IV. FACULTY BENEFITS

4.1 VACATION

4.1.1 Only full time ranked faculty on twelve-month contracts accrue vacation time. The rate is 14.67 hours per month.

4.1.2 Part-time ranked faculty on twelve-month contracts accrue vacation time on a pro-rated basis. [hours taught in academic year/24 hours] x 14.67 hours per month.

4.1.3 Ranked faculty (who accrue vacation time) whose employment terminates shall be compensated for accrued but unused vacation up to a maximum of 176 hours at the ranked faculty member's basic rate of pay at termination.

4.1.4 All requests for vacation leave shall be submitted to the Academic Dean in writing no less than two weeks before requested time. The Academic Dean shall approve or disapprove the request in writing. Vacation time shall not accrue during unpaid leaves of absence.

4.2 SICK LEAVE

Occasional, short-term illness is covered in section 7.1.5. In the event of an extended illness of a faculty member, arrangements will be made with the department chair in consultation with the Academic Dean on a case-by-case basis.

4.3 HOLIDAYS

4.3.1 On or before June 30^th of each year the Office of the President shall publish the University holidays for the upcoming fiscal year.

4.4 FUNERAL LEAVE

4.4.1 Upon written request, the Academic Dean may grant up to seven days of paid funeral leave for deaths in the immediate family. Faculty should request such leave from the Academic Dean. The amount of leave granted will depend on the distance to be traveled and other circumstances. The immediate family includes father, mother, father-in-law, mother-in-law, brother, sister, child, spouse or life partner. Funeral leave is not granted for things such as settling estates of the deceased.

4.5 UNPAID LEAVE OF ABSENCE

4.5.1 A ranked faculty member may apply to the President for a specific unpaid leave of absence for non-medical reasons. The President may approve and specify the length of the approved unpaid leave of absence.

4.5.2 Full-time or part-time leave of absence without pay may be granted for any of the following reasons:

1. fellowship award;
2. completion of research or conducting a formal study;
3. extended service in the armed forces or defense work during war, national emergency, or as part of a faculty member's obligation in the Reserve or National Guard;
4. any program of enrichment approved by the University;
5. assignments of work that are considered to benefit the University;
6. maternity, paternity, or adoptive leave;
7. public service;
8. other specified reasons in the best interests of the University; or political activities, such as running for elective office, managing or working on a campaign, or directing a group action.
9. scholarly or creative work, fellowships, grants, or consulting contracts
10. advanced graduate degree work.

4.5.3 Applications for a Leave of Absence must be made by March 1st to the Academic Dean who will make a recommendation to the President after consulting with the department chair concerning the appropriateness of the leave and its impact on the academic programs of the University.

4.5.4 Time Unpaid Leave of Absence will not count toward promotion in rank and is not credited toward time in service for sabbatical leave, unless the individual and the University agree in writing prior to the beginning of the leave without pay.

4.5.5 A Full-time ranked faculty member who is granted an unpaid leave of absence for non-medical reasons may continue to be covered by the University group benefit plan as provided by COBRA, and may be responsible for up to 100% of the cost of coverage.

4.5.6 A Full-time ranked faculty member granted an unpaid leave of absence for non-medical reasons may be reinstated by the University to the same or substantially similar position previously held. If it becomes necessary during the unpaid leave of absence to fill the position on a permanent basis, the University shall first ask the ranked faculty member to terminate the unpaid leave of absence and return to work before filling the position on a permanent basis. Ranked faculty must request unpaid leave for non-medical reasons as soon as possible giving university reasonable time to make plans.

4.5.7 Unpaid medical leaves of absence shall be granted in accordance with the Family and Medical Leave Act.

4.6 JURY AND WITNESS DUTY

4.6.1 All faculty members shall be granted paid leave time from their regular scheduled hours of work if required to serve on a jury or if subpoenaed to be a witness in a legal proceeding. Any compensation received for such attendance shall be turned over to the University. Faculty serving on juries will make themselves available for work during such periods of time when they are not actively sitting on a jury.

4.6.2 Upon receipt of jury duty notice or being served with a subpoena, a faculty member must immediately notify his/her immediate supervisor by providing a copy of the notice or subpoena.

4.7 INSURANCE

4.7.1 The University may provide medical, dental, vision, long-term disability, accidental death and dismemberment, and life insurance coverage to all ranked faculty members in accordance with the coverage provided by current plans.

4.7.2 Part-time ranked faculty coverage will be pro-rated.

4.8 RETIREMENT PLAN

4.8.1 All full-time ranked faculty members are eligible on date of hire to enroll in the retirement plan utilized by the University. The University shall match the participating employee's contributions beginning the thirteen-month of continuous employment up to a maximum amount equal to 6 % of the participating employee's gross annual salary.

