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      Date:   May 8, 2007

         To:   Faculty, Librarians and Artists-in-Residence

     From:   Joe Bruno, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

  Subject:   Grants in Support of Scholarship and Grants for Pedagogical
and Curricular Innovation

I am pleased to announce that there will be $560,000 available in 2007-2008 for Grants in Support of Scholarship.  This includes an increase in the maximum award for Project Grants. As in years past, there are four categories of support for eligible faculty and librarians:

Category 1.     General Support of Scholarship
Category 2.     Supplementary Support of Scholarship
Category 3.     Project Grants
Category 4.     Participation in Meetings of Learned Societies

 

Separate funding is available to support emeritus faculty and retired librarians in these categories as well.

In addition, there will be $270,000 available in the 2007-2008 academic year for
Pedagogical and Curricular Innovation distributed among the following categories:

Category 5.     Pedagogical Grants
Category 6.     Seed Grants
Category 7.     Fund for Innovation Grants

Grants in Support of Scholarship

Category 1.   General Support of Scholarship                                                 Budget = $66,000

 

General grants are used at the discretion of the individual recipient for activities related to scholarship such as travel to professional meetings, research expenses, dues, and subscriptions. No application is required for this grant. Eligible faculty and librarians will have a maximum award of $200 credited to their research accounts at the beginning of the academic year. Funds will not be carried forward to the next academic year.

Category 2.    Supplementary Support of Scholarship             Budget = $141,000

 

There will be one allocation for supplementary grants, not to exceed $600, to faculty and professional librarians, upon application, for support of specific research or artistic projects or for attendance at professional meetings (whether “participating” or not). The application should contain a brief but specific description of the purpose or project and an estimate of the total expenses. Applications should be submitted to the Department Chair by October 1, 2007. The Chair will forward them with endorsement by e-mail to Sarah Northgraves at gisos@wesleyan.edu by October 5, 2007. Upon receipt and review of the applications from all departments, the budgeted funds will be divided by the number of approved applications, yielding the average grant per applicant.
 

The deadline to submit an application to the Department Chair is October 1, 2007. The Department Chair will forward the department’s applications with endorsement by e-mail to Sarah Northgraves at gisos@wesleyan.edu by October 5, 2007.


Category 3.    Project Grants: General & Collaborative          Budget = $143,000

 

A.  Project Grants


Project grants, not to exceed an annual maximum award per eligible faculty member or librarian of $2,500 (an increase from $1,500 in previous years), will be made upon application and on a competitive basis. As compared to supplementary grants, these will require a more detailed proposal describing the research or artistic project and its significance, in addition to a detailed budget (including prospects for partial funding from other sources). This proposal should contain a general statement, which explains what the project is and why it is important, as well as an explanation detailing the work involved in the project, how much has already been accomplished and what remains to be done. The budget should be detailed and include narrative demonstrating an obvious relationship to the project description. Cost of travel, for example, must be closely related to the research project. Applications for travel costs for the purpose of delivering a paper at a conference should be made under Category 4. This grant is not designed to support faculty stipends where the work to be done is a part of the expected duties of every faculty member (i.e., scholarship, teaching and service).

Professional librarians and faculty members on leave, as well as those on sabbatical are eligible to apply.

Project Grant applications must be endorsed by Department Chairs and will be reviewed by the Academic Deans. There are no legislated criteria, but preference will be given to ongoing research that is near completion or pilot projects that lay the groundwork for proposals to attract outside funding.
 

Applicants should follow or adapt the following application categories in presenting their projects:

  • Description of work to be accomplished.
  • Justification of the work's scholarly or artistic originality, expected results, and evidence of prior acceptance, if applicable. 
  • Indication of whether this project has been previously funded by the project grant program, including amount(s) previously funded.
  • Specification of outside support received or solicited for this project.
  • Detailed budget, with a justification of each item and noting any alternative sources of funding. 
  • Endorsement of the Project Grant by your Department Chair who should send directly to the Office of Academic Affairs a one paragraph statement assessing the merits of the project and the appropriateness of the budget.
  • A list of project grants previously awarded, including funding amounts. 

 

Two allocations will be made: Round 1 in June 2007, for use at any time during the 2007-08 academic year, and Round 2 in December 2007, for use during the remainder of the 2007-08 academic year. The sum of $88,000 will be allocated in Round 1, and the remaining $45,000 will be allocated in Round 2. Any amount unallocated in Round 1 will be added to the funds available for allocation in Round 2.
 

The deadline for applications to Department Chairs for the June allocation is May 25, 2007, for submission to Department Chairs. Department Chairs should then forward applications with their written endorsement by e-mail to Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu no later than June 1, 2007. The deadline for applications for the December allocation will be December 3, 2007, for submission to Department Chairs and December 7, 2007 for chairs to forward applications with endorsements to gisos@wesleyan.edu.

