Policy on Short Term Salary Support for Senior and Associate Research Faculty

The University of Maryland at College Park benefits greatly from the experience and expertise of the research faculty. Their participation in research and education are important elements in furthering the University's mission. Usually a significant portion, in many cases all, of the salaries of research faculty are paid by externally funded research grants and/or contracts. Because of their value to the University and because continuity is an important feature of research and teaching we wish to create the opportunity for a mechanism whereby some of the most senior and valued of these employees may under some circumstances be provided employment, for a limited period of time during an interval between grants and/or contracts.
This policy is to apply to Research Professors and Associate Research Professors, Senior and Associate Research Scientists, Senior and Associate Research Engineers and Senior and Associate Research Scholars, subject to the following exceptions: 1) the salary must be paid from external funds over-headed at the on campus rate, and 2).the policy does not apply to tenured faculty who have retired, or others receiving retirement income.
It is not the intention of this policy to create an automatic entitlement. This mechanism described in this policy is only to be implemented if all other sources of income have been exhausted. Research faculty as described above are eligible to seek short-term salary and benefits support under the conditions listed below:

The requestor must have held a faculty appointment at the ranks specified above for the period of six consecutive years immediately prior to the request..
The requestor must be able to demonstrate a good faith effort, consistent with federal law and regulations, to secure salary support from all reasonable, available sources, inside and/or outside the University, during the nine months prior to the period for which the support is requested. To that end the requestor must supply copies of all proposals submitted during this period and all written communications from the funding sources as well as the names of individuals contacted about the proposals and the substance of conversations with these individuals about funding. Additionally the requestor must provide a specific plan to generate new funding. These requirements apply whether or not the requestor is self funded.
Funds allocated under this policy are intended to restore up to 75% of the faculty member's approved full-time, twelve month rate of pay and benefits, and may be paid for a period of six months. Extension of the arrangement for up to an additional six months may be approved upon submission of evidence that new contract or grant support is likely to be forthcoming by the end of the extension period.
The requestor should apply for the short-term salary by sending a letter of request to the Chair/Director of the appointing unit. This request may be filed as early as six months prior to the expiration of the current contract(s) and/or grant(s) currently providing the faculty member's salary. The Chair/Director will forward a letter of recommendation with supporting documentation to his/her Dean.
The Dean must approve the request.

The procedures in parts 2d and 2e will also apply to requests for an extension as described in part 2c.
The initiating unit will be expected to provide 1/3rd of the requested funds. The rest will be the responsibility of the Dean.
During the period that the research is paid from University funds, provided under the provisions of this policy, the research will be assigned duties by the initiating unit's Chair/Director.
Individuals who receive short-term salary support under this policy may not reapply for such support for six years after expiration of their short-term salary support.

February, 2011