Special Faculty Assignments

Overview

Faculty officially appointed as Department Chairs or Center/ Institute/ Program Directors may be provided a Special Faculty Assignment (SFA) upon conclusion of their term, which releases faculty from teaching obligations in order to focus on advancing scholarly and creative trajectories.

Eligibility

• COLA faculty officially appointed as Department Chairs or Center/ Institute/ Program Directors.
• SFA's are pre-awarded and provided to faculty for serving in administrative leadership roles as stated in their appointment letters.

Regulations/ Guidelines

• Faculty must notify the Dean's Office by May 1st in the year prior to the SFA in order to secure final approval from the Provost's Office. Faculty must submit a current CV and research proposal, and will need to specify the semester they are requesting the SFA for.
• SFA's carry a Return Rule requirement. Recipients are expected to return to normal duties at UT Austin for at least one academic year (Fall and Spring terms) upon conclusion of the SFA.
• SFA's affect eligibility for a Faculty Development Leave (FDL). Faculty who receive an SFA must work two consecutive academic years of full-time service at UT Austin following the conclusion of the academic year of the SFA before becoming eligible for an FDL. 

Applications

• Provide a current CV, research proposal, and specify the SFA semester; submit materials to COLA HR.