Teaching Relief for Learning
An Enriching Experience
Each year, a selected number of FAS faculty will be eligible for a novel kind of teaching relief: “Teaching Relief for Learning” (TRL). Faculty may take courses related to research and teaching projects, they may use this opportunity to explore new fields or hone new technical skills and knowledge, or they may use the opportunity for pure intellectual exploration. The purpose of a TRL is to allow a faculty member to spend a semester in the classroom on the other side of the desk—as a student.
The TRL provides relief from teaching responsibilities, without loss of salary or benefits, for the whole of an academic semester. Any other administrative and departmental responsibilities should be consistent with the purpose of the teaching relief. Keep in mind that a semester spent on a TRL counts neither towards nor against a faculty member’s future leave eligibility; that is, it neither accrues as a semester of teaching toward future leave nor counts as a leave in and of itself.
Faculty are expected to enroll (in a non-credit fashion) in 2–3 courses during their TRL, participating as fully as possible in class activities and assignments. Courses may be at the undergraduate or graduate level, and may be in a single department, or across several departments. Agreement of the instructor must be secured.
Who can apply to the TRL program?
Full professors with a primary or fully joint appointment in an FAS department or program, and senior lectors II, senior lecturers, and senior lecturers II with a primary or fully joint full-time multi-year appointment an FAS department or program or the MacMillan Center.
Key application process dates for 2025–2026
Please note that, due to anticipated curricular need, we are only able to approve a very small number of faculty for TRL in 2025–2026. Interested faculty may be asked to defer their applications to the following year.
- January 10, 2025: Faculty wishing to be considered for a TRL during the 2025–2026 academic year should consult with their department chair no later than January 10, 2025, to determine that teaching relief during that year is compatible with departmental needs.
- January 24, 2025: Once you have determined eligibility, send a one-paragraph expression of intent-to-apply by January 24, 2025, to sal2.fas@yale.edu. The expression of intent needs only to explain the semester you propose to take the teaching relief and the general topic that you hope to study.
- February 7, 2025: Faculty who wish to be considered for a 2025–2026 TRL should submit a brief (one-page) statement of interest, which should include a provisional menu of proposed classes, via our application form, by February 7, 2025.
Please note:
- The FAS Dean’s office will work iteratively with faculty members who have submitted applications for a TRL to ascertain feasibility for 2025–2026.
- In departments with asymmetric teaching across semesters, the TRL should be taken in the semester when the faculty member is responsible for teaching the smaller number of courses. (That is: if your teaching expectations across the academic year are 2–1, you should take your TRL in the semester when you are expected to teach 1 course.)
- Among the courses that the faculty member teaches in their non-TRL semester should be at least one course open to undergraduates.
- The TRL may not be taken consecutive to any other scheduled leave, whether for a partial or full semester, and whether paid or unpaid. (That is: you may not take a TRL in Fall 2025 if you are or are scheduled to be on paid or unpaid leave in Spring 2025 or Spring 2026; you may not take a TRL in Spring of 2026 if you are scheduled to be on paid or unpaid leave in Fall 2025 or Fall 2026.)
- A semester spent on TRL does not count as a semester of teaching toward eligibility for triennial leave of absence or other paid leave.
Faculty Experiences
Participants reflect on their semester of Teaching Relief for Learning.
Costas Arkolakis, Economics
"I […] had the chance to solve a problem for my research that I couldn’t solve earlier by delving into some of the class material, which I wouldn’t have the chance to know unless taking this class."
Claire Bowern, Linguistics
"The TRL semester helped me both see how to teach mathematical models used in linguistics and get a better overall sense of how the statistics work I do fits into other subjects. TRL offered a particular type of intellectual rejuvenation around covid."
Stuart Semmel, History & Humanities
"For my semester of TRL, I took courses in statistics and music theory. I hoped they’d reactivate atrophied parts of my brain, teach me new skills, and help me think about alternative approaches to pedagogy. I learned a ton and loved every minute."
Meg Urry, Physics
"TRL was a wonderful experience. I made progress on the memoir I’m writing, and weekly feedback from my tutor was invaluable. I am very grateful to have had this opportunity."