SONOMA STATE UNIVERSITY (SSU)
RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY PROGRAM (RSCAP)
2015-2016 CALL FOR PROPOSALS: JANUARY FELLOWSHIPS
I. RSCAP SUMMER FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM OVERVIEW:
JANUARY Fellowship Program: The purpose of this program is to complete one of three specific tasks during a two week period within the dates 12-25-15 through 1-20-16:
1) Prepare a research, scholarly or creative activity for publication submission for Spring 2016
2) Gather qualitative/quantitative data during the two week period
3) Prepare an external grant proposal for submission in Spring 2016
The Faculty Subcommittee on Sponsored Programs (FSSP) is responsible for evaluating JANUARY Fellowship proposals and making funding recommendations to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs through the Associate Vice President for Faculty Affairs/Chief Research Officer.
Deadline: *** November 12, 2015 ***
Applicant Notification: By December 1, 2015
Funding Period: Funding period will be 12-25-15 through 1-20-16. This is a very compressed timeline; proposals should be designed for realistic completion by January 20, 2016.
Total Funding Available for AY2015/16: Sonoma State University received $52,825 that will be allocated to individual proposals based on competition outcomes
Amount of Individual Awards: The committee will award up to a maximum of two weeks salary per faculty member based upon that faculty’s AY base salary
Eligibility:
· Faculty defined as members of Unit 3 (includes bargaining unit members who are full-time faculty unit employees, part-time faculty unit employees, probationary faculty unit employees, tenured faculty unit employees, temporary faculty unit employees, coaching faculty unit employees, counselor faculty unit employees, and library faculty unit employees)
· With proposals of equal merit, preference may be given first to untenured faculty, then tenured seeking promotion
· Faculty on sabbatical or authorized leave
· Faculty participating in the early or pre-retirement program (FERP); however, priority will be given to non-retired full-time faculty members
· Prior mini-grant/summer fellowship recipients; however, applicants must describe how work in the current proposal differs from that previously funded. Priority may be given to previously unfunded applicants (from either the Mini-Grant or Fellowship programs) with proposals of equal merit
Restrictions:
· Only one January Fellowship proposal per applicant will be considered during this cycle.
· This award cannot conflict with other Unit 3 employment (i.e., 125% rule)
· It is expected that recipients will devote the time provided by the awards to the work outlined in their proposals.
· Applicants are NOT eligible to receive both a Mini-Grant and a January Fellowship in the same fiscal year. Both programs are being judged simultaneously and only one program can be submitted for consideration. The specific needs of your proposal budget should determine which submission type to move forward.
II. RSCAP JANUARY FELLOWSHIP PROPOSAL PREPARATION & SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
Proposals not meeting these requirements or the Proposal Preparation Guidelines detailed below, or arriving at the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) after the deadline will not be considered. Applicants are encouraged to consult with their FSSP School representative and ORSP concerning project eligibility, grant writing education resources, and proposal development.
FSSP School Representatives:
· Arts and Humanities: Greta Vollmer, English, x42504
· Business and Economics: Tom Atkin, Business Administration, x43333
· Education: Jessica Parker, Curriculum Studies Sec. Ed., x43176
· Science and Technology: Sean Place, Biology, x43054
· Social Sciences: Matthew Clark, Geography, x42558
· Ex Officio: Melinda Barnard, AVP/Chief Research Officer, x43236
· Ex Officio: Matthew Benney, AVP/ORSP, x42006
Carol Hall (x42448), Administrative Analyst/Specialist in ORSP, is also available to assist applicants. Additionally, applicants may review copies of successful applications from previous years at ORSP (Schulz 1105; please call to make appointment).
Sonoma State University is committed to ensuring that all campus information, resources and technologies are accessible to students, faculty, staff and the general public regardless of disability. Please contact Carol Hall, at 707-664-2448 or if you need assistance or accommodations to access materials and information connected with the Summer Fellowship program.
Proposal Contents and Format: Your proposal must follow the guidelines below, including sequence and page limits. Your narrative should be clear and jargon-free so that reviewers outside your field (the review committee consists of the FSSP representatives listed above) can understand your proposal. You should write for an educated, non-specialist audience. The original and six (6) paper copies are required.
The possibility may exist for electronic submission and/or reporting. Applicants will be advised should this occur within the competition timeline.
1. Application Cover Sheet: Fill out the top half of the form. Obtain the signature of your Department Chair and School Dean.
2. Narrative: Your narrative should cover the following three areas and may not exceed a total of two single-spaced pages.
- Objectives: Describe your specific anticipated outcomes for the January Fellowship proposal. In other words, what do you plan to accomplish with the January Fellowship if you receive it? (12-25-15 through 1-20-16)
- Significance: Describe clearly (1) the significance within the field of the proposed project; (2) the significance of the project for your own professional development; and (3) how the project will benefit Sonoma State students and the University.
- Plan of Work: Describe in detail the activities you propose to undertake to reach your January Fellowship objectives. Include the steps you will take and in what order they will occur to accomplish your project goals. Describe how you will obtain needed materials, equipment, or facilities, if significant. Include a time schedule.
3. Qualifications of the Project Director (use Qualifications Form—may not exceed two single-spaced pages, 1” margins and 12-pt font): List your relevant education, professional experience, courses taught at SSU and scholarship related to this proposal.
III. CRITERIA FOR REVIEW OF RSCAP JANUARY FELLOWSHIPS:
Your proposal will be evaluated by the FSSP using the criteria listed below. Equal weight is given to all components. Remember that you are writing for an educated, non-specialist audience. As stated above under "Eligibility," priority may be given to previously unfunded applicants (from either the RSCAP Mini-Grant or RSCAP Fellowship programs) with proposals of equal merit. Priority will also be given to tenure-track faculty with proposals of equal merit. Priority may also be given to proposals that will significantly benefit SSU students and the university.
Objectives and Significance:
· Clarity of objectives
· Significance of the project
· Value of project for the Project Director
· Value of project for SSU students and the University
Plan of Work:
· Clarity of plan and time schedule
· Appropriateness to objectives
· Availability of needed resources
· Likelihood of successful completion by January 20, 2016
Qualifications: Ability of the Project Director to complete the project.
IV. RSCAP JANUARY FELLOWSHIP GRANTEE OBLIGATIONS:
· Grantees engaging in research involving the use of human subjects must review SSU’s policy on the Use of Human Subjects in Research and submit a protocol to SSU’s Institutional Review Board (IRB) describing the proposed research or activity involving human subjects. Contact the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) at 4-2448 for assistance.
· Grantees engaging in research involving the use of animal subjects must review the SSU Animal Care and Use policy (http://www.sonoma.edu/uaffairs/policies/animalcare.htm) and submit a protocol to the SSU Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) describing the proposed research or activity involving animal subjects prior to the start of the grant activity. Contact the Chair of IACUC, Stephanie Thibault, at 4-2949 for assistance.
· Grantees are expected to participate in the Faculty Research Exposition. A 50-100 word abstract will be requested for the program. The spirit of the Exposition is intended to be one of faculty sharing work with their colleagues, and presentations on work at all stages of completion are welcome.
· Grantees will be required to provide a report following CSU guidelines which may include specific metrics to measure the work accomplished as a result of this award. Reporting is planned for electronic submission, details will be provided at a later date.
· Failure to submit a final report may result in ineligibility for future RSCAP and other internal awards.
Rev. 10-11-15 1