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I’m applying to grad school, and my application deadline is in late January. A few days ago, I emailed my recommenders to request letters of recommendation. However, one of my professors replied with an automated message stating they are on sabbatical until Fall 2025. Unfortunately, I don’t have an alternate email address or phone number for them since we’ve only communicated through their university email.

I left a polite inquiry on their personal website to see if that might reach them, but I’m unsure if it’s an appropriate method or whether they’ll see it in time.

In their automated email, they provided contact information for other professors in the department—one for advising and another for general questions. Would it be acceptable to contact the general questions professor and ask if they could assist in reaching out to my recommender?

This professor’s recommendation would be a key part of my application, so I want to explore every option to get in touch without overstepping.

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    This is a US suggestion. I would suggest you go in person to the department office for their department and ask them for advice. They are likely to personally know the professor and his or her sabbatical arrangements and whether he or she is likely to want to write a recommendation letter for a student while on sabbatical.
    – Alexander Woo
    Commented Dec 6 at 17:40
  • Agree with @AlexanderWoo - professors on sabbatical don't disappear off the face of the Earth - the department will have contact info. At worst they will contact on your behalf.
    – Jon Custer
    Commented Dec 6 at 17:48
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    The professor received your email. Automated responses do not mean your email did not get through, nor do they mean the professor has dropped off the face of the earth. Their university email still works. If they are willing to write a letter for you, they will respond. At most I would send another email requesting the letter. Trying to find them via other means is pointless. If they feel like they are unwilling to engage with any university work during their sabbatical, which includes your letter, then they can just do that. In which case, find another letter writer.
    – R1NaNo
    Commented Dec 6 at 19:50
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    @R1NaNo I don't think that's a good assumption to make.
    – Bryan Krause ♦
    Commented Dec 6 at 19:56
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    @BryanKrause I think for the sake of practicality, trying to track down a faculty on sabbatical as we get into the holidays for a January deadline is not practical for the applicant. They need to get letters secured ASAP. I hate to say it, but writing letters for random undergrads is typically not the highest priority, especially as I will assume this was not a student working in their group/under their supervision, otherwise they would have known about the sabbatical. I am trying to be practical, so I would send another email (titled - PLEASE RESPOND) so they open it, if no response, move on
    – R1NaNo
    Commented Dec 6 at 20:00

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Normally, department staff and/or the head of the department has a way to contact people on sabbatical. In a few situations, such as someone doing field work off the grid it might not be possible, but it usually is. Ask the department, preferably in person, to relay a request to the professor and for someone to reply to you soon whether it is possible for a recommendation to be sent.

The department will also know if the person is unreachable, in which case, look elsewhere for a letter.

Even HR has a forwarding address most likely, but may not be able to pass it on directly, though might through the department.

And the above is also likely to be true even when a faculty member leaves permanently.

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