any other University approved expenditure. Such an operating account could be used to provide significant support for the individual’s program of research, professional development, or teaching. The participant cannot use these funds to receive a salary supplement.

Course Release. Course release time can also be used to support sponsored projects. However, course release time carries with it the added responsibility of ensuring that the Department is able to cover the released course(s) with a qualified instructor consistent with all accreditation standards and requirements. A course release can only be taken in full increments of 25 or 50 percent. Released dollars will be used to cover the cost of the replacement instructor. Any residual funds will be shared equally between the Dean’s Office and the Department. There is no provision for a participant operating account when course release is used.