Difference in Pay Leave

Understanding Difference in Pay Leave

Difference in Pay (DIP) Leave is designed to support professional development by granting eligible faculty unit employees leave to undertake significant projects and compensating them based on the difference between the faculty member's salary and the salary of a replacement lecturer (at the entry level academic year salary of Lecturer A or equivalent rank for librarians and counselors). Please refer to Article 28 [pdf] in the CBA for more detail.

According to University Policy S96-8 [pdf], a difference-in-pay leave must indicate a benefit to the University in at least one of the following ways (not listed in rank order): "...scholarly, creative, and/or professional activities; activities which enhance a faculty member's pedagogical and/or professional competencies; projects which contribute significantly to the development of a discipline or curricular area. Additional criteria are the applicant's ability to carry out the proposal, the planning evidenced in the detailed description of the proposal, and the time-lines for the completion of the project."

One specific intent of the DIP leave is to permit flexibility so that a faculty unit employee who is “… afforded external funding or other unexpected opportunity to carry out a professional leave project may have a rapid and expedited review of a proposal for a difference-in-pay leave.” Therefore, it is not desirable to set up a rigid annual cycle of deadlines. Faculty members may apply for DIP leaves at any time, but should recognize that the failure to allow sufficient lead-time for departments to plan for replacement may jeopardize the approval of an otherwise worthwhile proposal.

Process to Request Difference in Pay Leave

Applications are submitted in eFaculty. Please email: up-facultyservices@sjsu.edu to request a Difference in Pay case be created for you. Applications are reviewed by:

• Department Chair or equivalent
• Department or equivalent Professional Leaves Committee
• College Dean
• President
• Applicants are guaranteed the opportunity to respond to recommendations of Departmental Committees, Chairs, or Deans within seven days of each successive decision. Responses are permanent features of this application file.

Once a proposal is submitted, the faculty member can expect a decision from the departmental committee and the Chair within three weeks and a decision from the Dean within two weeks of the request being forwarded. Proposals not approved due to potential negative impact on the functioning of an academic unit may be resubmitted if staffing needs subsequently change.

Should you wish to apply, notify your department chair and University Personnel-Faculty Services (UP-FS) at up-facultyservices@sjsu.edu.

Difference in Pay Leave Cycle Calendar

Below are the Due dates and Actions taken to request a difference in pay leave:

• As soon as possible
  • • Submit application with appropriate documentation to the Department Chair.
    • Department Chair should write an impact statement about effect of faculty absence on curriculum and operation of the department. Explain benefits to the department if leave were approved.
• Within three (3) weeks of submission
  • • Departmental Committee reviews application by recommendation and reasons explaining strengths and weaknesses of the proposal.
    • The evaluation and recommendation is submitted to Applicant with a copy to the Department Chair.
• Within seven (7) days of receiving Chair statement of impact and Departmental committee recommendations

  • Applicant may respond in writing to the Department Chair Statement and/or Departmental Committee evaluation and recommendation.

• Week 4

  • Department submits Chair Statement, Committee recommendation, any Applicant response to College Dean.

• Within two (2) weeks of receiving the application, including any responses received, and departmental recommendations

  • Dean provides a copy and of recommendation and reasons to applicant.

• Within seven (7) days of receiving the Dean’s recommendation

  • Applicant may respond to Dean’s to recommendation in writing.

• Week 8

  • Dean submits application packet and responses to University Personnel-Faculty Services (UP-FS).

• Within two (2) weeks of receiving complete application including any responses received from UP-FS

  • President considers prior recommendations and responses from applicant and notifies applicant, Dean, department Chair, and departmental committee of final status of application and reasons for decision.

Additional Resources

• Difference in Pay Calendar [pdf]