Each year, the College of Engineering (CoE) is allocated a limited number of quarters of Sabbatical Leave with Pay. Faculty members who meet certain eligibility criteria (described below) may apply for this leave annually each fall quarter.
A faculty member who wishes to apply for a sabbatical will notify the HCDE Chair and Assistant to the Chair.
Sabbatical requests will be submitted via the Intefolio RPT website early fall quarter.
After the faculty member submits their materials via Interfolio RPT, the HCDE Chair will add their letter. The application is then routed to the CoE Dean’s office. The Dean will then submit a recommendation to the Provost. The Board of Regents have final authority to grant leave upon recommendation from the Provost.
Faculty members are generally notified of their sabbatical award status during spring quarter.
Eligibility Criteria (see below for HCDE prioritization guidelines)
- Faculty are eligible for a sabbatical no earlier than the seventh year of service to the University or no earlier than the seventh year after return from a previous sabbatical.
- Faculty are encouraged to contact the Dean's Office, UW Academic Personnel &Faculty Resources, or the Assistant to the Chair of HCDE for assistance in determining their eligibility for a sabbatical.
- Assistant Professors are not eligible for paid professional leave until they have been reviewed and approved for tenure/promotion.
Submissions for a sabbatical are accepted by the CoE annually during early fall quarter.
For more detailed information about sabbatical requests, please refer to the Academic Personnel & Faculty webpage.
HCDE sabbatical leave - prioritization guidelines
Approved June 11, 2025
Full time HCDE faculty (tenure track, research track, and teaching track) are eligible to apply for sabbatical leave starting in their seventh year of service or seventh year after the return of their last sabbatical. Sabbatical applications are due in early Autumn quarter the year before leave, following the College of Engineering’s application guidelines. This document serves as guidelines on how sabbaticals will be prioritized in the event that more people are eligible to apply than there are available sabbaticals.
Prioritization
Because it is possible the number of sabbatical applications will exceed the number of available sabbatical quarters, prioritization will be based on three primary criteria: (1) faculty who have never taken a sabbatical, (2) faculty who have gone the longest period without a sabbatical and/or had previous applications denied, and (3) the degree to which the proposed sabbatical activities align with the department’s current strategic priorities, such as research focus areas, curriculum development needs, or external engagement goals.
In cases where applicants are equally ranked on the above criteria, additional consideration may be given to the potential impact of the sabbatical on the applicant’s professional development and/or recognition of the applicant’s past contributions to the department’s day-to-day operations and strategic goals. Final decisions will be made by the Department Chair in consultation with the Faculty Support committee and/or Associate Chairs, ensuring transparency and equity in the process.