ARTICLE 20 - Leave of Absence Without Salary

20:01    A member may apply to the Provost for, and may be granted, a leave of absence without salary for a mutually agreed period.  The Dean and Head (in the case of librarian members, the University Librarian or Law Librarian as appropriate and the Associate University Librarian) shall provide the Provost with letters of appraisal of the member's application, which shall not be deemed confidential.  The parties, however, recognize that such leave should be mutually beneficial to the member and the University, and the parties recognize further the responsibility of the University for ensuring the uninterrupted continuation and quality of program(s) of the University in which members are involved, and, in the light of this objective and responsibility, leave under this Article shall not be withheld unreasonably.  A member on leave under this Article 20 shall be entitled at the member’s sole expense to participate in any or all of the University's fringe benefit Plans (including the University Retirement Plan) for members from time to time in force if and so long as such plans permit.  A member may terminate their leave and return to the University at the beginning of any academic year or at the beginning of the second (2nd) semester, if written notice of their return is given to the Dean and Head (or in the case of librarian members the University Librarian or Law Librarian, as appropriate) prior to the assignment of teaching responsibilities (or in the case of librarian members, workload assignments) for the semester in which they intend to return, or by mutual agreement.