Sabbaticals and Christian Business Faculty

Abstract

Faculty sabbaticals have long been a fixture of the academic world, albeit with relatively little research on their purpose or outcomes. Recently, many non-academic organizations have begun to affirm a strategic purpose for sabbaticals in retaining employees and addressing burnout. This article seeks to answer the question, “How can Christian faculty and their institutions fashion sabbaticals in ways that honor the biblical concept of the Hebrew shimita (release) and serve the needs of both in the modern world?” The article first reviews the extant literature on faculty sabbaticals, focusing on the kaleidoscope career model (KCM) of sabbaticals. The authors then revise this model to incorporate unique faculty characteristics at faith-based institutions, extending it from its roots in secular, research-based institutions to teaching-focused, faith-based institutions. Preliminary data on a small sample (n=3) of sabbatical participants demonstrates and supports the extended model. Finally, the authors suggest organizational approaches to improve sabbaticals and identify future research directions, including measurement approaches to test the model.