A Principal Investigator (PI) may buyout a limited amount of teaching responsibilities using grant funds in cases where the research agenda demands more effort than can be managed in balance with full teaching responsibilities. The PI must consult with their chair and request approval of the buyout from the Dean of the Social Sciences. Requests are then reviewed by the Dean and the Master of the Social Science Collegiate Division. The request must describe measures the faculty member will take to maintain advising responsibilities to their students, as well as measures the department will take to meet its curricular and governance needs. Generally, course buyouts are limited to one per year, although in select cases approval may be granted for two course buyouts in a single academic year.
The cost for course buyouts is 12.5% base salary/benefits for a one-course buyout and 37.5% base salary/benefits for a two-course buyout. Note that academic-year salary buyout and course buyout may be combined; however, grant funds used for course buyout are not eligible for 50% return of salary relief.
To learn more about requesting a course buyout, please contact SSD Local Business Center at SSD-LBC@uchicago.edu and the LBC Grant Specialist assigned to your accounts will get in touch with you within 2 business days.