Off-Campus Duty Assignment (Compensated Leave or Sabbatical)

Overview 

The Off-Campus Duty Assignment (Compensated Leave or Sabbatical) program provides eligible faculty members with the opportunity to engage in professional activities that enhance their research, scholarship, creative work, and professional development while continuing to receive salary in accordance with University policy. 

Off-campus duty assignment supports activities that strengthen both the faculty member's professional growth and Arkansas State University's teaching, research, scholarship, and creative mission. 

For answers to questions, contact the Office of Research and Technology Transfer (RTT) at research@astate.edu or 870-972-2694. 

Program Purpose 

Off-campus duty assignment may be used to support activities such as: 

Faculty are encouraged to apply to initiate, continue, or complete significant research, scholarly, or creative projects. 

Eligibility 

Faculty and academic administrators holding faculty status may apply under one of the following options. 

Option I 

After six academic years of service, eligible faculty who have not previously used compensated leave may receive: 

Option II 

Faculty with at least three years of service who have been accepted into an accredited graduate program that supports their department's or academic unit's mission may receive compensated leave. 

Compensation is calculated at 10% of appointment salary for each year of service, up to a maximum of 50% salary. 

Option III

Tenured faculty whose academic programs are being reduced or phased out may be granted compensated leave for professional retraining. 

Compensation is calculated at 10% of appointment salary for each year of service, up to a maximum of 50% salary. 

Salary During Leave 

Approved off-campus duty assignment is based on the faculty member's appointment salary during the leave period and the applicable eligibility option. 

The total compensation received from all sources during the leave period may not exceed the faculty member's regular appointment salary, except for stackable fellowships that allow for direct payment to the individual. 

Application Timeline 

Application Requirements 

Applications must be submitted through the InfoReady portal. 

Applicants must submit the following materials: 

1. Application for Off-Campus Duty Assignment 

Complete the required Off-Campus Duty Assignment application, including all narrative attachments. 

2. Letter of Support – Department Chair 

A letter from the Department Chair supporting the proposed leave. 

3. Letter of Support – College Dean 

A letter from the College Dean supporting the request and including the estimated cost of replacing the applicant during the leave period. 

4. Curriculum Vitae 

Provide a current curriculum vitae for the applicant. 

Proposal Evaluation 

Eligible proposals are evaluated by FRAC based on the FRAC Rubrics. 

Review Process 

Applications are reviewed by the Faculty Research Awards Committee (FRAC) based on the goals of the Off-Campus Duty Assignment program. 

FRAC evaluates and ranks proposals according to their scholarly merit and forwards its recommendations to the Office of the Provost. 

Final funding decisions are made by the Office of the Provost in consultation with the applicant's Department Chair and College Dean, subject to available funding and departmental staffing needs. 

Applicants will be notified in writing of the final decision before January 15. 

Recipient Responsibilities 

Faculty receiving Off-Campus Duty Assignment are expected to: 

Failure to fulfill the required return obligation may require repayment of the salary received during the leave period in accordance with University policy. 

Award recipients must submit a Final Report to RTT at frac@astate.edu by July 31 immediately following the close of the award period. RTT will distribute final reports to the Provost and the recipient's College Dean. 

The report must include: 

Additional Information