 

 

B. Collaborative Project Grants – NEW FOR 2007-08

 

A separate subcategory of project grants has been established to support scholarly collaboration with faculty at other institutions. These grants, not to exceed an annual maximum award of $1,000 per eligible faculty member or librarian, will be awarded on a competitive basis.

 

Applicants should submit the same materials required for general project grant requests and incorporate relevant information about their collaborators (CVs, etc.)

 

Collaborative Project Grants will be awarded on an ongoing basis, with a maximum of $10,000 allocated for 2007-2008.  Submit requests to Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu.

 

 

Category 4.  Participation in Meetings of Learned Societies  Budget = $210,000

 

This grant is designed to assist in professional development and visibility. Faculty members and professional librarians who are invited to be a presenter/lecturer at a meeting of a learned society of their peers will be eligible for reimbursement to defray costs of registration fees, travel, meals, and lodging. Faculty members who are on sabbatical and/or leave are also eligible. Reimbursement may be received for no more than two meetings in one academic year. The maximum award for a meeting in which a faculty member or professional librarian is participating is $1,100; the maximum award for a second meeting is $800. In the case of a meeting/conference being held outside the contiguous United States, the participant can request combining their annual two-meeting allocation for a total award of $1,900.

Applications for a Category 4 meeting should be e-mailed to Sarah Northgraves at
gisos@wesleyan.edu as soon as the meeting invitation is received. Awards will be made until the funds are exhausted. The application should include the following information:

  • Name of the learned society sponsoring the conference.
  • Dates and location of the conference.
  • Manner in which the applicant is participating at the conference.
  • Detailed, line item budget of anticipated expenses.

If requests exceed the available funds, preference will be accorded based on the following priorities: (1) to those faculty and professional librarians who are making their first application for support for the academic year under this category; (2) to junior faculty who will offer a paper at a meeting of a learned society; (3) to senior faculty and professional librarians who will offer a paper at a meeting of a learned society; (4) to faculty and professional librarians who will participate, either as chairs of sessions or as commentators, at a meeting of a learned society.

 

Grants for Pedagogical and Curricular Innovation

There are five programs available to faculty for pedagogical development and curricular renewal and innovation.

Category 5.  Pedagogical Grants                                                Budget = $25,000

Grants of up to $1,500 will be awarded for projects designed to foster pedagogical innovation and experimentation. The focus of successful projects might include but is not restricted to one or more of the following:

  • Developing new methods of instruction.
  • Mastering new technologies in order to use them in teaching, e.g. computer-assisted or interactive-video instruction.
  • Designing innovative modes and formats for presenting course materials
  •  Increasing one's knowledge of another field or discipline in order to develop new interdisciplinary courses.

         

Applications for Pedagogical Grants should include the following:

  • Description of the project.
  • Design of the new or revised course.
  • Explanation of the need for innovation.
  • Schedule for completion of the project.
  • Detailed budget, with justification for each item, Appropriate expenses include as the cost of instructional materials (including computer software), and travel and tuition for special training. It does not support faculty stipends where the work to be done is a part of the expected duties of every faculty member (i.e., scholarship, teaching and service).

 

Pedagogical Grant recipients must submit a written report at the end of the academic year. 

 

Applications should be sent by e-mail to Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu and will be reviewed by the Pedagogical Renewal Committee. The deadlines for two rounds of allocation are June 1, 2007, and December 7, 2007.

 


Category 6.  Seed Grants                                                             Budget = $50,000

 

Funding is available for projects that are intermediate in scope between pedagogical grants and Fund for Innovation grants. Projects might include:

  • Developing a new course within a single department or across departments.
  • Re-designing curricula.
  • Using technology in teaching, beyond the scope of the pedagogical grants.
  • Collaborating with faculty from other institutions to develop innovative programs for Wesleyan students.

 

Applications should include:

  • Description of the project.
  • Explanation of the need for innovation, the goals of the project, and its expected impact on teaching and learning.
  • Time line for completion of the project.
  • Potential impact of the project on teaching and learning.
  • Any plans for supporting the project beyond the term of the seed grant.
  • Plan for assessing the success of the project.
  • Detailed budget, including justification for each item.  Appropriate expenses may include expenses such as the cost of instructional materials (including computer software), travel and tuition for special training, consultants, and faculty moonlighter replacements. This grant, however, is not designed to support faculty stipends where the work to be done is part of the expected duties of every faculty member.

