FACULTY DEVELOPMENT FUNDS

PURPOSE OF FUNDING SYSTEM:

  1. Create a system of providing faculty development funds that is able to:
  2. Predict expenses and spend all monies allocated.
  3. Provide transparency and process to the funding process and funded projects.
  4. Improve communication of faculty development activities.
  5. Provide funding for three areas of faculty development, which are faculty development (e.g. research), instructional development (e.g. course development) and organizational development (e.g. faculty development seminars).

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITY FUND (guaranteed funds for all faculty): $25,000 TOTAL

  1. Funds ($25,000) are from Dean’s Office Operational Account. Instructional money was available prior to 2005 with use described in Faculty Handbook
  2. With these funds, we proposed to continue the practice currently described in the Faculty Handbook of allowing up to $300 per faculty member (full-time and permanent part-time) per year from the operational account to be used as requested by the faculty member (must fit within broad definition of faculty development). Money needs to be requested prior to December 15 and money not requested by that date will be made available to other development fund programs. Current application process will continue.

MINI-GRANT DEVELOPMENT FUND (funds with granting process):$58,000 for 2005-6

  1. Expenses for successfully funded projects will be allocated to three separate budgets, based on the characteristics of the project. Money is coming from three separate sources:
  2. $25,000 in funds are from Dean’s Office Operational Account. Money was placed in operational account (due to reallocation of budget) beginning in 2005-2006 academic year.
  3. $8,000 in funds are from Dean’s Office Operational Account for Research. This money was available prior to 2005-2006 and used to previously support IDRC Faculty Research grants as described in Faculty Handbook.
  4. $25,000 in funds are from Dean’s Office Restricted Account. This money was given in 2005-2006 for faculty development. Initial amount was $25,000 and should continue at this level for three years for a total of $75,000. Restricted money will be used primarily to support projects that have the potential to produce money for the College, due to the wishes of the donor. This would include grant writing initiatives, curricular development initiatives that might have funding sources, projects to develop programs that would bring students or funds to the College. This money is not renewable as the operational accounts are. However, additional donations could be placed in account if and when available.

2. With the above funds, we propose to create a new category of Faculty Development and Research Mini-Grants. The Faculty Institutional Development and Resources Committee (IDRC) will review applications for the grant program and make recommendations to the VPAA for use of the funds each year.

WilmingtonCollege Faculty Development and Research Mini-Grant Program

The purpose of the Faculty Development and Research Mini-Grant Program is to provide funding to enhance faculty in the areas of scholarship, professional enrichment, pedagogy of teaching and learning, and organizational development. Activities in these areas are broadly defined. A list of acceptable proposal activities is given below and examples of supported projects will be distributed annually. Questions about support should be directed to the Clerk of the IDRC or the VPAA/Dean of the Faculty. Activities that can be covered under other in-house sources of support are not eligible for this program.

Mini-grants are available to full-time WilmingtonCollege faculty or groups of faculty. Normally grants will not exceed $2,500 per individual or grant proposal. Faculty members receiving grants must submit a short narrative report of activities (including expense report) to the VPAA (to be shared with the IDRC) by August 30 of the next academic year. Faculty members will be expected if asked to present their work or information from conferences at an IDRC workshop. A yearly report of funded research projects based on the narrative reports submitted will be compiled and made available to the College community. Stipends should not exceed $1000 per person per project.

Proposals (form is attached and will be available on line) will be accepted and reviewed three times per year. Proposals may be submitted by August 15, January 15, and April 15 (planned to allow for fall, spring, and summer projects but faculty members are encouraged to submit at the earliest possible date to allow members of IDRC to better estimate expenses for the year). Funds will be divided over the year in the following way: 40% for August 15 deadline, 35% for January 15 deadline and 25% for April 15 deadline. Monies not used in each granting cycle will be committed to the next granting cycle. The committee will recommend proportional allocation of funds to endeavor to support the widest number of plans. The Committee and Dean will inform applicants within two weeks of the above dates of their recommendation and allocation of funds.

