Columbia College Chicago Pauses Faculty Sabbaticals Again

Columbia College Chicago paused faculty sabbaticals for a second consecutive year because of financial challenges. Interim provost Suzanne McBride announced the decision at a Faculty Senate meeting, citing the need to count every penny. Tenured faculty who have worked full-time for at least five years have historically been eligible to apply for sabbaticals in their sixth year and every six years afterward. The pause is part of broader cost-cutting efforts that included layoffs of 20 full-time faculty members, a 4-3 teaching load for tenured faculty, and changes to the termination policy requiring 10 business days’ notice for layoffs. Faculty survey results indicated low morale and fears about reduced support for creative and scholarly work.

"“The only reason I'm doing this is because I'm trying to count every penny,” McBride reportedly told the Senate. “As much as I very much value and regret that I have to do this a second year, I just have to make this decision.”"

"Tenured faculty who have worked full-time at the college for at least five years have historically been eligible to apply for a sabbatical in their sixth year, according to the faculty handbook, and every six years after that."

"“There were a number of comments that said, 'I understand why we lost sabbatical but I don't like it,'” Riley said, adding that faculty overwhelmingly feared “losing support for creative endeavors and scholarly work.”"

"The sabbatical pause is part of a broader effort to cut costs at Columbia College, which laid off 20 full-time faculty members last year and has since instituted a 4-3 teaching load for tenured faculty and revised its termination policy under adverse circumstances policy to require 10 business days' notice for layoffs, according to the student newspaper."

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