1.  Purpose

1.1 North Carolina Central University (NCCU) expects faculty to remain competent in their disciplines and recognizes the need for faculty to have dedicated segments of time to complete tasks related to research, scholarly or creative activities needed to achieve this. The University supports this expectation by providing an opportunity for faculty to apply for scholarly reassignment. Faculty approved for the reassignment are expected to work full-time on the project presented in the proposal.

1.2 This regulation is consistent with UNC Policy Manual Section 300.2.6[G] – Guidelines on Reassigned Time for Faculty. It delineates the components, eligibility criteria, application process and approval process for the reassignment.

2.  Scope

This regulation applies to all tenure-track and tenured faculty at North Carolina Central University who request scholarly reassignment. It does not apply to faculty who request leave without pay.

3.  Definitions

3.1  Scholarly Reassignment

3.1.1  Scholarly reassignment is defined as an approved reassignment for a defined period of time in order to allow a faculty member to engage in activities designed to enable the faculty member to concentrate their efforts on recent developments in special areas and to maintain high professional competence.

3.1.2  Employer paid benefits continue during a scholarly reassignment.

3.1.3  A change in normal academic assignments, such as teaching rotations, temporary administrative assignments, or other assignments that might result in reduction of the faculty member’s teaching load for one semester does not constitute a scholarly reassignment.

3.2  Leave Without Pay

3.2.1  Leave without pay is defined as an approved, unpaid leave of absence from the University for a defined period of time.

3.2.2  Employer paid benefits are not permitted during the period of leave without pay.

4.  Eligibility

4.1  Full-time tenured faculty are eligible to apply for scholarly reassignment.

4.2  Full-time tenured faculty holding an appointment as a director or department chair are eligible to apply for scholarly reassignment. If awarded, the duties as director or chair will be reassigned and the faculty member will forgo any administrative stipends for the period of the scholarly reassignment.

4.3  Participation in the program is not an entitlement based upon length of service but is granted on the merits of the individual proposal.

4.4  A tenure-track faculty member will generally be ineligible to apply for scholarly reassignment. However, a tenure-track faculty member who is in his/her last probationary year may apply for scholarly reassignment. If awarded, the reassignment is contingent upon the faculty member receiving tenure prior to beginning the scholarly reassignment.

4.5  A faculty member awarded a scholarly reassignment is ineligible to apply for additional reassigned time until six years have lapsed since the completion of the previous scholarly reassignment and return to service at NCCU. Leaves of absence without pay not exceeding one year may be counted as service towards eligibility for additional reassigned time if the leave of absence without pay is related to scholarly responsibilities.

5.  Program Components

5.1  Duration of Reassignment

5.1.2  Reassignments Supported with University Funds

A faculty scholarly reassignment supported with funds from NCCU may be may be awarded for a maximum of one year under the conditions listed below.

5.1.2.1  A tenured faculty member on a 9-month annual service contract may be awarded a faculty scholarly reassignment for one semester at full salary, or for one academic year (excluding summer sessions) at fifty percent (50%) of the annual salary.

5.1.2.2  A tenured faculty member on a 12-month annual service contract may be awarded a faculty scholarly reassignment for 6 months at full salary, or 12 months at fifty percent (50%) of the annual salary.

5.2  Reassignments Supported with Extramural Funds

A faculty member awarded a fellowship to cover salary and benefits during the period of scholarly reassignment may be awarded a scholarly reassignment for the duration of the fellowship up to a maximum of two years.

5.3  Impact of Time toward Promotion and Post-Tenure Review

The reassignment period will count as time toward promotion and post-tenure review.

5.4  University Obligations and Return to Service

5.4.1  During the reassigned time, the faculty member is expected to devote full time to a project that will lead to a tangible product, such as, submission and/or publication of one or more peer-reviewed articles, a book or book chapters, a patent, or other creative or scholarly product. 

5.4.2  Faculty on scholarly reassignment must agree to take leave from campus obligations such as department, college and campus committees during the time of the reassignment.

