Guidance on non-IU work during a sabbatical 

Question:  If a faculty member is on sabbatical, can they accept other work and be paid for it? 

Answer: 

If it is a full-year, half-paid, sabbatical, possibly.  The total amount received from all sources for salary cannot exceed one's base IU salary; travel and other expenses can also be accepted from external sources.

Generally, not, if it is a fully-paid one-semester sabbatical. 

Being on sabbatical does not mean “being off work.”  Faculty are expected to devote themselves to the research/sabbatical project that was described in their application.   

• If the external work is not more than 20% of their effort or salary, then they can do it according to the policy on outside professional activities: 

• UA-17 Conflicts of Interest and Commitment, section B.1.a. 

“Full-time tenure-track faculty shall be permitted to spend, on average, one non-weekend day each week during the period of appointment, not including official university holidays, on Outside Professional Activities.” 

EXCEPT:   

They cannot consume IU resources.

AND,  

“Academic appointees should avoid conflicts of commitment which arise either when an appointee undertakes outside professional activities that interfere with fulfilling the obligations of the individual’s academic appointment, or when an appointee undertakes, on behalf of another organization, activities that would ordinarily be performed on behalf of Indiana University.” 

This provision means that a faculty member cannot teach for another university, online or in person, nor accept research funding (not routed through IU).

Reviewed and revised 6/2022.  Questions:  about sabbatical plans, the Senior Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs (ude[dot]iupui[at]aacvas); about funding and coding, Faculty Affairs (ude[dot]iupui[at]rhdaca)