Faculty Professional Leave Policy

Effective: 7/1/2026

To whom this policy applies

UNR Med Employed Academic Faculty

Definitions

• Faculty: UNR Med employed academic faculty, including all departments, chairs, centerdirectors, asst/associate/senior associate/vice deans.
• Fiscal year: July 1 to June 30
• Professional leave: Defined as institutionally approved time away from regularacademic, clinical, or administrative duties for the purpose of engaging in professionalactivities that directly support the mission, reputation, or operations of the medicalschool. These activities may include, but are not limited to, participation in academicconferences, service on accreditation or advisory boards, leadership roles in professionalorganizations, externally funded project obligations, or institutional representation atexternal events. Professional leave (may also be called business leave) should not beused for activities unrelated to institutional or professional service.
• Usual Leave Request Process: The standard administrative method for requesting anddocumenting routine absences, including professional/business leave, illness-relatedand accrued personal or annual time away.
• Clinical chair: The faculty leader responsible for the academic, clinical, and administrative oversight of a clinical department within UNR Med.

Purpose/Background

It is a core expectation that faculty work to build the university's reputation at the regional and national levels by presenting at conferences, participating in committees, and otherwise building extramural networks.

Faculty must commit to their professional development by attending training and completing continuing medical education to stay current on developments in the field.

Faculty must also maintain commitments to their core research, clinical, and teaching duties on campus.

Policy

This policy sets some expectations around time commitments to ensure a reasonable balance between external travel and meeting internal commitments.

Faculty may take up to 40 hours per fiscal year of professional leave to complete required continuing medical education or maintenance of certificate training, including studying for and passing board exams.

Faculty may take a further 40 hours per fiscal year to participate in university-related activities that promote the university's reputation through active participation in national scientific meetings to present data, participate in national committees, or other extramural activities.

Responsibilities & procedure

Faculty are required to notify their supervisor-and for clinical faculty, both their supervisor and service line leader-of any planned professional leave by submitting a professional leave request through the usual leave request process at least 45 days in advance. Because professional leave is a form of paid leave, faculty must make appropriate and timely arrangements for any clinical, research, educational, or administrative responsibilities affected by their absence. Recognizing some faculty may require additional professional leave to accommodate international travel and/or to advance the mission of UNR Med, faculty must obtain approval from their supervisor for requests in excess of 80 hours through the usual leave request process. The request is considered approved once the supervisor signs off through the standard leave request process.

Short notice leave requests submitted fewer than forty-five (45) days prior to the anticipated leave date must follow the usual leave request process with explanation for the shortened request duration to the supervisor. The explanation should outline the reason for the short notice request and identify any potential impact on instructional, clinical, research, or administrative responsibilities, as applicable. The request is considered approved once the supervisor signs off through the usual leave request process.

Faculty wishing to take an extended leave from the university and who have met eligibility requirements may consider Sabbatical Leave.

Department Chairs and Center Directors Notification:

Clinical department chairs should inform their clinical partners and the dean about the designated in-person coverage during their absence. Biomedical research chairs should inform the Senior Associate Dean of Research and dean about the designated in person coverage during their absence.

Review

Approved by Medical Executive Committee 3/18/2026