As a means of upgrading the academic credentials of the faculty, the university provides a limited amount of doctoral study support. Faculty selected for this support must satisfy the following criteria:
Have an established record as a successful and committed faculty member in the Seventh-day Adventist school system.
Teach in an academic discipline which has a high degree of need, as determined by the university administration, of faculty holding doctorates.
Have academic records at the undergraduate and graduate levels which indicate a high probability of success in doctoral studies.
Be willing to make the necessary commitment of time, effort, and expense to successfully complete doctoral studies.
Be accepted in a fully accredited doctoral program approved by the university administration.
Either the university or the individual faculty member can take the initiative in promoting a doctoral study leave. Faculty should work through their school dean/department chair in seeking such support. Graduate study requests are taken by the president to the university Board for final approval. The university will provide a maximum of 22 months of paid leave of absence to those selected for doctoral study support. These 22 months consist of six two month summer leaves and one ten month academic year leave. During each summer study leave the faculty member is expected to devote a minimum of 14 weeks to full-time graduate study. If less time than this is devoted to full-time study, the two months of summer support is reduced proportionately. Similarly, a minimum of 32 weeks of full-time study is expected during the academic year leave. Faculty awarded paid study leave must file with the president and vice president for Academic Administration a complete outline of their anticipated academic program before each summer and academic year leave. They must also submit to these officers a transcript of the work taken upon completion of the leave.
Employees on doctoral study leave receive all benefits (medical, educational for children, retirement credit, etc.) to which salaried university employees are entitled. Beyond salary and regular benefits, the employee on doctoral study leave is entitled to all tuition fees, other expenses directly related to the doctoral program, and travel to the university where the studies are being taken.
After approving doctoral study, the university will open a graduate study account for the faculty member involved. All study leave salary and tuition allowances will be charged to this account. This account will be amortized over a five-year period beginning at the time the faculty member completes the doctoral degree.
Employees receiving doctoral study support will sign a formal agreement prior to leaving for graduate study committing themselves to remain an SAU employee for a period of five years after receiving the degree. It is to be clearly understood that this agreement is not a promise on the part of SAU to guarantee employment for five years. If the employee ceases SAU employment prior to the completion of the five-year period through resignation or termination, the employee agrees to personally repay the pro-rata amount unamortized. If the faculty member accepts a call to another organization within the denomination during the five-year period of service, the receiving institution shall be notified of the responsibility of the faculty member, and the call shall be passed only if the receiving institution agrees to accept the responsibility for the payment of the pro-rata amount not written off the faculty member’s account.