 

A department, group of faculty, or a dean may propose a Seed Grant for funding up to $10,000. Recipients of Seed Grants must systematically assess the success of their project and submit a written report at the conclusion of the grant period.

 

Applications should be e-mailed to Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu by February 1, 2008, and will be reviewed by the Pedagogical Renewal Committee.

 

 

Category 7.  Fund for Innovation Grants                                 Budget = $175,000

 

The Fund for Innovation supports the best proposals for curricular innovation that have potential impact across a major sector of the curriculum. Applicants are urged to think in the largest terms and to propose collaborative projects involving multiple departments and programs. Proposals that support Wesleyan’s curricular renewal efforts are particularly encouraged. For example, projects might include the development of "focused inquiry" courses, interdisciplinary efforts to support curricular coherence in students’ academic programs, or innovative uses of technology to support academic and institutional goals.

There is no stated limit to the size or length of a project, but the long-term goal is to support successful projects through the base budget.

Applications must include:

  • Description of the project.
  • Explanation of the need for innovation, the goals of the project, and its expected impact on teaching and learning.
  • Detailed time line for completion of the project.
  • Plan for assessing the success of the project.
  • Detailed budget, with justification for each item.  Appropriate expenses may include the cost of instructional materials (including computer software), travel and tuition for special training, consultants, and faculty moonlighter replacements. This grant, however, is not designed to support faculty stipends where the work to be done is part of the expected duties of every faculty member.

 

Recipients of Fund for Innovation grants must systematically assess the success of their project and submit a written report at the conclusion of the grant period.
 

Applications should be e-mailed to Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu by February 1, 2008, and will be reviewed by the Pedagogical Renewal Committee.

 

In addition, there are two specialized grants awarded annually: the Rosenbaum/Andersen Teaching Award and the Halpert Support for Courses on First Amendment Freedoms.

 

 

Rosenbaum/Andersen Teaching Award                                 Budget = $10,000

 

The Rosenbaum/Andersen Teaching Endowment was established by K. Tucker Andersen, ’63, in honor of Professor of Mathematics Emeritus Robert A. Rosenbaum. This fund is intended to enhance the importance of teaching at Wesleyan by supporting projects designed to improve the quality of learning for students primarily, during their first two years. These funds can be used in a number of ways at the discretion of the applicants. Possible uses could include workshops for faculty in a particular discipline. Speakers and participants could be drawn from other colleges and universities, secondary schools, and other educational venues. Funds could also be used to assist faculty in integrating new pedagogies into their classes. In this case, the endowment might support the acquisition of teaching materials. This grant, however, does not support faculty stipends where the work to be done is a part of the expected duties of every faculty member.

 

Applications should be e-mailed to Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu by February 1, 2008, and will be reviewed by the Pedagogical Renewal Committee. 

 


Halpert Support for Courses on First Amendment Freedoms

                                                                                                       Budget = $10,000

 

Leonard S. Halpert, ’44, has made a gift towards courses relating to the First Amendment. The central purpose of this gift is to help support Wesleyan’s curricular offerings for academic credit in the First Amendment freedoms. An instructor in any department who offers a course on topics related to the First Amendment freedoms may apply for funds to defray expenses associated either with its initial preparation or with continuing expenses for the course, for example, honoraria for outside speakers. The range of appropriate topics is broad, including the origins of the First Amendment or its constitutional interpretation or, more generally, the social, historical, or philosophical issues associated with principles of free expression such as free speech, censorship, church-state relations, and rights of petition and civil disobedience. This grant, however, is not designed to support faculty stipends where the work to be done is part of the expected duties of every faculty member. The range of courses eligible for consideration is quite broad, and courses supported from these funds will be offered by a number of departments over time.

 

Applications should be e-mailed to Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu by February 1, 2008, and will be reviewed by the Pedagogical Renewal Committee.


 

Grants for Emeritus Faculty Members and Retired Professional Librarians                                                                                     Budget = $25,000

     


Grants in support of scholarship similar to those provided for current faculty members are available to emeritus faculty members and retired professional librarians. These grants fall under the same four categories described above for current faculty members and professional librarians and, except as provided below, the conditions of such grants are the same for retired persons as for current faculty.

Grants in support of scholarship for emeritus faculty members and retired professional librarians are made from a separate fund so that there is no competition for funds between retired and current faculty. It is likely that, as with current faculty and librarians, demand by retired persons for grants will exceed available funding. It is therefore important to make careful and detailed applications, and to make them early.

Please note that accounts for emeritus faculty are supported by the Wasch Center for Retired Faculty. Please be sure to copy Ann Gertz, administrative assistant, ( e-mail
agertz@wesleyan.edu or ext. 3005) on any requests made. Ann will also assist with travel arrangements/reimbursements.