4.9 TUITION WAIVER

4.9.1 All ranked faculty members who have completed a minimum of one academic year may request tuition waiver on the following schedule:

1. A full-time ranked faculty member is eligible for 85% tuition waiver for up to 4 credits per semester.
2. A part-time ranked faculty member is eligible for 85% tuition waiver on a pro-rata basis (See section 4.1.2).
3. A full-time ranked faculty member's spouse and dependents, as declared on the employees prior year tax return, may receive the same tuition waiver percentage as the full-time ranked faculty member for up to a maximum of 18 credit hours per person per semester.
4. Part-time ranked faculty member's spouse and dependents, as declared on the employees prior year tax return, may receive the same tuition waiver percentage as the ranked part-time faculty member for up to a maximum of 9 credit hours per person per semester.

4.9.2 Tuition waivers shall be applied solely to tuition excluding tuition for any self-support or international exchange study courses.

4.9.3 A ranked faculty member, spouse, or dependent receiving a tuition waiver shall comply with all admission requirements, policies, and procedures required of all other students by the University.

4.9.4 A ranked faculty member, spouse, or dependent receiving a tuition waiver may also receive University institutional aid provided that the tuition waiver plus institutional aid does not exceed the total tuition cost per student per semester.

4.9.5 A ranked faculty member, spouse, or dependent receiving a tuition waiver shall not be included in the count to determine if the class has the minimum enrollment necessary to avoid cancellation. If the enrollment is the maximum permitted by faculty, the faculty member, spouse or dependent receiving a tuition waiver will be required to forfeit the class registration if necessary to permit a non-tuition-waiver-student to be enrolled in the class.

4.9.6 A tuition refund shall be based upon the portion of the tuition paid by the faculty member, spouse or dependent.

4.9.7 Upon termination of employment or notice of termination, tuition waiver benefits previously approved for the current semester shall continue to apply.

4.10 SABBATICAL LEAVE

The University recognizes that faculty members, in order to develop or acquire new skills and experiences as well as to enrich their teaching and scholarship, need to have some uninterrupted time for research, writing, creative work, or other scholarly work and activities. Sabbatical leave is a recognized vehicle for accomplishing this goal. ranked faculty are encouraged to periodically request sabbatical leave for these purposes. Sabbatical leave is subsidized by the University and may include any of the following: research, formal study, organized experiential programs, exchanges of teaching responsibilities with faculty at other four-year colleges or universities, writing, creative endeavors, or other such activities.

4.10.1 Eligible ranked faculty may apply for sabbatical leave of up to one academic year. Such leaves are not granted automatically. Each application will be considered individually by the Faculty Review Committee for their compliance with the best interests of the University and the professional development of the faculty.

4.10.2 Any full-time ranked faculty with the rank of assistant professor or higher who has six or more consecutive years at Alaska Pacific University is eligible to apply for sabbatical leave. After returning from sabbatical leave, the faculty member must serve on the faculty as a full-time ranked faculty for an additional six years to be eligible for another sabbatical leave.

4.10.3 Stipends for sabbatical leave are given for either one semester or for the academic year. Faculty awarded a sabbatical leave for one semester receive full compensation for that semester while faculty awarded a sabbatical for the academic year receive one-half of their full compensation for the academic year. Normal raises and benefits will continue during the sabbatical. While the faculty member is on sabbatical, the faculty member and the University will continue to pay their respective shares of taxes, withholdings, and benefits. Faculty members receiving sabbatical leaves may also apply for additional fellowships, grants, or other support during the period of the sabbatical leave.

4.10.4 Ranked faculty members applying for sabbatical leaves must demonstrate in writing evidence of scholarly, professional, teaching, or creative achievement to be accomplished during the sabbatical. The Faculty Review Committee has established this application format.

1. Submit the request to the department chair no later than December 1^st. The department chair will evaluate the request based on the documentation submitted by the faculty member and the impact of the sabbatical on the department.
2. The department chair will submit the request along with his/her written report and recommendation to the Faculty Review Committee no later than December 7^th.
3. The Faculty Review Committee reviews all of the requests for sabbatical leave and prepares a written report and recommendations on whether any of the requests should be granted, and if so, the ranked order of the requests.
4. The Faculty Review Committee forwards the report and recommendations to the Academic Dean no later than December 20^th.
5. After careful consideration of the Faculty Review Committee's recommendations, and taking into account the needs and capabilities of the University, the Academic Dean will develop recommendations which, with the recommendations of the Faculty Review Committee, will be submitted to the President no later than the first week of the Spring Semester.
6. The President will announce his/her decision on sabbaticals no later than January 15^th. The President will notify each applicant in writing concerning the decision and any reasons for such decision.

4.10.5 The recipient of a sabbatical leave incurs these obligations:

1. make every reasonable effort to fulfill the terms of the sabbatical;
2. return to the University for a minimum of one academic year following completion of the sabbatical leave; and
3. file a detailed report on the results of the sabbatical with the Academic Dean within 90 days of the beginning of the next semester following the sabbatical leave.

4.10.6 Time toward each new sabbatical begins immediately upon the faculty member's return to full-time service at the University.

4.10.7 Time while on sabbatical leave counts toward promotion unless the faculty member agrees in writing to waive this provision at the time leave is granted.