Leaves

Professors and associate professors at YSM are eligible to apply for Sabbatical and Triennial Leaves after two years of full-time activity at those stated ranks. Such leaves are for the purposes of research or to allow faculty to benefit from professional opportunities that necessitate a limited time away from their normal duties. Details about leaves are covered in the Yale University Faculty Handbook. For department administrators, additional information can be found on the YSM Finance Policies and Procedures webpage.

Sabbatical and triennial leaves are a privilege and not a right. At YSM, a triennial leave may up to four months in length and a sabbatical leave may be up to 12 months, dependent on departmental policies. A leave will generally only be granted if the department chair and dean are in agreement and assured that the leave will not have adverse effects on the department’s, program’s, or school’s teaching, research program, or clinical or administrative responsibilities.

For subsequent leaves, faculty may apply to take a triennial leave 2 ½ years after the end of their previous leave, or a sabbatical leave 6 years after the end of their previous leave, regardless of the type of leave they previously took. For future leave eligibility purposes, the end date of a sabbatical is always calculated as June 30th. The end date of a triennial is calculated as December 31st if the leave ended between July 1st and December 31st, and is calculated as June 30th if the leave ended between January 1st and June 30th.

Faculty considering sabbatical or triennial leaves are encouraged to discuss considerations with leadership in their department. Faculty Affairs Department Teams can be of great help. This can be very helpful to review possible plans, understand departmental considerations, and receive process-related guidance. Faculty proceeding with plans for sabbatical or triennial leaves are then required to submit a Sabbatical and Triennial Request form.