UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO Te Whare Wānanga o Otāgo
RESEARCH AND STUDY LEAVE (RSL) APPLICATION FORM
NOTES:
i. The current RSL Policy includes details of the correct procedure for the submission of an application. The Policy is found at http://www.otago.ac.nz/humanresources/working-at-otago/leave-and-holidays/research-and-study-leave/index.html
ii. The applicant will be advised of the outcome of the application by letter. Information on how to access financial support approved will be sent to the applicant with the approval letter.
iii. The RSL Policy may be altered by the Vice-Chancellor at any time and it will be that in force at departure which will govern the leave now being applied for.
iv. One copy only of this application is required.
v. Applicants must provide a copy of the University of Otago Curriculum Vitae.
1 APPLICANT
Title:Initials:
Surname:
Position Title:
Department:
School:
Phone Number:
Email address:
FTE (where 1.00 equals full time):
If your partner is travelling with you what is his or her name?
2 PERIOD OF RSL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE APPLIED FOR
What is the proposed start date of your RSL?What is the proposed end date of your RSL?
On what date do you propose to return to normal duties?
How many consecutive days will you be on RSL? Estimate the financial assistance you require?
If your leave is 91 days or more, how many days of annual leave will be incorporated into your RSL? The appropriate number of days should be in accordance with the Schedule in section 25 of the RSL Policy.
Notes
1. RSL is based on a 365 days of leave for each septennium. This means that weekends and public holidays must be included in your calculation of your period of RSL.2. Part-time staff members must indicate whether they are seeking that period on full pay in which case there must be a proportionate reduction in the period of eligibility (see sections 6 and 20 of the RSL Policy).
3. If the period of RSL is less than 91 days, staff members are not required to take annual leave. If staff members do take annual leave, they must apply for it in the normal way, using the staff web kiosk. See section 25 of the RSL Policy.
4. Staff members taking RSL of 91 days or more are not required to apply separately for annual leave. The Human Resources Division will deduct the appropriate annual leave on advice from Divisional Office. See section 25 of the RSL Policy.
3 ELIGIBILITY FOR RSL
If this is your first application for RSL, identify when you became eligible for RSL, which is one of the following:
Appointment date to confirmation path position:or
Appointment to Research Fellow or above position:
or
Recognised prior service within the
University of Otago / From (date): To (date):
or
Recognised prior service outside the University of Otago
If this is not your first application for RSL:
What is your RSL anniversary date?For all applicants, state:
How many days of RSL leave are you eligible for (at your normal FTE)?How much financial support are you eligible for (pro-rata for part time staff members)?
Notes
1. The confirmation process is a probation period for Lecturers, Senior Lecturers, Associate Professors and Professors which is used by the University to assess new appointees performance over a period of five years.2. Applicants who are Research Fellows, Senior Research Fellows, Research Associate Professors and Research Professors must have four years continuous service before they are eligible to apply for RSL.
3. Any service as a fixed term Assistant Lecturer or Lecturer shall be recognised for the purposes of RSL providing that it is immediately prior to and continuous with a confirmation path appointment (see section 9 of the RSL Policy).
4. Any credit for prior service outside of the University of Otago will be determined on a case by case basis. It will be negotiated, wherever possible, at the time of employment (see section 10 of the RSL Policy).
4 PREVIOUS RSL
If applicable, please list your previous periods of RSL:
Start date of Leave Finish date of Leave Mainly spent at:
5 BREAKS IN SERVICE
If applicable, please list breaks in service for reasons such as Parental Leave or Leave Without Pay. Reason for break in service Start date Finish date Duration (in weeks)
6 CHANGES IN FTE (HOURS)
If applicable, please list any periods when your FTE (hours worked) changed.
Normal FTE New FTE Start date Finish date Duration
7 MAIN OBJECTIVES OF RSL
Provide a brief list of your objectives for your proposed RSL (not more than one or two lines)
Objective 1Objective 2
Objective 3
8 PROPOSED ITINERARY
Provide details below of your objectives for your proposed leave noting likely research publications. The statement should include (in chronological order and covering the whole period of absence) precise dates, locations and activities and indicate the manner in and extent to which the quality of the work of the University may be expected to improve if leave is granted. This statement should be prefaced by a brief outline of your last RSL taken (if applicable), and the benefits accruing from this leave. A list of publications (or other evidence of research activity) since your last leave should be submitted together with an up-to-date curriculum vitae. Applicants seeking leave for the first time should also submit an up-to-date curriculum vitae.
