Department Heads should encourage members of the Faculty to apply for support for professional development. College funds are available for First-Year Seminar development, curricular and pedagogical development, computer integration, diversity initiatives, advanced study and research, summer research, Excel student research assistance, professional travel, research leaves, and sabbatical leaves. (See Provost’s memorandum on Support Available to Faculty).
Application Procedures
- Applications for sabbatical leaves and leaves of absence without pay are submitted to the Provost. (See Sections 6.1.14 and 6.2 of the Faculty Handbook.)
- Applications for advanced study and research grants, summer research fellowships, and student research assistance are submitted to the Dean of Curriculum and Resources. (See the Research Support site and Section 6.4 of the Faculty Handbook for a description of faculty research opportunities.)
- Requests for travel funds for participation in professional conferences are submitted to the Dean of Curriculum and Resources (see Section 6.3 of the Faculty Handbook and memorandum on Faculty Travel Fund). Planning of faculty travel begins with a Travel Planning Form which must be recommended for approval by the Department Head. Four weeks before the trip, the faculty member must submit a Travel Notice, with a detailed list of estimated expenditures, signed by the Department Head. A faculty member who wishes to be absent for more than four days of instruction must secure the permission of the Provost. Within two weeks of the completion of each approved trip, travel expenses must be reported to the Dean of Curriculum and Resources using a Travel Reimbursement Report available from the Finance and Administration site. Travel advances are available only under unusual circumstances, such as when large amounts of eligible expense must be paid in advance of a trip. Advances are requested on a Check Voucher and must be accompanied by a note justifying the advance payment.
- Requests for travel funds for faculty or curriculum development are submitted to the Dean of Curriculum and Resources using the same procedures outlined in 3 above.
Department Heads should also encourage members of the Faculty to apply for research support from outside sources. Information on grants from outside organizations is available from the Director of Sponsored Programs, who coordinates all such grant applications. Faculty must send copies of all applications to the Director of Sponsored Programs in advance of formal submission.