1. Definition
Release time is the time a faculty member is released from normal teaching responsibilities in order to perform other duties, e.g., working on a sponsored project.
The faculty member usually reduces his/her normal teaching load in three unit increments. The information in the following sections pertains to release time being purchased with funds from an extramurally funded sponsored project.
2. Pre-Award / Proposal Requirements for Faculty Release Time
A Cayuse SP record with an uploaded budget and abstract including the certification of Principal Investigator(s) and the authorization of the PI’s Department Chair and Dean must be completed for all proposals submitted for internal review.
If faculty from multiple departments or colleges are involved (example, have nonzero recorded effort), all pertinent Department Chairs and Deans must authorize the Cayuse record.
For proposals submitted by personnel outside of Academic Affairs, the Cayuse record must be authorized by the pertinent Unit Director(s) and Vice President.
In addition, all Cayuse records must be reviewed and authorized by the Vice President of Administration and Finance, and either the Associate Vice President of Research or the Managing Director of Research and Sponsored Programs.
3. Post-Award Processing of Faculty Release Time
3.1 Application
CSUN faculty may be partially or fully released from teaching/administrative duties to work on a sponsored program. Faculty continue to receive their regular salary from CSUN, while CSUN is reimbursed from the sponsored project.
This procedure does not apply to:
- Non-CSUN faculty members working on a sponsored program
- Release time for work related to the sponsored program reimbursed to the faculty member’s department under the Large Grant Release Program managed by the Research & Graduate Studies office. For information regarding large grant, please go to CSUN Research & Sponsored Programs page. Large grant policy and procedure is under Administration.
3.2 Increments:
Typically 3 units
3.3 Cost:
Salary + Fringe Benefit (Actual Fringe Benefit Cost)
3.4 Responsible to Initiate:
Faculty purchasing release time from a sponsored project should work with their College's Director of Finance and Operations (DFO) to initiate a "Request for Individual Reimbursed Time" form. If faculty and PI are not the same, Director of Finance and Operations (DFO) of the faculty member’s college must work along with the Principal Investigator of the project in initiating the request.
3.5 Deadline:
Submission of Request for Individual Reimbursed Time form may be submitted by the College to TUC no later than 30 days after the end of semester.
3.6 Frequency:
Each semester, new Request for Individual Reimbursed Time must be submitted. The form is available on the CSUN Financial Services website, under Forms, “Individual Reimbursed Time Request”.
3.7 Coding / Accounting String:
Account: 601620
Fund: S4000
Dept. 24200
Project ID: 4XXX XXXX (assigned by TUC)
3.8 Required Approvals:
The form must be signed by:
- Faculty Member
- Principal Investigator (if PI and Faculty Member are not the same)
- Financial Manager can be the Dean, DFO, or anyone listed as an authorized signer on the trust application for the fund and department combination used on the credit transactions
Submit To: CSUN Accounts Receivable. All requests must include a Payroll Expenditures Analysis Spreadsheet (PEAS) report
3.9 Payment:
The University will invoice The University Corporation for the salary and the actual fringe benefits. The Principal Investigator will receive a copy of the invoice at the end of the semester. After receiving a copy of the CSUN invoice for reimbursed time, the Principal Investigator must review the invoice for correctness, and sign and submit the invoice to certify that work was completed and for payment to be issued by TUC to CSUN. Payment of the request will not be issued until after the end of the semester in which the request was made.
Date of Last Revision: 06/14/19
Contact information:
Grace Slavik
Post-Award Manager, Research & Sponsored Programs
Phone: 818-677-3498; Email: