| Policy Title | Pregnancy Leave and Alternative Workload Plans |
| Type or category of Policy: | University Policy |
| Approval Authority: | Provost and Senior Vice President |
| Responsible Executive: | Provost and Senior Vice President |
| Responsible Office: | Academic Affairs/Provost |
| Owner Contact: | Academic Affairs academicaffairs@siena.edu |
| Reviewed By: | College Counsel, Provost, AVP for Human Resources |
| Reviewed Date: | 15 January 2026 |
| Last Revised and Effective Date of Revision: | 15 January 2026 |
*Brief Overview of the Policy
Siena recognizes that a serious medical condition and/or the birth of a child may occur at any time during a semester, resulting in the faculty member’s full or partial absence during a semester. In such cases of partial semester absence, to maintain consistency in the classroom throughout the duration of a leave addressed within this policy, Siena provides opportunity for an alternative workload plan for the affected faculty member before and/or after the FML and/or Disability leave period. Alternative workloads should be developed and initiated with as much notice as possible.
Reason for Policy
This is to address alternative workloads for full-time faculty members requiring partial semester Family Medical Leave (FML) or disability medical leave, including, but not limited to, a serious medical condition and/or the birth of a child.
Scope of the Policy: Entities or Individuals affected by this policy
All Siena University faculty members
The Official Policy
This is to address alternative workloads for full-time faculty members requiring partial semester Family Medical Leave (FML) or disability medical leave, including, but not limited to, a serious medical condition and/or the birth of a child. Siena recognizes that a serious medical condition and/or the birth of a child may occur at any time during a semester, resulting in the faculty member’s full or partial absence during a semester. In such cases of partial semester absence, to maintain consistency in the classroom throughout the duration of a leave addressed within this policy, Siena provides opportunity for an alternative workload plan for the affected faculty member before and/or after the FML and/or Disability leave period. Alternative workloads should be developed and initiated with as much notice as possible.
- It is the responsibility of a faculty member in need of an alternative workload due to circumstances addressed within this policy to initiate discussion with their department chair and dean. Together they will develop an alternative workload plan to establish responsibilities for periods before and/or after the medical/disability period within a semester, which will then be submitted to the Provost.
- The faculty member must meet with a Human Resources representative to discuss the leave options and any salary continuation during the approved leave period. Before and after the approved disability leave period are the times during which an alternative work schedule would be in place.
- Alternative workloads have included a number of different projects like writing a departmental program review or student learning outcomes assessment, redesigning labs associated with a departmental course, and developing a new major. Because library faculty have other responsibilities in addition to teaching, their alternative workloads will address those duties, as well. There should be a defined project outcome with a completion timeline, but the implementation timeline can be flexible to adjust to the timing of the approved disability period for medical needs or childbirth. Additional details about workload requirements follow in the Addendum to this policy. The Associate VP in Academic Affairs (Laurie Fay) can also assist to identify alternative workload assignments.
Resources
Human resources: Humanresources@siena.edu
Academic Affairs: Associate VP for Academic Administration, Laurie Fay fay@siena.edu or academicaffairs@siena.edu
Relevant school dean and department chair
Addendum
Reassigned time is calculated as about 40 hours of work per credit hour (8 hours of work for reassignment of a 3-credit course over a 15 week term). However, teaching courses is not the only responsibility of faculty members, i.e., they advise students, develop curriculum at the course and program level, support other department business and university governance, and engage in scholarly and creative activity. Some of these activities may continue as part of the reassignment if interruption during the medical leave does not disrupt the necessary timing of completion of the tasks. For example, someone might be able to continue a committee assignment or curriculum development project that is normally expected in the faculty role. Similarly, library faculty may be able to continue some duties associated with their librarian work outside of the classroom.
Examples of possible assignments include, but are not limited to:
- writing a departmental program review
- accreditation-related work
- analysis for student learning outcomes assessment,
- curriculum development or redesign of a departmental course,
- developing a new major.