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The New York State/United University Professions Joint Labor/Management Committees Office in Albany offers the Dr. Nuala McGann Drescher Affirmative Action/Diversity Leave Program for leaves commencing during the Fall 2010 semester.

Full-time, non-tenured, tenure-track employees who meet the five bulleted conditions below are eligible to apply. Employees who are nearer their tenure review date will be given particular consideration.

Applicants are being sought from full-time, non-tenured, tenure-track employees who:

are minority group members, women, employees with a disability or Vietnam-era veterans and
do not have permanent or continuing appointment and
have at least a one-term renewal or prior service credit in a position eligible for permanent or continuing appointment and
serve in positions in the State University Professional Services Negotiating Unit and
who will be reviewed for permanent or continuing appointment beginning in the spring 2011 semester or later.

The types of support available to a Drescher Leave awardee includes: payment of the employee's regular salary by the campus; salary for a replacement; tuition and fees for course work; registration fees for conferences and workshops; course-related supplies; and travel and related expenses for research or study.

Full details of the program are available in the Research and Sponsored Programs Office (RSPO), Miller Building, Room 402, or at the NYS/UUP Web site.

The deadline for submitting a Fall 2010 application is Jan. 15, 2010. The application process on the SUNY Cortland campus is as follows:

Submit a complete application to RSPO. A complete application consists of a completed application form, signed by the applicant. Signatures of the president or designee and UUP chapter president are not needed. Copies of all of the applicant's appointment letters — initial, renewal(s), and current — a list of other grant support and the value of that other grant support, an eligible project or activity as listed below, a detailed timeline with dates for completing various phases of the project or activity, a completed budget summary , a signed statement affirmatively stating that the applicant will return to SUNY Cortland for the Spring 2011 semester if awarded a Drescher Leave and a signed statement affirmatively stating that the applicant does or does not elect to stop her or his tenure clock during an awarded Drescher Leave.

Do not include the following elements of the application as described in the program guidelines or on the application when submitting an application to RSPO. These elements will only be needed for any application submitted by SUNY Cortland to Albany on or before the statewide deadline of Feb. 1, 2010:

a signed certification from the campus president or designee attesting that the employee qualifies for eligibility as a minority group member, a woman, an employee with a disability or a Vietnam-era veteran;
a letter of endorsement for full-time leave by the campus president or designee;
a signed statement from the campus president or designee indicating the campus's financial contribution of at least 40 percent of replacement and other leave costs;
a financial statement from the campus fiscal officer indicating the cost of salary for a replacement for the duration of the leave;
a campus president/designee signature on the application and budget summary; and
a UUP chapter president signature on the application and budget summary.

The provost and vice president for academic affairs and/or designee(s) will review all applications received in RSPO by Jan. 15, 2010, and may select one application for endorsement for a full-time, one-semester leave. The application so selected, if any, will be forwarded, with all other required application elements, to Albany with a postmark dated Feb. 1, 2010, or sooner.

Eligible projects or activities are those: that assist the applicant in meeting one or more criteria established in Article XII, evaluation and promotion of academic and professional employees, of the policies of the Board of Trustees; that require full-time leave from professional obligations for at least one semester; and, that can be completed prior to the applicant being reviewed for permanent or continuing appointment. Consideration will be given to areas of scholarship and mastery of specialization including, but not limited to, the following projects or activities:

pure, applied and historical research;
preparation of manuscripts or other materials for publication;
invention or innovation in professional, scientific or technical areas;
residencies to complete credentialing appropriate to the requirements for continuing or permanent appointment;
course work not covered by Article 49 Program for Tuition Assistance, of the New York State/United University Professions Agreement, or a SUNY tuition waiver;
curriculum development;
grant proposal development; and
internships, workshops, and conferences specifically related to the applicant's approved activity.

Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to make their supervisor and departmental/unit colleagues aware of their intention to apply for a Drescher Leave so that the department/unit has ample time to consider how best to maintain optimal operations during the leave if granted.

Note that the statewide (Albany) deadline for Drescher Leaves commencing in Spring 2011 is Aug. 2, 2010. The local deadline and procedures for applicants interested in consideration for such a Drescher Leave will be announced at a later time.

For more information, contact Glen Clarke in RSPO.