After six years in rank, faculty members are eligible to apply for a Faculty Development Leave (FDL) to pursue a research project, a pedagogical research project, or professional development opportunity with approval from the CoJMC Executive Committee and Dean:
The goal for the leave should be consistent with the faculty member’s apportionment. Faculty with a high apportionment in research (20% or more) should use the FDL for research; faculty with a high apportionment in teaching may use the FDL for pedagogical research or professional development. The first step is to discuss feasibility with the associate dean of research and faculty affairs. If multiple faculty members hope to take FDLs in a specific year or the person who would have covered your course is unavailable, you may have to delay your request for an FDL. It is unlikely that more than one FDL will be granted within the same semester.
CoJMC starts to plan the teaching schedules one year in advance (e.g., in September or October 2023 for AY2024-25), so it is best to inform the associate dean in early fall if you hope to take an FDL anytime during the following academic year. Thus, please plan to discuss the proposal at least one calendar year prior to your expected leave time. Formal college application deadlines for submitting your FDL proposal to the college are August 31 for the following fall and January 31 for the following spring. Informal discussion with the associate dean and proposal drafts should be held before the formal application process is completed to ensure the best outcomes for success.
Within the application, the candidate should list current apportionment and proposed apportionment during the FDL; the apportionment proposed during the FDL will serve as the basis for the annual review that includes the FDL. For tenured faculty, apportionment is typically 100% research during a one-semester FDL; the candidate is released from teaching and service duties at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and may not teach elsewhere for salary. Apportionment for professors of practice could vary during FDL, but generally will remain 80- 100% teaching, depending up on the project. The assumption is that during FDL faculty are released from all other duties, aside from those in the FDL.
Pre-approval Process: Leaves must be pre-approved by the Executive Vice Chancellor (EVC) Office, before moving to the President’s Office. The process is as follows:
- Discuss the feasibility with the Associate Dean of Research and Faculty Affairs. Draft your proposal and request feedback in advance before the deadline (see dates above)
- Complete the Faculty Development Leave Request Form to submit full proposal to the college.
- Once the application is completed, the proposal will go to the CoJMC Executive Committee for review, generally during the September and February meetings.
- If approved at the college level, the full proposal is routed to the EVC Office. Final approval is then provided at the UNL President’s office.
Criteria for CoJMC Evaluation: The CoJMC Executive Committee will evaluate the proposals based on the following criteria:
- Quality of FDL Proposal
- Outcome of Previous FDL Grant (if applicable)
- Research and/or Instructional Productivity during the most recent five-year period
Quality of FDL Proposal
The quality of the FDL research proposal is the most significant factor in the evaluation of applications. The proposal should have a clear, logical, well-developed plan for completion or implementation, and be limited to two pages, excluding references and other supporting details. The various categories of proposals that will be considered are as provided below.
Research/Creative Activity: Research projects would involve faculty members pursuing scholarly or creative work in their fields. The proposal should highlight how the project is related to the faculty member's prior research and its expected contribution to their professional development. Specific timelines will be required to reflect a full-time commitment to the FDL activities, as will specification of expected outlet(s). For example, a book project could include a book contract or timeline for production and a documentary might include a script outline or production schedule.
Pedagogical: Pedagogical projects would involve activities such as writing a textbook, development of substantive and publishable teaching cases, software, and other related instructional material. It could also involve professional development, such as an immersion in an ADPR agency or newsroom for a term, with inclusion of a project that could stem from that immersion. The proposal should provide details of the proposed project, its potential for adoption both in the faculty member's classes as well as by other faculty in the academy, the expected contribution to student learning, and the potential market for the output. Specific timelines will be required, as will specification of expected publication outlet(s). Project examples include a curriculum assessment plan or a new course development.
Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of:
- Clarity of the proposal in terms of providing a clear sense of the research questions being addressed, the expected contribution to the field, and its significant role in facilitating the professional development of the faculty member. In the case of pedagogical proposals, a clear, logical link should be established to the faculty member's teaching interests and expected student learning.
- Rigor/thoroughness of proposal. The proposals should be rigorous and thorough in terms of providing specifics regarding methodology, measurements or assessment. The outcomes should be sufficiently detailed to allow the merits of the proposal to be evaluated.
- Likelihood of completion and publication. The proposals will be evaluated on the likelihood that the faculty member will be able to complete the project within the proposed time frame.
Outcome of Previous FDL Grant (if applicable)
Applications must include a brief report of the outcome of previous FDL grant. Faculty members should provide a brief statement as to how their prior FDL project contributed to the knowledge in their discipline and added value to their professional development as a university professor.
Research and/or teaching productivity during most recent five-year period
Faculty should provide a brief summary of their research or teaching productivity over the past five years in terms of refereed journal articles, books, book chapters, other intellectual contributions and presentations at professional conferences. For professors of practice, this likely will include general teaching experience and instructional accolades. A discussion as to how the current FDL project relates to the faculty member’s expertise should be provided.
Reporting Requirements:
Per university requirements, upon return from the FDL leave, a faculty member must submit a written report to the dean of his/her college. Generally, CoJMC would like to have the faculty member present a public seminar on the results of their FDL project open to the faculty and students of the university within the academic year in which the faculty member returns.
Faculty Development Fellowship Policy approved by the CoJMC faculty on Nov. 4, 2022.