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Sabbatical and Leave of Absence

Sabbatical Leave Policies and Procedures

Faculty planning to apply for a sabbatical should review the Sabbatical Leave section in the New York University Faculty Handbook, which discusses NYU’s purpose and procedures governing sabbatical leaves.

A sabbatical leave is defined as a leave for the purpose of faculty members’ engagement in scholarly research or other activities that will increase their scholarly achievement or their capacity for service to the University. Eligibility for a sabbatical leave is limited to full-time members of the faculty who have achieved tenure and who have completed six years of full-time service as members of the faculty at NYU. In general, at least six years elapse between consecutive sabbaticals.

A sabbatical leave is considered a privilege rather than a right, and should cause minimal disruption to school and department programs. Sabbatical leave is not automatically granted according to years of service or tenure status.

All sabbatical leave arrangements approved by the University carry the restriction that the faculty member is not permitted to engage in any form of regular academic or other employment of pecuniary advantage elsewhere. Refer to the NYU Faculty Handbook for sponsored research exceptions.

Sabbatical Leave Deadlines

Department Deadline

Eligible faculty submit their NYU Application for Sabbatical Leave via DocuSign. Please consult with your department as deadlines may vary.

November 17, 2023

Department chair approves or declines sabbatical requests via DocuSign. The recommendation is automatically sent to the Office of Faculty Affairs for review.

The application window is now closed. 

Spring 2024

Office of Faculty Affairs notifies faculty of sabbatical leave decision.

Submitting the Sabbatical Leave Application

Applications for sabbatical leave are submitted online through DocuSign. Complete your information and your department chair’s information. Click Begin Signing. Fill in all fields. To submit, select Finish. This will automatically send the sabbatical request to the department chair you selected in the form. You will receive a confirmation via email.

Applications for sabbatical leave must provide a detailed statement of professional plans for the leave and a discussion of the timetable, and include a statement of goals against which sabbatical activities may be evaluated. In addition, the application should provide a justification for how the activities proposed for the sabbatical leave will have value for the applicant, as well as the applicant’s department, Steinhardt, and/or NYU.

Sabbatical Leave Review Process

The criteria for approving sabbatical leave have been discussed by department chairs, deans and the Faculty Senate. These criteria do not reflect new policies, but rather a clarification to assist faculty in making their requests.

In reviewing an application for sabbatical leave, the following University and School criteria should be applied by the personnel committee and the chair:

  1. Proposal focus and formulation
  2. Proposal product or outcome
  3. Reasonableness of timetable
  4. Enhancement of faculty member’s scholarly achievement and/or capacity for service to the University
  5. Career extension/re-organization or enhancement of current role
  6. Rationale that indicates the value of the outcome of the sabbatical to the faculty member, department, Steinhardt, and/or the University
  7. Approval of sabbatical leave causes minimal disruption to School and department programs

Sabbatical Report and Assessment

When the faculty member returns from a sabbatical leave of any duration, they are required to submit a written report on sabbatical activities and outcomes to the department chair. The written report should be submitted within 30 days of returning from sabbatical leave. The sabbatical leave report is also submitted to the Office of Faculty Affairs by the chair for review by the vice dean and dean.

Personal Leave of Absence

Available to Faculty

Office of Academic Appointments

Personal leave without pay may be granted at the discretion of the Dean for a variety of reasons. Faculty members may be granted one or more full semesters of leave without pay for compelling personal reasons, such as care of a seriously ill child, parent, spouse, or registered domestic partner. Leave by either parent for the purpose of taking care of a child or related activities, as distinguished from inability to work because of pregnancy or childbirth, is treated as personal leave.

Illness/Disability Leave and Maternity Leave

The salary of a full-time faculty member may be continued for up to six months at the discretion of the Dean, for absence caused by illness or disability, subject to approval by the Office of the Provost.

Legally, an absence caused by inability to work because of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions must be treated at least as favorably as an absence caused by illness or disability for all employment-related purposes. At the time a faculty member gives birth, they are entitled to an aggregate of six consecutive weeks of paid maternity leave preceding and/or following the date of birth.

A physician’s statement certifying that the faculty member is unable to work because of illness or disability and the date on which it is anticipated that they can return to work may be required. The University, in addition, may require that the faculty member be examined by a physician designated by the University at no cost to the faculty member. In cases of childbirth, no certification will be required unless the request for leave extends beyond six weeks.

A full-time faculty member who is totally disabled for more than six consecutive calendar months may claim benefits under New York University’s long-term disability insurance if a participant.

Benefits During Leave of Absence

During a leave of absence, benefits may be affected. The Benefits Office should be contacted for details regarding how to continue benefit coverages and the length of time for which benefits may be continued.

It is a faculty member's responsibility to contact the Benefits Office to arrange for continuation of benefits. More information is available at the Benefits Office.

Tenure Clock Stoppage

Office of Academic Appointments
Available to Faculty

Tenure Clock Stoppage will be automatically granted for up to two semesters for the parent primarily responsible for the care of a newborn child, newly adopted child, or new foster care or guardianship placement.

Tenure Clock Stoppage may also be granted for a cumulative maximum of two semesters during the probationary period for any one of, or combination of, the following personal reasons: primary caregiver of a child, parent, spouse/registered domestic partner in health crisis of extended duration; illness/disability leave; or personal leave.