Faculty Research Grants, entitlement funds, conference travel, and top-off grants and funds are available to all full-time faculty who are not in their terminal year.

Faculty Research Grants (Formerly "Mini Grants")

All full-time faculty on a multi-year appointment and not in their terminal year—and whose project does not take place during or beyond their terminal year—are eligible to apply for research support of up to $4000 in a given year. When convincing justification is provided and funds are available, larger grants of up to $8,000 are available for research projects that require two years to complete. For more information and to apply, please visit Forms and Guidelines. 

Faculty Conference Travel Grants (FCTG)

Faculty may receive up to $2,900 over one fiscal year (July 1st to June 30th) for conference travel.  There are maximum limits for airfare, ground transportation, hotel rates, and daily food expenses. For more information on the Faculty Travel Grant Fund (FCTG) policy, please visit Forms and Guidelines and scroll down to the 'Grants Applications and Forms' section.

Top-Off Funds

Tenured, tenure-line, and off-ladder faculty in the Professors of Professional Practice series are eligible for (Top-Off) funds to bridge the gap between external fellowships stipends and the salary that would have been earned. To maintain eligibility for this award, faculty must notify the Institutional Support Office and obtain the approval of the Provost prior to submission of the application for the fellowship.

In addition to the research support available to all full-time faculty, teaching load reductions, SAPLs, clock-stopping, and professional development funds are available to newly hired Assistant Professors.

Reduced Teaching Load

A one course reduction in year one.

Special Assistant Professor Leave (SAPL)

During each academic year, Barnard College supports one or more Special Assistant Professor Leaves (SAPL) to enable tenure-eligible Assistant Professors who have successfully passed a third-year review to engage in research for a complete academic year at full salary. Special Assistant Professor Leaves are granted only if the Assistant Professor plans to return to the College for at least one academic year of full-time service or equivalent part-time service after the leave. SAPL Supplements are also available for Assistant Professors on leave during their fourth year following a successful third-year review. The supplement is a one-time grant that allows for funding of an amount not to exceed $12,000 over any two-year period of faculty eligibility inclusive of Faculty Research Grants already issued, and must be justified by application and clear sense of need.

Note: Faculty members on College-paid leave are expected to return to the College for at least one year when the leave ends. Failure to do so obligates the faculty member to repay the College for the cost of the paid leave, including salary and benefits.

Clock-Stopping

The tenure clock may be stopped (1) for officers who give birth or take leaves for pregnancy or infant care, one year may be waived for each occurrence, up to a maximum of two years; (2) for officers who take a leave for research purposes, whether the leave is for one-half year or more, whether funded or unfunded, one year may be waived. For more information, please visit the Academic Code.

In addition to the research support available to all full-time faculty, chairs and professorships, leaves, and professional development funds are available to tenured faculty.

Chairs and Professorships

In recognition of a tenured faculty member's accomplishments, the President, with recommendations from the Provost, awards several honorary Chairs and Professorships.

• Ann Whitney Olin Foundation Chairs - Conferred on tenured faculty members for five year term; includes $2,000 per year in research funds.
• Endowed Chairs - Currently 17 endowed chairs (7 created since 2000); includes $4,000 annual research fund.
• Tow Professorships for Distinguished Scholars and Practitioners - Two recipients each year; includes $10,000 research/professional development fund and summer stipend each year for two years.

Leave Programs

Sabbatical Entitlement

Professors and Associate Professors are entitled to sabbatical leaves of one year at half salary or a half-year at full salary to provide them with uninterrupted opportunities for research.
Eligibility: A sabbatical is due to tenured Professors and Associate Professors in a tenured rank after they have completed six semesters of full-time service. A semester of full-time service consists of (i) a teaching load of two courses or (ii) teaching one course with one course release, or (iii) having two course releases while remaining active on campus during that semester including advising, departmental meetings, committee service, etc.
First Sabbatical Eligibility for Newly Promoted Associate Professor: When an Assistant Professor with at least six years of counted service is promoted to tenure, the first sabbatical is due after two semesters of service as a tenured Associate Professor.
First Sabbatical Eligibility for Newly Hired Tenured Associate Professor or Professor: When a new Associate Professor or Professor is hired with tenure, the first sabbatical is due after completion of six semesters of service.
Deferment: Faculty can postpone a sabbatical, without loss of credit, to be taken in another year or in conjunction with another leave; however, no more than one sabbatical of deferred credit can be accrued over a seven-year period. Requests for deferment must be sent to the Provost for approval.
Returning: Faculty returning from sabbatical shall submit a brief summary of their research activities to the Provost upon their return. A sabbatical is granted only if the tenured Professor or tenured Associate Professor plans to return to the College for at least one academic year of full-time service or equivalent part-time service after the leave.

Additional Research Leaves

Tenured Professors and Tenured Associate Professors are eligible for a maximum of two semesters of unpaid research leave in a seven-year period, in addition to their sabbaticals. If the faculty member receives an external grant, they are eligible to receive supplemental salary for one semester during the seven-year period. Salary top-off shall not in any case exceed the dollar amount of the external grant or be larger than 1⁄2 of the faculty member’s salary in either the semester or academic year in which the faculty member is on leave. Leaves without pay do not count as semesters of service for purposes of sabbatical accrual. 

In addition to the research support available to all full-time faculty, the professional development leave program is available to off-ladder faculty.

Professional Development Leave Program

The Professional Development Leave Program (PDL) is designed to free continuing senior off-ladder faculty members and faculty in the professional practice series from normal teaching, advising and College service in order that they may pursue professional goals more intensively than is possible while fulfilling their usual obligations to the College. This leave program recognizes those senior off-ladder and professional practice faculty members whose professional lives so complement their teaching and College service that by supporting the first, the College improves the overall quality of the second and third. To receive this award, faculty must meet all eligibility requirements and submit an application found on the Forms and Guidelines page, which includes a project. Proposal are expected to meet a high standard and be related to and contribute to the faculty member's instructional responsibilities.

Note: Faculty members on College-paid leave are expected to return to the College for at least one year when the leave ends. Failure to do so obligates the faculty member to repay the College for the cost of the paid leave, including salary and benefits.