Frequently asked questions

Who gets to go?

Any member of USA TODAY's editorial staff is eligible.

What do you do on sabbatical?

The possibilities are endless. Click here to see what past participants have done. The purpose of the sabbatical is to give editorial staffers time and resources away from daily deadlines to develop their expertise in a way that improves the newspaper. In return, awardees of a sabbatical are strongly encouraged to offer assistance and expertise to the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. Past participants have, for instance, given guest lectures, and been asked to provide feedback to faculty on their courses. Staffers receive a weekly stipend of $125 to cover travel, textbooks and other expenses.

When can I go?

Three sabbaticals are awarded each year, and they generally correspond to the spring, summer and fall sessions at UNC-CH. The application deadlines are:

Fall semester: July 1
Spring semester: Oct. 1
Summer session: April 1

Where am I supposed to live, work and, most of all, park?

USA TODAY provides a furnished one-bedroom apartment just a 10-minute drive (shorter if you hit the stoplights just right) from campus. You will have a furnished office in the J-School. It is equipped with telephone, computer and printer/scanner/fax machine. A reserved parking space is located a short walk from the office. There's ample parking near the apartment.

How do I apply?

Simple. Just submit via e-mail a memo explaining what you propose to do during your sabbatical, and how it will benefit the newspaper. You must e-mail your proposal simultaneously to these three people: USA TODAY editor Karen Jurgensen, staff development editor Adell Crowe and your managing editor.

Why should I do this?

The question is not 'Why?' -- or even 'Why now?' It's 'Why not?'

Hooray! I've been selected. Now what?

For the nitty-gritty details, click here.