Individual Faculty Fellowship Guidelines

A fellowship provides funds to an individual to support academic study or research. The recipient has no employer/employee relationship with the organization granting the funds, and no services can be required for the fellowship.

At the time of application for a fellowship, faculty members should notify their department chairs and dean. This is especially important if the faculty member anticipates requesting a leave from the University in order to accomplish the goals of the fellowship. Early notification will also allow for University support to be planned in a timely fashion, and will enable departments to provide guidance on procedures to be followed if the fellowship is awarded. Decisions concerning the scope and level of University support will be influenced by the prestige of the award (e.g. Guggenheim, NIH, NSF, etc.).

When a tenured or tenure-track Stony Brook faculty member is awarded an externally funded fellowship, the faculty member may request, with approval by appropriate administration officials (Department Chair, Dean, Provost and President), one of the following options:

1. release time with a reduction in FTE and salary equivalent to the value of the fellowship (less any travel or incidental expenses included in the fellowship). If an individual’s effort and State salary are reduced, there may be benefits implications, and TIAA/CREF contributions will be reduced in accordance with the reduced effort.
2. remain on full salary and reimburse the University for the percent of release time equivalent to the value of the fellowship (less any travel or incidental expenses included in the fellowship). The University Accounting Department will invoice individuals for any salary reimbursement. Such reimbursements would be deposited into an income fund reimbursable (IFR) account designated by the Dean.
3. release from all University obligations and leave without pay. The individual would be responsible for continuance of benefits and no University contributions would be made to TIAA/CREF contracts for the leave period.
4. sabbatical leave, if eligible, at half pay for a full academic year or at full pay for a semester and keep the full value of the fellowship during the sabbatical period. This is subject to the Policies of the Board of Trustees on sabbatical leaves.

In all instances, fellows would deposit their fellowship award checks into their personal bank accounts. Any payments to the University for reimbursement of salary would be by personal check. Fellows are advised to seek advice from a tax consultant regarding any income tax implications.

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