Global Faculty Study Research Leave

Purpose

The purpose of the John Stott Endowment is to enable the Human Needs and Global Resources Program to broaden its impact on and off campus.  This Stott Faculty Study/Research Leave initiative impacts the Wheaton campus long-term by investing deeply in faculty development through a significant international engagement with core themes and the partnership-based approach of the Human Needs and Global Resources Program.  It also extends the impact of the Program globally by enabling a Wheaton faculty member to cultivate a meaningful relationship with a local organization or institution in the Majority World.

The Human Needs and Global Resources Vision is: Learning to accompany communities worldwide toward justice and fullness of life.

The Mission Statement for our undergraduate program is: Human Needs and Global Resources is an academic certificate program that integrates multidisciplinary coursework, a six-month internship, and whole-person formation through experiential learning.  Students live, work, worship, and serve with local communities worldwide, while accompanying host partner organizations that confront poverty, challenge inequity, transform conflict, pursue justice, and seek fullness of life.  The program cultivates a life-orienting commitment to justice, intercultural humility, compassion, hospitality, environmental health, and peacemaking, as actively reflected in lifestyle and vocation.

These goals and orientations should be clearly reflected in this Program.

Description and Eligibility

This study/research leave is an opportunity for faculty to learn more about and to practice Christian engagement in situations of injustice, conflict, environmental degradation, and poverty in the Majority World.  This leave may be used to extend a regular one-semester sabbatical to a full year, or to take a semester’s leave out of sequence with the normal sabbatical clock.  Faculty who are pre-tenure or who have not yet taken a first regular sabbatical are also eligible.  This study/research leave counts toward years of service (see Faculty Handbook 2.6.2 and 2.7). Eligible faculty should meet the following criteria:

1. All tenure-track teaching graduate and undergraduate faculty, from any discipline, are eligible. 

2. Have completed at least two years of service at the College at the time of application. 

3. Demonstrate professional and personal goals to deepen commitment to and understanding of Christian engagement in situations of injustice, conflict, environmental degradation, poverty, and suffering.

4. Planned study/research leave activities include significant collaborative work with a locally run organization or institution (NGO, church, college/university/seminary, network, etc.).

5. Committed to residence in a Majority World region (Africa, Asia, Latin America, Middle East) for at least 12 weeks of the award.  Applications to live and work outside these regions may be considered depending on the proposed activities and thematic focus, but not given priority. Faculty may apply for a semester or a contiguous semester-summer combination (which permits all or a portion of the 12-week international residence to occur during the summer).  In light of travel restrictions related to COVID-19, domestic locations may be proposed.

6. Both teaching-focused and research-focused proposals are eligible, as well as those that involve production of creative or artistic works.  (Research proposals will require approval by the Institutional Review Board of the College, as appropriate.)

7. Willingness to study a local language (even where English or the applicant’s native or other known languages are also used in one’s work) is an important expression of intercultural humility, and an essential part of the study/research leave.

8. Articulate the anticipated contributions to a specific organization, institution or population in the region of residence.  Applications should include a letter of invitation from a local organization or institution.

9. Articulate the specific plan to communicate study/research leave learning to the College community upon return.

10. The expectation for post-Leave length of service to the College is the same as for faculty sabbaticals.

11. Applicants who are current members of the Human Needs and Global Resources Advisory Committee will not participate in the review process.

Coverage

This program funds the salary replacement that enables the faculty study/research leave.  It does not provide funds for other expenses, equipment, activities, living stipend, or costs for accompanying family members.  The only exception is that faculty who do not receive travel funding from another source may apply for up to $1500 for her/his own airline ticket (one round-trip economy airfare).  We encourage faculty to submit applications for additional funding from College and non-College sources, including the Faculty Global Research Grant and the John Stott Faculty Grant available through Global Programs and Studies and Human Needs & Global Resources to fund expenses related to the proposed study/research leave project.  Recipients of this Study/Research Leave will be given priority for up to $6000 of Human Needs and Global Resources Research Award funding.

Application Process

The application process for this Study/Research Leave is parallel to the timeline and procedures for a standard faculty sabbatical; applications should observe the October due dates, and include Department Chair, Dean, and Provost approval. The HNGR director can provide advance feedback on proposals submitted to her 7 days before the deadline.

When applying for this simultaneously to a sabbatical request, interested faculty should use the same forms, deadlines and procedures posted on the Provost’s intranet site for the existing sabbatical program.  In addition, faculty should complete the Stott Study/Research Leave application form, which should be submitted with the standard sabbatical application package.

When applying independently of the year of your anticipated sabbatical, complete the Stott Study/Research Leave application form and email a copy of BOTH your completed, submitted sabbatical application and the Supplemental Application Questions to the HNGR office (hngr@wheaton.edu) by the first Friday in October.

Following sabbatical application review by your Department Chair and Dean, the Human Needs and Global Resources Advisory Committee will review and forward recommendations to the Provost. All leave requests are subject to approval by the Provost's office.

Reporting

Upon completion of the study/research leave, Faculty should send a copy of the report to the Director of Human Needs and Global Resources.