Approved by Executive Council: December 6, 2010
Posted: August 11, 2011
Policy Topic: Personnel
Administering Office: Office of the Provost
I. Return to a faculty position: If the chancellor resigns from the position of chancellor after having served in that position for at least five years, if the chancellor will assume a tenured or non-tenured faculty position at the university, and if there is not good cause to terminate the chancellor’s service at the time that the chancellor resigns, then the chancellor will receive a research leave upon the following terms:
a. The leave shall be for a period of six months;
b. The chancellor shall receive a faculty salary during the leave commensurate with salaries of faculty members of comparable rank and experience in comparable positions;
c. Up to six additional months of leave may be approved by the president when in his or her discretion additional leave time is warranted;
d. Non-salary compensation such as a house and an automobile will not be continued during the research leave;
e. Prior to beginning the leave, the chancellor will submit a work plan for the leave period, to include a description of the expected outcomes. The plan will be reviewed and recommended by the President for approval by the Board of Governors. At the conclusion of the research leave, the former chancellor shall submit a summary report to the president, the Board of Governors, and the applicable Board of Trustees;
f. At the end of the research leave, the chancellor will assume the faculty position with a nine month appointment or with a length comparable to others in the department, with duties and responsibilities in accordance with departmental expectations of faculty of comparable rank and experience. Ongoing responsibilities will be determined by the campus. The continuing annual faculty salary will be determined through the regular campus salary setting process. In the event that the chancellor does not assume a faculty position at the end of the research leave in accordance with this policy, the president is authorized, in his or her discretion, to require repayment of compensation paid during the leave period from the non-returning chancellor.
These provisions related to research leave do not apply to individuals who have not served as chancellor for at least five years. If any paid research leave is granted under those circumstances, it requires approval by the Board of Governors upon the President’s recommendation.
Return to an administrative appointment: If the chancellor resigns from his or her position to return to another administrative position within the University, the terms for such a return must be recommended by the president and approved by the Board of Governors.
II. Separation from the University: In some cases, the chancellor may not be assuming a faculty position. It may be in the best interest of the University and the chancellor for the president to negotiate a severance agreement with a chancellor. In these circumstances, the president may, at the president’s discretion, determine that the circumstances justify providing severance pay in the amount of the chancellor’s full administrative pay for up to 90 days. Non-salary compensation such as a house and an automobile will not be continued during this period of full compensation, although the president may allow the chancellor a reasonable amount of time to vacate the chancellor’s house. Any agreement that results in a longer period of compensation must be approved by the Board of Governors.
III. Separate agreement: If the Board of Governors enters into a written agreement with the chancellor, the terms of that agreement shall supersede this policy.