University of Michigan - Flint

University of Michigan-Flint

Grant Information & Application

Thompson Center for Learning and Teaching
University of Michigan-Flint

 

Faculty Development Teaching Grants
Information/Application Form

 

Purpose and Description:
Faculty Development Teaching Grants are intended to encourage and facilitate the development of teaching interests and skills among the faculty, enhance new and existing courses, and facilitate successful teaching and learning.  Applications may be submitted by individual faculty members or by groups of faculty members.  These grants are designated to provide funds for pedagogical initiatives such as the following:

 

•  Proposals for the provision of funds for course/program related workshops or seminars (including registration fees, materials, travel, and living expenses).

 

•  Proposals for work pertaining to teaching techniques or retooling efforts on the part of faculty related to creating new courses or to improving existing ones.

 

•  Proposals for attendance at a teaching conference not specifically in one’s field such as the Lilly Conference on College Teaching or an American Association of Higher Education Conference.

 

•  Proposals to purchase materials or equipment for a course that cannot be funded from other sources on campus (such as technology or library funds).  These funds cannot be used to purchase computers or printers.  Equipment remains the property of UM-F.

 

•  Proposals for work or travel related to the development of course materials to enhance or revise an existing course or design a new one. 

 

•  Proposals for funds necessary to initiate projects that will significantly improve the quality of teaching and student learning for courses, programs, departments or units at UM-Flint. 

 

Eligibility for Teaching Grants:
Tenure-track faculty, full time lecturers, full time librarians, and clinical track faculty members holding one-half time or greater appointments for more than one year may apply for Faculty Development Teaching Grants.  Each application should be supported by the applicant's chair and be endorsed by the appropriate dean or director.

 

Application Procedures for Teaching Grants:
Application forms are available from the Thompson Center for Learning and Teaching, 366 French Hall, 237-6508 or online at http://www.umflint.edu/resources/centers/tclt/funding.  The applicant should sign the proposal and, after obtaining the department head's and appropriate dean/director's signatures, submit the proposal to the Thompson Center.

 

Deadlines:
The Advisory Board observes strict adherence to deadline dates.  Grant applications will not be considered if received after the deadline (5pm, Thursday, November 29, 2007).  Furthermore, the Advisory Board will review proposals as submitted and will not contact applicants for additional information unless such information is relatively minor.  Proposals that are unclear or incomplete will be returned to the applicant for re-submission at the next round. 

 

Selection Process and Criteria for Teaching Grants:
Each application will be read by all members of the Thompson Center for Learning and Teaching Advisory Board and will be ranked by these readers based on the selection criteria described below.  When appropriate, the Advisory Board will seek advice from outside readers as well.  If human subjects are to be used in the project, even for interviews, the application must have clearance from the appropriate Human Subjects Review Committee prior to final recommendation.

 

In general, in establishing the final order of rank, the Advisory Board:

 

            a)         promotes pedagogical activities on the part of junior faculty members.

 

b)         takes particular interest in proposals that have demonstrable potential for having a positive impact on students' learning.

 

c)         considers the scope of the proposal and the likelihood of its completion.

 

d)         bears in mind the potential value to the University community of any proposed activity, particularly retooling efforts in conjunction with the development of courses.

 

e)         observes a relative balance, other things being equal, in awards among areas or schools within the University.

 

f)          awards requests for $5,000 and under.

 

g)         considers only one application per faculty member per cycle.

 

Final Report:
At the conclusion of the project, the principal grant recipient must submit a final report of approximately 250-300 words detailing the results obtained and a final accounting of actual expenses incurred.  Final reports must be submitted to the Thompson Center for Learning and Teaching, 366 French Hall.

 

A request for an extension of time for completing the project and expending the funds beyond the deadline stated in the application will receive consideration by the Advisory Board if submitted prior to the expiration date of the grant.

 

Guidelines for Evaluating Proposals:

The following guidelines are used in evaluating proposals and in reaching conclusions as to how much money should be allocated in support of certain activities.  These guidelines are being communicated to the faculty in the hope that it may facilitate proposal writing.

 

1.         Teaching grant funds may not be used as salary for reassigned time. 

 

2.         Teaching grants will not fund the payment of any portion of a faculty member's salary.

 

3.         Teaching grants will fund ground travel at the current rate specified by UM-Flint (currently
 $0.485/mile).

 

4.         The Advisory Board will consider paying justifiable and reasonable expenses for subsistence, with a limit of 60 days or $2,000 per grant.

 

5.         Teaching grants may fund one-time clerical costs.

 

6.         Equipment can be funded if it is necessary for the project.  Equipment remains the property of UM-F upon completion of the project.  Requests for computer equipment must be cleared with Information Technology Services.  Teaching funds cannot be used to purchase computers or other technological equipment for which other grants or funding sources are available on campus. 

 

7.         The Advisory Board has set a cumulative limit of $7,500 for teaching grants to faculty members between sabbaticals. 

 

8.         The Advisory Board will consider requests for projects during sabbaticals only if they are submitted before the leave begins. 

 

9.         Teaching grants can be used for attendance or participation at professional conferences that focus on teaching and related pedagogical areas.  They may not be used for attendance at conferences or learned society meetings in the faculty member's discipline since individual units fund these.

 

10.       Teaching Grants will not provide funds for organizing conferences or colloquia to be held at the University of Michigan-Flint.

 

11.       A final report of previous projects funded by a Faculty Development Teaching Grant must be received before new projects will be funded.

 

12.       For projects involving human subjects, partial funding can be given for methods or instrument development, but Human Subjects Review Committee review and approval must be given prior to full funding.