5.4.3  Faculty are expected to maintain contact with graduate advisees or to make other arrangements to ensure that students’ program will not be disrupted.

5.4.4  As a condition of being awarded a scholarly reassignment, the faculty member agrees to return to full-time employment at North Carolina Central University following the reassignment for a time equivalent to at least twice the time of the reassignment.  Faculty who are enrolled in the State Employment Retirement System (TSERS) are required to return to work at NCCU for a minimum of three years following the reassignment. Should the faculty member fail to do so, he or she must repay the salary received during the reassignment by a date specified by the University.

5.4.5  Prior to beginning a faculty scholarly reassignment, and as a condition of receipt of the reassignment, the faculty member must execute a scholarly reassignment contract provided to the faculty member by the University wherein the faculty member acknowledges the obligations of faculty member who received the scholarly reassignment contained in this regulation including, but not limited to, the requirement to return to full-time employment or to repay the salary received during the reassignment at the conclusion of the reassignment.

5.4.6  A faculty member who accepts a position at another post-secondary institution or any other paid employment that was not included in the proposal, or approved pursuant to NCCU REG 80.06.14 (Faculty and Non-Faculty EHRA Conflicts of Interest and Commitment Regulation) will be considered to have failed to comply with the conditions of this regulation and voluntarily resigned from his or her employment at North Carolina Central University.

5.5  Compensation

5.5.1  A faculty member on a 9-month annual service contract may be awarded a faculty scholarly reassignment for one semester at full salary, or for one academic year (excluding summer sessions) at fifty percent (50%) of the annual salary.

5.5.2  A faculty member on a 12-month annual service contract may be awarded a faculty scholarly reassignment for 6 months at full salary, or 12 months at fifty percent (50%) of the annual salary.

5.5.3  During the reassigned period, the faculty member’s salary may not exceed his/her regular full-time salary. Funds obtained by the faculty member for travel, per diem, housing, and similar expenses are not considered salary. Exceptions to the cap on salary may be approved by the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs in cases where a scholarship or fellowship program provides a salary exceeding the faculty member’s regular full-time salary.

5.5.4  Faculty who receive a scholarly reassignment are eligible for consideration for merit salary increases, promotion, and one-time payments or any other salary adjustments approved by the General Assembly, the UNC Board of Governors and North Carolina Central University.

5.5.5  Faculty on scholarly reassignment may not receive supplemental salary funds through NCCU.

5.5.6  Compensation for salary and expenses from all sources must be clearly identified in the proposal submitted in accordance with section 6 and must be approved before the start of the reassignment.

5.6   Continuation of Benefits

Faculty approved for scholarly reassignment will continue to receive university contributions to the State Health Plan. They will also continue to receive the University’s contributions for the N.C. Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System and the UNC Optional Retirement Program as explained below.

5.6.1  N.C. Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System (TSERS)

5.6.1.1  For faculty who are on scholarly reassignment this period will be considered as an approved leave of absence for educational purposes.

5.6.1.2  During the scholarly reassignment with full pay, the University will continue making the employer contribution to TSERS and the faculty member will continue making his or her pre-tax contribution to TSERS through payroll deduction.

5.6.1.3  During the scholarly reassignment with partial pay, if the faculty member wishes to continue making his or her retirement contribution, the University will continue making the employer contribution. The employer and employee contributions are based on the faculty member’s base rate of pay in effect immediately preceding the reassignment. The faculty member’s contribution shall be on an after-tax basis and monthly payment must be made timely by the faculty member, by personal payment, to the campus human resources/benefits office, for transmission to the State Retirement System.

5.6.1.4  In accordance with State law, if a faculty member is on an approved leave of absence for educational purposes with partial pay, service credit may be purchased if retirement contributions are paid by the 15th of the month following the month for which service credit is allowed. If contributions are not made by the 15th of the month, a penalty of 1% of the combined employer and employee contributions per month shall be assessed by the Retirement System. In addition, unless the faculty member returns to service as a contributing member within 12 months after completion of his or her educational program and contributes to the Retirement System for at least three more years (except in the event of death or disability), contributions will be refunded and the service credits canceled. Regardless of when the educational program was completed, the maximum allowable credit for educational leave or interrupted service for education purposes is six years over the course of one’s career.

