Educational Leave

(Board Policy 420.1, 420.2; Universitywide Administrative Memorandum 435.2, 435.3)

You may be granted educational leave, with or without pay, to pursue a regular full-time course of instruction, provided that your doing so will be beneficial to the university and provided the chancellor approves your application. On your return, you will be expected to continue to work for the university for a period at least twice the length of your course of training, or as required by state statute. If you do not remain with the university for the agreed-upon period, you will be required to pay the university the total cost or a proportionate share of the cost of the out-service training and any compensation paid during the training period. A written contract will be drawn up setting forth the terms of your leave, to be signed by you and the chancellor. You will retain all of the rights you held in your position at the time leave was granted, including the right to reinstatement to that position or a comparable position on your return. The amount of salary paid during the training period will be agreed upon by you and the chancellor, but it may not exceed your regular salary. Payments for tuition, fees, books and transportation may be made only if the funds have been specifically appropriated by the Arkansas General Assembly for those purposes.

If you are a nonclassified employee, and if you make arrangements to do so in advance, you may, with the permission of the president, use your accumulated annual leave for graduate study. Your accrued annual leave with pay may be accumulated for two calendar years preceding the date of your leave for graduate study if the leave is used by January 1 of the third year. Your request must be made in writing, in advance of your accruing the annual leave.