9 ESTIMATE OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT REQUIRED
List items plus expected amount. Quotes for airfares should be attached. If costs of visa fees, accommodation, University fees, research fees, etc, are available they should be attached in order to justify the amounts being requested.
Expenditure item Amount:
Travel Insurance (compulsory if travelling overseas)Total Financial Support
Notes
1. Once approved, the amount is payable as an advance or as a reimbursement on presentation of receipts on return. Payments will normally be made no earlier than two weeks prior to commencement of the leave except where invoices/receipts are presented at an earlier date.2. Holders of University P Cards are not eligible for a cash advance – see sections 20.15 and 20.16 of the RSL Policy.
3. Please note that where facilities are available, international travel shall be booked using the University’s mandatory travel agents. See the University Travel Policy for more details.
10 OTHER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Provide details of any scholarship, bursary, stipend, award, travelling grant or other assistance from an external source towards the proposed leave, which you either have already been offered or intend to apply for.
Provide details of any other University funds available to you or which you intend to apply for (eg conference leave funding, research grant funding, “S” Account funds).
Notes
1. If staff members obtain additional support to defray the costs of the Research and Study Leave, it will not normally affect their RSL allowance. For further information see section 21 of the RSL Policy.2. Research funding cannot be used to defray family or personal costs of staff members. For further information see section 21 of the RSL Policy.
11. STAFF MEMBERS WITH RESPONSIBILITIES FOR SUPERVISING POSTGRADUATE STUDENTS
Please list all PhD, Masters and other postgraduate students that you supervise, and detail what alternative arrangements have been made for supervising them in your absence. Please note that another staff member must be identified to act as mentor/counsellor for each postgraduate student during your absence from your usual campus even though you may be intending to continue academic supervision via email or other forms of communication.
12. JOINT CLINICAL STAFF MEMBERS
Where the applicant is a member of the Joint Clinical staff a statement from the appropriate District
Health Board Service Manager must be attached.
See section 17 of the RSL Policy for information about other requirements.
Joint clinical staff members may be required to revert to their full-time University salary while on RSL.
13. GRANT FUNDED STAFF
Where the applicant’s position within the University is funded by an external source a statement of support is to be attached confirming the agreement to meet salaries and RSL financial support or an equivalent commitment from the University cost centre manager.
14. RSL POLICY
In submitting this Application for RSL I acknowledge that the Vice-Chancellor has the right to amend, extend or rescind any or all of the RSL Regulations at any time as they see fit and accordingly that if leave is granted to me it shall be governed by the RSL Policy in force at the date of my departure from New Zealand.
I confirm that I have read and accept the provisions laid down in Section 23 "Conditions of Leave - Repayment of Allowances of the RSL Policy”.
I confirm that that I have declared all financial assistance from outside sources in this leave application. See section 21 in the RSL policy.
I acknowledge that the appropriate number of day’s annual leave will be deducted by Human Resources, in accordance with the Schedule in section 25 of the RSL Policy, if my RSL is 91 days or more.
Applicant's Signature: Date:
15 STATEMENT BY HEAD OF DEPARTMENT
a) It is confirmed that the statement of goals and objectives for the proposed leave and the expectation of improvement in the quality of the work of the University described in Section 5 above is both reasonable and acceptable.
b) It is confirmed that the share of the work of the Department including teaching which the applicant would bear were they undertaking normal duties can be covered within present staff resources
(or a statement is attached detailing resources required to cover specific work during the applicant’s absence, and the exceptional circumstances requiring them).
c) Attach any comments on the applicant's proposed leave programme on a separate sheet.
Head of Department’s Signature:
Date:
16 COMMENTS BY DEAN (if applicable)
Attach any comments on applicant's proposed leave programme on a separate sheet.
Dean's Signature: Date: