Academic Staff Professional Development Fund
Guidelines for Year 2009-2010
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the Academic Staff Professional Development Fund (ASPDF) are to help academic staff members meet the mission requirements of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, to provide for academic support programs and staff needs, and to respond more efficiently to fluctuations in these requirements and needs.
ELIGIBILITY
All academic staff members who are employed 50% of full time or more are eligible to apply for funding from ASPDF.
DEADLINES
Proposal submission deadlines are firm. Proposals that are submitted after a particular deadline date will not be reviewed until the following month's meeting. Deadlines for submitting complete proposals to the ASPDF Committee Chair are:
August 7, 2009 |
January 8, 2010 |
September 4, 2009 |
February 5, 2010 |
October 2, 2009 |
March 5, 2010 |
November 6, 2009 |
April 2, 2010 |
December 4, 2009 |
May 7, 2010 |
June 4, 2010 |
FUNDING PRIORITIES
As defined by the founders of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Academic Staff Professional Development Committee, academic staff professional development falls into four general categories:
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Continuing education and updating of academic knowledge or skill
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Technical training
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Administrative management training
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Career development
Out of those four general categories come nine specific areas that have been identified as priorities for funding ASPDF proposals. To be eligible for ASPDF funding, proposals should clearly and completely outline how the project or activity directly addresses one or more of the nine funding priorities below.
Priority will be given to proposals that facilitate/provide:
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TRAINING AND/OR RETRAINING - Training and/or retraining in an academic staff member's area of expertise to enhance his/her effectiveness in meeting the changing needs and roles in higher education.
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ENHANCED COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY SKILLS - Opportunities to learn to use computers effectively within instructional, research, and administrative areas of the university.
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INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION - Developing a repertoire of teaching strategies that transcend the traditional classroom approaches, including tutorials, modules, self-paced diagnostic/mastery learning, and interactive programs utilizing mediated instruction.
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SUPPORTING FRESHMAN/SOPHOMORE STUDENTS - Helping students adjust to the demands of college in such areas as: campus environment, pre-enrollment counseling, freshman seminars, and other programs which stress involvement of students in the learning process.
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ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION - Assessing and evaluating the impact of the institution on students.
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INCREASED DEMANDS FOR PLANNING, COORDINATING, AND REPORTING TO MEET FEDERAL, STATE, AND UW-SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS - Developing capabilities to meet increased demands in these areas.
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MANAGEMENT SKILLS - Bolstering the management and leadership skills of academic staff in management positions in order to improve their effectiveness.
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EXTRAMURAL FUNDING - Developing expertise and experience in extramural fundraising techniques and related resource development skills.
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DESIGN FOR DIVERSITY - Developing programs, workshops, and seminars designed to improve the multi-cultural environment on campus and/or for the development of programs that address the issues of race and ethnicity.
DEPARTMENTAL/UNIT SUPPORT
Proposals MUST have the support of the applicant’s department/unit. Evidence of departmental/unit support must include:
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A statement of support from the department chair or supervisor as to the need or priority of the proposed project or activity and his/her assessment of the applicant's ability to complete the proposed project/activity. If applicable, the relationship of the proposed project or activity to students' needs should also be discussed (NOTE: if the applicant is a department chair or supervisor, the statement of support should come from the next reporting level).
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Internal department/unit funds that will aid, supplement, or enhance the proposal's funding, or an explanation as to why no funding assistance is being provided.
PROGRAM RESTRICTIONS/REQUIREMENTS
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The ASPDF Committee will only consider proposals for future activities. It does not consider funding requests for activities that already have taken place.
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ASPDF funds are limited. In the past, awards have ranged from $75 to $1,500 with an average award of about $600. Depending on their review of the proposal and available funds, the Committee may authorize a different (lesser) amount of funding than that requested by the applicant.
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Generally, the Committee expects at least 25% matching funds, unless special circumstances occur and are stated in the proposal. Matching funds may take the form of department/unit, personal, or other internal and external funding sources. Applicants are encouraged to seek additional sources of funding for projects and activities.
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ASPDF is intended to supplement, not supplant, ongoing institutional staff development programs. As a result, the Fund generally will not grant fee/tuition funding. The current University of Wisconsin-Parkside University Employee Educational Assistance Program is designed to serve this purpose. Academic staff seeking funding for fees/tuition should first apply through their individual departments or units. The Committee may consider proposals for fees/tuition from individuals who have been denied funding through the UWP Employee Educational Assistance Program.
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ASPDF funds are not meant to be supplemental funds for departments/units. Academic staff should submit proposals to the Committee that otherwise would not be funded or that can only partially be funded by the department or unit.
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The Committee's policy is to spend the money allocated for academic staff as requests come in. We do not budget one-half for the first semester and the remainder for the second semester. Therefore, you should consider submitting your proposal as early as possible in order to ensure funding is available. Incomplete proposals will be returned for additional information. The delay could result in the loss of funding for a proposal that might have otherwise been successful. To ensure full consideration in a timely manner, all required information and documentation should be included in an application for ASPDF funds.
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All applicants are required to consult with the Research Administration Office to develop their proposal budget.
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Proposals for activities whose support will come from the next fiscal year's allocations may be submitted, but any decision to fund those proposals remains provisional until the actual allocation is received from UW-Parkside; in such cases, awards are contingent upon the final allocation amount.
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In order to allow for more accurate tracking of remaining funds available for allocation, all paperwork, receipts, travel expense reports, etc. MUST be submitted for processing within 2 months of the end date of the project or activity.
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Award recipients are requested to share what they have learned with the campus community. The ASPD committee will coordinate an informal panel presentation during the lunch hour each semester for all recipients to participate in. In addition award recipients are requested to place appropriate handouts/documents on-line to share with the campus community.
GUIDELINES FOR WRITING PROPOSALS
To be eligible, all proposals must follow the guidelines stated in this document and provide the information requested. Six copies of the complete proposal and support letters must be sent to the Chair of the ASPDF Committee.
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Cover Sheet - To be eligible for consideration by the ASPDF Committee, a proposal must contain a completed cover sheet form. The cover sheet information includes the title of the proposal, the name of the individual requesting the funds, his or her department/unit, and the date of the project or activity. Signatures of the applicant, the department chair or supervisor, and Dean or administrative officer are also required. The cover sheet also should indicate the total amount of money requested from the Fund and also the amount of matching funds. A proposal with an incomplete cover sheet will be returned.
- Body of Proposal - The body of the proposal has five sections:
a. Purpose and Significance - this section explains the proposal and provides the contextual data of whom, what, when, where, and why. The specific funding priority/priorities addressed by the project or activity must be discussed. Skills, training, and experience held by the applicant that will benefit him/her in completing the project need to be outlined. The applicant should also explain how the request relates to his/her current and future work and how the request will benefit the applicant and his/her department/unit.
b. Budget – All applicants are required to consult with Mike Gonzalez in the Research Administration Office to develop their proposal budget. UW-System guidelines regarding lodging, food, and mileage must be followed. All applicants are encouraged to explore additional funding possibilities (e.g., department/unit, personal, or other internal and external funding sources) before submitting a proposal to the ASPDF Committee. Efforts made to obtain additional funding—including personal contributions—should be indicated in the proposal.
c. Support Statement(s) - the support statement from department chair or supervisor should be attached to the proposal.
d. Support Document(s) - Supporting materials and documentation that justify your proposal and expense requests are especially helpful. Examples of such materials include a description of the program/conference, the program/conference agenda, and verification of requested expenses (e.g., documented registration, lodging, and airfare costs, etc.).
e. Appendix - included in the appendix would be any documents that may further explain the proposal to the committee or give them greater insight into the applicant's past achievements and research. Brochures, pamphlets, and additional letters of support or recommendation are examples of what should be included in the appendix.
If you have any questions about completing or submitting your proposal, feel free to contact any of the ASPDF Committee members for assistance.
AWARDING GRANT PROPOSALS AND NOTIFYING APPLICANTS
The ASPDF Committee meets monthly to review applications. The dates of the meetings are announced in advance. Levels of matching support as well as the ability to obtain external funding are factors that will play an important role in granting proposal requests.
An applicant will be notified by email from the Committee Chair as to whether or not the request was approved (and if so, the award amount) within 72 hours of the Committee’s decision. The applicant has one week from receipt of his/her award notification to respond to the Committee Chair and indicate whether he/she will accept or decline the award.
CHECKLIST FOR PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Complete proposals help expedite review and processing. Incomplete proposals will be returned for additional information. The delay could result in the loss of funding for a proposal that might have otherwise been successful. To ensure that the review of your proposal is not delayed, please complete the checklist below before submitting your proposal. (NOTE: This checklist is for your use only and should not be submitted with your application.)
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One or more of the funding priorities listed in the guidelines has been addressed.
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A statement of support from the department chair or supervisor is attached.
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Matching funds from the department/unit, outside sources, and/or personal contributions of at least 25% will be contributed.
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A completed cover sheet form including the signatures of the applicant, department chair or supervisor, and Dean or administrative officer is attached.
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A budget developed in consultation with Mike Gonzalez in the Research Administration Office is attached.
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Supporting document(s) such as a program/conference description, program agenda, and/or related expense documentation (registration, lodging, airfare, meals, etc.) is attached.
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Appendices including such items as brochures, pamphlets, additional letters of support, etc. are attached.
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Six (6) copies (including the original) of the complete proposal, support letters, budget, and all other attachments are submitted to the ASPDF Committee Chair. The committee will not consider proposals until six complete packets are received by the Committee Chair.