Acceptable proposals include (but are not limited to) activities such as:

  • Attendance at professional, research, and teaching seminars/workshops (registration, housing and travel expenses)
  • Grant writing for grants with institutional support (stipends, matching funds)
  • Research (stipends, supplies, including software not currently supported by the College, materials, support for assistance)
  • Publication expenses (page charges, reprints)
  • Professional meetings to present research (registration, housing and travel expenses)
  • New course development; limit to 5 total development projects per year and for those projects with institutional support
  • Outside expert (consultation fees, speaker fees, travel to other locations for consultation)
  • Developing and implementing workshops (longer than luncheon seminar) for faculty enhancement (stipend, workshop expenses, refreshments)

Funds must be spent, dispersed and accounted for by the business office within the fiscal year awarded. Funds are dispersed in two ways:

  • Stipends: Funds may be dispersed as stipends, which are taxable. No receipts are required for stipends. Please note that some projects that occur near the start of the fiscal year (July 1) may be required to be dispersed as stipends if awarded in the previous fiscal year.
  • Reimbursement: Funds may be reimbursed. Receipts are required and requisition forms must be filed.

Proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  • Quality and strength of project
  • Benefit to the academic area or community
  • Significance to teaching and/or developing an academic environment for students
  • Clarity of project and project objectives
  • Feasibility of completion during allotted time
  • Concrete goals and products (e.g. publications appropriate to the field, presentations at meetings)
  • Relevancy to position at WilmingtonCollege
  • Relevancy to College mission and goals
  • History of effective use of previous funds and meeting grant requirements
  • Detailed and appropriate budget
  • Use of proper application form

APPLICATION FORM

WILMINGTONCOLLEGEINSTRUCTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND RESOURCES COMMITTEE MINI-GRANT PROGRAM

Please fill out the following electronic form completely and send to the Clerk of IDRC in the form (paper or electronic) required by the Clerk. Do not exceed four pages, including budget and this cover sheet. A confirmation of the receipt of your request will be sent to you via the email or phone number provided. If you do not receive a confirmation within one week of the application deadline, please contact the Clerk of IDRC. The three application deadlines are August 15, January 15 and April 15.

Date:

Faculty Name(s):

Faculty Title:

Area:

Email (of primary contact):

Phone (of primary contact):

Campus:

Title of Activity/Project:

Title, Date and Location of Meeting, as applicable:

Date and starting time of first event of meeting that you plan to attend:

Date and ending time of last event of meeting that you plan to attend:

If you are attending a meeting, please check or fill in all that apply:

Oral presentation
Length of presentation: minutes / Poster presentation
Panel member / Invited presentation
Regional meeting / International meeting
National meeting / Elected officer of relevant organization
Meeting organizer / Continuing education credits

Description of Activity/Project: Please complete each of the fields below to describe your activity/project. You are encouraged to expand each field space to accommodate a detailed description not to exceed 2 pages. Only if a field does not apply to your activity/project should you respond N/A.

  1. Purpose and objective of activity/project
  1. Research methods
  1. Detailed timeline of activity/project (action plan; include deadlines and due dates)
  1. Value of activity/project to College
  1. Student, colleague, community collaboration
  1. Evaluation Plan for activity/project (how will success be determined)
  1. Potential of project to generate external funds (describe and indicate amount)
  1. Other pertinent information

Budget:

Use the budget form below.

  • Fill in all amounts in the last three columns, placing zero’s where appropriate.
  • Please itemize and describe costs in the supplies, equipment and other categories in the “description of cost” column.
  • Please describe any “matching funds” in “additional information.”

Categories / Description of cost / Cost / Requested Amount from IDRC / Matching funds
Mileage / (RT Travel from to , miles @ $0.405 per mile) / $ / $ / $
Airfare / (RT Travel from to ) / $ / $ / $
Registration / $ / $ / $
Meals and Incidental Expenses (use government M&IE rate for city of travel, / ( days @ $ per day / $ / $ / $
Lodging (estimate) / ( nights @ $ per night) / $ / $ / $
Supplies / $ / $ / $
Equipment / $ / $ / $
Faculty stipend / Limit to $1000/faculty member / $ / $ / $
Student stipend / $ / $ / $
Other / $ / $ / $
Totals (total each column) / $ / $ / $
If you are planning on using your yearly faculty development money towards this project, subtract $300 here: / -$
Total amount requested from IDRC: / $

Additional information: Use the space below to clarify any points on the budget above: