Eligibility Criteria

• Be a full-time tenured faculty member at the time of application.
• Tenured faculty must have completed two consecutive years as a full-time faculty member prior to applying.
• Not have received Faculty Development Leave within the past four academic years.
• Must have a demonstrated record of and trajectory for continuing excellence in their research, scholarship and creative endeavors as defined by their college/school.

FDL Duration

The duration of an FDL may either be:

• Full-time for one semester in either the Fall or Spring Terms, or
• Full-time (at half pay) during each term during the 9-month long session

Evaluation Criteria

Clear Alignment with Professional Growth: The proposed activity must demonstrate a direct and substantial contribution to the faculty member’s academic or professional development. Proposals should articulate specific skills, knowledge, or credentials that will be gained and how these will enhance future teaching, research, or service.

Tangible Impact on Department and University: The proposal must outline measurable benefits to the department and broader university community. This may include research collaborations, potential for external funding, enhanced institutional reputation, or contributions to strategic priorities.

Detailed and Feasible Plan: The application must include a well-defined and achievable timeline. This may involve preliminary work, available resources, existing contracts, a sponsored project, etc. 

Demonstrated Qualifications and Track Record: The faculty member must provide evidence of capability to successfully complete the proposed work, including a strong record of scholarship, prior achievements, and any relevant professional recognition or leadership.

Compelling Justification for Full Leave and Continuity Plan: Requests for full leave must include a clear rationale as to why full-time focus is essential. If applicable, the proposal must also include a sustainable and responsible plan for maintaining ongoing campus research obligations (e.g., grant-funded projects, IRB/IACUC/IBC compliance, graduate students, or lab personnel.)

Faculty Member Application Material

This will be submitted through the online portal.

A complete application will include the following:

1. Application Cover Page.

2. Project Summary/Overview (maximum 350 words): Brief description of the project objective, proposed activities, timeline, and impact.

3. Project Description (maximum 3 pages not including references): In this narrative, please provide a clear description, projected impact and deliverables during the request time. Please include the following in the narrative:

   1. Projecttype/purpose and objectives

   2. Planned activities and timeline

   3. Impact/benefits

   4. Expected outcomes/results

   5. Management plan and Support*

   6. Deliverables

   7. References (if applicable)

4. Supplementary Documentation (as applicable, ex: publishing contract for a book, additional support letters): Evidence of a publishing contract and/or correspondence with a prospective publisher is required for book or monograph projects. Letter/memo from Division of Research confirming research compliance, if applicable.

5. Supplemental Travel Funding: Provide a detailed description of travel funding needed to complete your project.

*In this section, provide details on how your teaching responsibilities will be covered during your absence and confirm if this plan has been discussed and approved by your unit Chair/Director. If applicable, also include information on support resources related to the proposed project, such as grants, travel, and publishing contracts. Additionally, if relevant, describe how current sponsored projects/grants, research compliance protocols (IRB, IBC, AUP), graduate students, and/or research personnel will be managed while you are absent from campus.

Faculty Member FDL Deliverables

If granted FDL, faculty will be placed on a 100% research/scholarship workload for the duration of the requested time. They will be exempt from any teaching and service obligations to the university and should not participate in those activities while on FDL. At the completion of FDL, faculty must:

• Submit their approved proposal
• Submit a summary of their accomplishments, any delays that may have hindered their work, updated progress on the deliverables, and/or products (2 page maximum)

Additional Notes

• FDL outcomes will be part of annual evaluation and subject to research workload expectations.
• Faculty recipients of FDL are expected to remain employed at UTRGV for one academic year following the completion of their leave.

The final report should be sent to Faculty Affairs (facultyaffairs@utrgv.edu) 30 days after the completion of the FDL.

If a faculty member does not submit the required final report and/or fails to meet research expectations in their annual faculty evaluation, they will not be eligible to receive another FDL in the future.

Guidelines for Reviewers

Department Chair or School Director Review Letter: The review letter must include a description of how the leave will benefit the department/school and the department/school's plan to cover the classes vacated by the faculty member (if the leave were to be approved). It is also important for the Chair/Director to address why full leave is needed as opposed to a course release. Letters that fail to address the criteria above may result in the rejection of the application. 

(*If requested by Dean*) College Committee Review Letter: The Dean will decide if a college-level committee is needed, and if so, will be responsible for assembling this committee for the purpose of assessing the applications using the outlined criteria in this document. If needed, the college-level review should identify strengths and weaknesses and make a recommendation to the Dean. College committees should not rank applications from their college. 

Dean's Review Letter: The letter must include a description of how the leave will benefit the College, and comment on the Chair/Director's plan to cover the classes vacated by the faculty member (if the leave were to be approved). It is also important to address whether full leave is needed as opposed to a course release. The Dean's letter must clearly state if the FDL is supported or not. The letter must articulate why (or why not) the Dean endorses the decision of the Chair/Director.

Important Note: Applications not approved by the Dean will not move forward for review.

University Committee Review (FDC): The Faculty Development Council will assess the applications using the criteria outlined. The review should also identify strengths and weaknesses and make a recommendation to the Provost or Designee. 

Office of Faculty Affairs Review: The Office of Faculty Affairs is the Designee to the Provost and final review for all FDL applications.

FDL and Faculty Evaluations

In accordance with HOP ADM 06-503 and 06-504, faculty cannot defer their evaluation if it is to occur while they are on FDL. 

For faculty evaluations, faculty dossiers must include their approved FDL proposal, accomplishments summary, and other relevant documents (such as publications, grants submitted/awarded, books, etc.). The review considers the time and workload allocated for FDL and evaluates what was accomplished applying university criteria (H.O.P.) and departmental guidelines.