5.6.1.5  Coverage under the State’s Disability Income Plan and the Death Benefit will continue for eligible members of TSERS during the scholarly reassignment period.

5.7.1  UNC Optional Retirement Program

5.7.1.1  If a faculty member participates in the UNC Optional Retirement Program (ORP), the same procedures as outlined above for TSERS members apply, including the six-year maximum allowable credit limit. (See TSERS discussion above). However, employer and employee contributions are payable to the appropriate ORP carrier instead of to the Retirement System.

5.7.1.2  Coverage under the State’s Disability Income Plan will continue for eligible participants of the ORP during the scholarly reassignment period.

6.  Application Submission and Review Process

6.1   The application process takes place in the academic year prior to the academic year of the scholarly reassignment.

6.2   By October 1, the applicant must submit a proposal for scholarly reassignment to the unit head.

6.3   Proposal Requirements

The following information must be included in the proposal.

6.3.1   An abstract of the proposed project, including expectations, if any, for supplemental funding for expenses and/or salary

6.3.2   A current curriculum vita

6.3.3   A description of the project

6.3.4   A statement of the potential enhancement of the faculty member’s effectiveness in teaching, scholarship, or service

6.3.5   A statement of the potential value to the teaching, scholarship or service program of the department, school or NCCU

6.3.6   A statement of the expected contribution of the project’s results/outcomes to the field of study

6.3.7   A statement of how the reassignment will add value to the faculty member’s public or professional service at the institutional, state, or national level

6.3.8   Expected outcomes from the scholarly reassignment, e.g., book, article, creative expression, proposal submission, new academic or outreach program

6.3.9   Invitations from other institutions, award letters for fellowships, or other supporting documentation

6.3.10   A statement regarding whether or not supplemental funding for expenses and/or salary is expected and delineation of the amount of supplemental funding for each

6.4   Proposal Review

6.4.1  The proposal will be evaluated by a committee of three faculty members in the applicant’s department or college who are competent to judge the proposal. The committee will submit a written report to the unit head, who will then submit a recommendation to the dean.

6.4.2   The dean will make a recommendation and will forward the proposal and recommendation to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for final approval.

6.4.3   Decisions about awarding a scholarly reassignment must be made with a clear understanding of the source of funds to maintain the instructional expectations in the department and to maintain advising in the department during the faculty member’s absence.

6.4.4    If a proposal is denied, the faculty member is allowed to appeal that decision in writing to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. The appeal must include a copy of the proposal, a rationale for the appeal and any supporting documents. The decision of the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs is final.

6.5   Modification to Original Proposal

6.5.1   If circumstances require that the faculty member make a substantial change in the project after it has been approved, the faculty member must notify their department chair and submit a formal request to change the project. The request will be reviewed by the department and college (if applicable) and make a recommendation to approve or not to approve the change.

6.5.2   A change in the amount and/or source of compensation must be approved by in advance. The faculty member must notify the department chair and submit a formal request for change in compensation source and/or amount. The change must be approved in accordance with NCCU REG 80.06.14 (Faculty and Non-Faculty EHRA Conflicts of Interest and Commitment Regulation).

7.   Reporting

7.1   The faculty member on scholarly reassignment must submit a written report to the department/college prior to the end of the first semester following the leave. The report must address the accomplishments realized from the scholarly reassignment. In addition, the faculty member must make a presentation to the campus on the outcomes associated with the reassignment. Failure to submit the report and/or make the campus presentation shall make the faculty member ineligible for future scholarly reassignment and may subject the faculty member to repayment of the salary received during the reassigned time.

7.2   Annually, deans will provide to the Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs a list of applications received and the results of the process.