Special conditions for grants for retired faculty members and professional librarians are:

 

Category 1. General Support of Scholarship:  Retired faculty members and professional librarians must apply to receive this annual $200 grant. Applications should be addressed to Sarah Northgraves, Office of Academic Affairs (gisos@wesleyan.edu) and should indicate the general nature of the scholarly activity to be supported by the grant. Applications may be made at any time, but only once for each academic year.

Category 2. Supplementary Support of Scholarship:  Applications are due
October 8, 2007, and should be submitted directly to Sarah Northgraves at
gisos@wesleyan.edu without passing through the Department Chair. The amount awarded will depend on the number of applicants and the availability of funds but will not exceed $600.

Category 3. Project Grants:  The deadline for applications for the June allocation is
June 1, 2007. The deadline for applications for the December allocation is December 7, 2007. Applications should be submitted directly to Joy Vodak at
gisos@wesleyan.edu without passing through the Department Chair.

Category 4. Participation in Meetings of Learned Societies:   Sarah Northgraves will accept applications for these grants at any time, but funds are likely to run out towards the end of the year. Please submit requests to Sarah at gisos@wesleyan.edu.


 

 

Summary of Eligibility

Grants in Support of Scholarship

Grants for Pedagogical and Curricular Innovation

2007-2008

 

Eligibility for grants differs according to the status of faculty and professional librarians as illustrated below:

 

Grants in Support of Scholarship

 

Status

1. 
General
Support

2.
Supplementary
Support

3.
Project
Grants

4.
Participate
in Meetings

Tenured, tenure-track, adjunct, librarians

$200

maximum
of $600

maximum of
$2,500 general,
$1,000 collaborative

$1,100 first,
$800 second

Artists-in-residence

$200*

not
eligible

maximum
of $1,500

not
eligible

Emeritus faculty & retired librarians

$200

maximum
of $600

maximum
of $2,500

$1,100 first,
$800 second

Full-time, multi-
year visitor

$200

maximum
of $600

not
eligible

$1,100 first,
$800 second

Full-time, one- year
visitor

$400

not
eligible

not
eligible

not
eligible

Part-time visitor
(not hired on per 
course basis)

$400*

not
eligible

not
eligible

not
eligible

Per course visitor

not
eligible

not
eligible

not
eligible

not
eligible

*pro-rated for part-time appointments

 

Grants for Pedagogical and Curricular Innovation

 

Status

5.
Pedagogical
Grants

6.
Seed
Grants

7.
Fund for
Innovation

Rosenbaum/
Anderson and
Halpert Awards

Tenured, tenure-track,
adjunct, librarians

maximum
of $1,500

maximum
of $10,000

$175,000
pool available

maximum of
$10,000 each

Artists-in-residence

maximum
of $1,000

not
eligible

not
eligible

not
eligible


 

 

Application Deadlines

 

Grants in Support of Scholarship

Grants for Pedagogical and Curricular Innovation

2007-2008

 

All submissions should be e-mailed to gisos@wesleyan.edu

 

Contacts:                          Categories 1, 2, and 4: Sarah Northgraves (ext. 2726),
                                          Academic Affairs

                                          Categories 3, 5, 6, and 7: Joy Vodak (ext. 2705),
                                          Academic Affairs

 

Category 1.  General Support of Scholarship:

July 1, 2007                 Soon after the beginning of the fiscal year, funds will be placed in eligible faculty and librarians’ research accounts.

 

Category 2.  Supplementary Support of Scholarship:

October 1, 2007          To Department Chairs who will forward applications to
Sarah Northgraves at gisos@wesleyan.edu by October 5, 2007.

 

Category 3A.  Project Grants — General:

May 25, 2007              To Department Chairs for their endorsement. Department Chairs forward applications to Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu by June 1, 2007.

December 3, 2007       To Department Chairs for endorsement. Department
Chairs forward applications to Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu by December 7, 2007.

 

Category 3B.  Project Grants — Collaborative:

Ongoing                      To Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu as soon as practical.

 

Category 4.  Participation in Meetings of Learned Societies:

Ongoing                      To Sarah Northgraves at gisos@wesleyan.edu as soon as the invitation to participate is received.
 

Category 5.  Pedagogical Grants:

June 1, 2007                To Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu

December 7, 2007       To Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu

 

Category 6.  Seed Grants:

February 1, 2008          To Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu.


Category 7.  Fund for Innovation Grants:

February 1, 2008          To Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu.

 

Rosenbaum/Andersen Teaching Award:

February 1, 2008          To Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu.

 

Halpert Support for Courses on First Amendment Freedoms:

February 1, 2008          To Joy Vodak at gisos@wesleyan.edu.