 

13.       Faculty applicants should factor into their request FICA and benefits for students and staff funded by the project.  The following requirements apply:

 

a)         Students:  If a student is currently enrolled, no FICA or other fringe benefits must be paid.  However, if the student provides services during a term in which (s)he is NOT enrolled, FICA must be paid.  The rate to use is 7.65%.  Students are not entitled to any other fringe benefits.

 

            b)         Staff Members:  The average cost of fringe benefits for staff members is 30%.

 

c)         Stipends:  One-time stipend payments are normally not available to students.  Usually stipends are paid to persons not associated with the University.  If such individuals are paid less than $500, no FICA is required; if greater than $500, FICA should be considered at the above rate.

 

If a University employee is paid a one-time stipend, FICA must be paid but no fringe benefits.  Normally University employees are not paid in this manner.

 


 

                                                                                    Total Grant Requested _________________

 

Thompson Center for Learning and Teaching

 

FACULTY DEVELOPMENT TEACHING GRANT
APPLICATION FORM

 

Request Summary

 

Principal Applicant  ____________________________________   Title  ___________________

 

Co-Applicant(s)  ______________________________________  Title(s)  __________________

 

Unit/Department  ____________________________  University Address  _________________

 

Telephone  _________________________  Email  ____________________________________

 

Date of Last Sabbatical  From _______________  to  ______________

 

Project Title  __________________________________________________________________

 

______________________________________________________________________________

 

Information Summary

 

Proposed Project Period:  From  ________________________  to  ________________________

 

Specific Goal:  _____  Teaching Conference/Workshop/Seminar      _____  Teaching Project

 

_____  Course Design/Redesign      _____  Course Materials/Equipment  

 

_____  Other (please specify)  _____________________________

 

Use of Human subjects:  _____  No  _____  Yes               Date of Committee Approval  _____

 

Use of Vertebrate Animals:  _____  No  _____  Yes

 

Signatures:  _______________________________________________  ____________________
                                    Applicant                                                                                  Date

 

            ___________________________________________________  ____________________
                                    Department Chair                                                                     Date

 

Comments:

 

 

            __________________________________________________  _____________________
                                    Dean/Unit Head                                                                        Date

 

 

Project Proposal

 

Describe clearly the purpose of the activity or project you are proposing to undertake.  Relate your proposal to significant developments in the field, and indicate expected outcomes related to teaching and learning to result from your activities.  Please indicate any special circumstances concerning your proposed project that the committee should consider.  (Use additional sheets if necessary.) 

 

 

 


BUDGETARY SUPPORT

 

Budget Summary:

 


1.         Paid Assistant(s)                                                           Salary

 


                                                                                    Fringe benefits

 


2.         Clerical Assistance

 

3.         Expendable Supplies


4.         Permanent Equipment


5.         Travel:  Local and Long Distance
(Please submit three quotes for airfare)



6.         Subsistence

 


7.         Reproduction Charges

 


8.         Performance Charges

 

9.         Other


Total Grant Requested


 

Budget Details:  Please detail the sums indicated above on a separate sheet.

 

1.         Paid assistant(s):  rate of pay of research or other assistant(s) and time to be spent by such
            help.  For fringe benefits inquire at accounting and personnel offices.
2.         Clerical assistance:  rate of pay and time spent by clerical assistants.
3.         Expendable supplies:  itemize (ex. animals, chemicals, paper, software, blank disks, and items less than $500).
4.         Permanent equipment:  describe (reusable equipment over $500).
5.         Travel:  specify tentative mode, itinerary, and costs.
6.         Subsistence:  detail subsistence costs by daily rate for food and lodging.  Limit for food is $25 per day.  Suggested limit for lodging is $100 per day.  See Guideline #4:  the total subsistence limit per grant is $2,000.
7.         Reproduction charges:  detail expenses for books, photocopying, and filming.
8.         Performance charges:  itemize.
9.         Other:  detail any other expenses or charges.

 

Partial Funding:

 

If only partial funding is available for your proposed project, do you still wish to be considered for support? _______No  ________Yes
Please explain.

 

Other Pedagogical Support
Total pedagogical support:  Indicate other funding sources for pedagogy that are now active.  For each one, specify 1) total awarded, 2) amount currently available, 3) amount available for period during which Faculty Development Teaching Grant is being requested.

 

A.        Source of pedagogical funding  ______________________________________________
            1.
            2.
            3.

 

B.         Source of pedagogical funding  ______________________________________________
            1. 
            2. 
            3. 

 

Other pedagogical applications pending.  (Faculty are urged to apply simultaneously for other sources of funding.)

 

A.                    ______________________________  Support promised:  _____  No  _____  Yes

 

B.                     ______________________________  Support promised:  _____  No  _____  Yes

 

If one of these sources supports this project, will their funds be able to replace funds requested from a Faculty Development Teaching Grant?  _____  No  _____  Yes.  If no, please explain.

 

Prior Funding for Teaching or Research Purposes
List by project, source, and amount the three most recent grants or fellowships for teaching or research that you have received.  Please also indicate the final result(s) of these awards.  (i.e., article, book, course materials, etc.)

 

1.         Source  _________________________________________________  Year  __________

 

            Project__________________________________________  Amount  _______________

 

            Result  _______________________________Project Completed  _____No  _____  Yes

 

2.         Source  _________________________________________________  Year  __________

 

            Project__________________________________________  Amount  _______________

 

            Result  _______________________________Project Completed  _____No  _____  Yes

 

3.         Source  _________________________________________________  Year  __________

 

            Project__________________________________________  Amount  _______________

 

            Result  _______________________________Project Completed  _____No  _____  Yes

 

Return completed application materials to the Thompson Center for Learning and Teaching, 366 French Hall.