Education Leave Program

EDUCATIONAL LEAVE PROGRAM

The Employee Educational Leave Program supports paid educational leave for education and employee development leading to promotion. Four semesters of leave are available for the upcoming academic year, awarded in the summer.

The program originated in 1974 as a response to the U.S. Department of Education’s desegregation efforts. It was revitalized as one of the State University System's responses to the Florida partnership with the U. S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. Under that partnership, the former Florida Board of Regents expressed commitment to the promotion of women and members of ethnic minority groups.

In addition, the Affirmative Action Plan of the university identifies job families in which men or women of each race/ethnic group are underrepresented. Finally, the Equity Accountability Act established by the Florida legislature presents an additional profile of selected underrepresented areas that must be addressed by the University. Program criteria respond to all such guidance.

The intent of the program is to help employees, particularly women and ethnic minority group members, earn the Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate degrees so they may be eligible for more responsible jobs in their chosen career fields. Applicants whose disciplines or fields address university underrepresentation will be given first priority.

Faculty and staff with at least two years service as of the application deadline will be accorded higher priority than newer employees. Faculty, A&P, and USPS employees are eligible for up to two semesters of full-time educational leave at full pay (plus a small stipend to USPS employees). It is most common for one semester each to be given to four employees. No part-time awards are made.

Selection will be made by a screening committee representing faculty, A&P, and USPS staff members, assisted by the staff of EO/AA. Ranking of applicants will take into account such factors as degree program or discipline; underrepresentation within the discipline nationally and in the UCF job family to which the applicant plans to promote; academic progress toward the degree; and contribution to UCF workforce representation when the degree is earned.

Announcement of ranking for awards will be made by the university; actual awards are governed by funding appropriations of the Florida Legislature. Application forms are available in the “forms” section of this website along with complete instructions.

UCF EO/AA 3/07

Employee Educational Leave Program