Section 23-5-123 - Sabbatical leave - policy - production of records - legislative declaration - definition(1) The general assembly recognizes the necessity of maintaining a high caliber of faculty and staff within the state system of higher education and the importance of the faculty's and staff's contribution in delivering quality education within the state system of higher education. The general assembly recognizes that faculty and staff sabbaticals play an important role in developing and enhancing faculty or staff expertise, thereby supporting faculty and staff excellence in management, teaching, and research. The general assembly also recognizes that a faculty or staff sabbatical is a privilege, rather than a right, and should be granted only when it results in adding value to the institution, the students' education, and the state. The general assembly therefore declares that state-supported institutions of higher education should judiciously grant faculty and staff sabbaticals that will improve excellence within the state system of higher education and will thereby benefit the state.(2)(a) The governing board of each state-supported institution of higher education shall have in place and shall enforce policies regarding faculty and staff sabbaticals, including but not limited to the policies specified in this subsection (2).(b) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2023.)(c) A governing board may not grant a sabbatical for any faculty or staff member more often than once every seven years.(d) Prior to taking a sabbatical, a faculty or staff member shall submit to the governing board of the institution that employs the faculty member a detailed sabbatical plan that: (I) Specifies how the sabbatical activity will result in the faculty or staff member's professional growth, how it will enhance the institution's reputation, how it will enhance the students' educational experience at the institution, and how it will increase the overall level of knowledge in the faculty or staff member's area of expertise; and(II) Specifies the goals that the faculty member or staff member will achieve while on sabbatical.(e) A governing board of an institution of higher education may not grant a subsequent sabbatical to any faculty or staff member who does not meet the goals stated in the faculty or staff member's sabbatical plan.(f) The governing board of each institution shall approve any sabbaticals taken by faculty or staff at the institution in advance. In approving a sabbatical, the governing board of each institution shall consider the quality of the faculty or staff member's proposed activities while on sabbatical, the individuals who will be involved in such activities, and the benefits to be received from such activities by the faculty or staff member, the institution, and the students at the institution.(g) Upon completion of a sabbatical, the faculty or staff member shall submit a final sabbatical report to the governing board of the institution that employs the faculty or staff member, including a summary of the faculty or staff member's activities while on sabbatical and the benefits derived by the faculty or staff member. Final sabbatical reports need not include specific details of the faculty or staff member's research conducted while on sabbatical. Final sabbatical reports are open records pursuant to section 24-72-203 and must not be included in the faculty or staff member's personnel file.(h) Each participant in the sabbatical process shall ensure that each sabbatical meets the requirements of this section and any other requirements that may be included in the appropriate governing board's sabbatical policy. Each governing board shall specify a mechanism to hold each participant in the sabbatical process accountable for meeting the sabbatical policy requirements.(3) Each governing board shall produce all sabbatical records for all approved sabbaticals and a list of all disapproved sabbaticals for inspection by the joint budget committee, the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives, and the Colorado commission on higher education upon request. In addition, each governing board shall distribute copies of the sabbatical policies developed by each governing board pursuant to this section, with amendments as necessary, to the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives and to the Colorado commission on higher education.(4) As used in this section, "staff" means an employee who serves in a management position or similar capacity, including a director up to a vice president.Amended by 2023 Ch. 58,§ 1, eff. 8/7/2023.L. 94: Entire section added, p. 830, § 1, effective April 28.2023 Ch. 58, was passed without a safety clause. See Colo. Const. art. V, § 1(3).