Associated Colleges of the South

Faculty Advancement Program Guidelines

First Round of proposals
2012

Request for Proposals

The ACS Faculty Advancement Program invites faculty from all ACS institutions to submit proposals.

Aims of the Project

The overall aim is to enable faculty to explore new possibilities, expanding their background and skills, and to take advantage of opportunities not otherwise made available on the campuses and for
which other funds are not available.

Grants

Grants are available in these five categories:

• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Engaged Learning
• Learning-Based Pedagogy
• Undergraduate Research (with emphasis on the humanities)
• Blended Learning

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Required Pre-Proposal

Interested faculty should complete the attached proposal cover sheet, describe the general design of the project in 250-500 words, provide a simple budget, and submit these materials to ACS by March 15,2012. A review committee will respond by March 30,2012, indicating whether or not a full proposal will be invited. Full proposals will be due by May 15, 2012 and decisions will be communicated to faculty by May 30, 2012.

Deadline for Pre-Proposals

March 15, 2012

Deadline for Full Proposals

May 15, 2012

Range of Project Funding

Up to $5,000 for individual initiatives
Up to $7,500 for intra-campus group initiatives
Up to $10,000 for cross-institutional initiatives in ACS

Priority Among Grant Requests

The consortium especially invites proposals from mid-career faculty.

Preference will be given, first, for collaborative efforts across ACS campus boundaries, second, initiatives on a single campus that could serve as a model and lead to broader inter-campus programs.  The emphasis in the undergraduate research area needs to be on the humanities.

Under the first priority, funding may be directed toward cross-institutional ACS Faculty Advancement Workshops. These workshops should be designed to benefit the participating faculty, their institutions and the consortium as a whole. They can be hosted on any of the campuses but must include participation from faculty across ACS.
Below are some suggestions. Please feel free to add ideas or tweak the ones listed below.

• Stimulating interdisciplinary initiatives
• Demonstrating the nature and value of engaged learning
• Model collaborative research work- overcoming the obstacles
• Model programs in learning-based pedagogy
• How to use technology effectively in on-line instruction- a training workshop

Proposal Preparation

• Complete proposals, required cover sheet and supporting documents should be submitted as a word document attachment via email to ACS and proposal preparation questions should be directed to Dara Hawkins (dara@colleges.org) or Christiane Williams (christiane@colleges.org).
  
  
• The narrative of the proposal should be a maximum of 5 pages, double-spaced, 12 point font, one-inch margins exclusive of a one page budget. The budget should be the page after the narrative which will be page six. Place no other narrative on that page. Appendices are limited to 3 pages. Please include the following with the proposal:
  
  
  1. Required Standard Cover Sheet (go to www.colleges.org/faculty_advancementl/CoverSheet.pdf to download cover sheet)
     
     
     • Title of Project
       
       
     • Institution(s)
       
       
     • Name(s) of faculty submitting the request
       
       
     • Title(s), department(s) and mailing address(es)
       
       
     • Phone and e-mail information
       
       
     • Requested Amount
       
       
     • Category of submission
       • Interdisciplinary initiatives
       • Engaged learning
       • Undergraduate Research
       • Learning-based pedagogy
       • Blended Learning
         
         
     • Date of submission and date of proposed period of grant
       
       
     • Signatures of applicant(s), department chair(s), and chief academic officer(s) send via email
       
       
  2. Introduction
     
     
     1. Goals and anticipated outcomes
        
        
     2. Justification
        
        
     3. Consistency with program priorities
        
        
  3. Project Description
     
     
     1. Activities
        
        
     2. Overall timetable
        
        
     3. Specific timetable for grant supported activities
        
        
     4. Budget and justification for each line item
        
        
     5. Qualifications of project leaders related to specific proposal
        
        
     6. Collaborative nature of the proposal, on a single campus and/or an inter-campus project
        
        
  4. Evaluation and Dissemination
     
     
     1. State how the success of the project will be evaluated
        Indicate how project results will be disseminated within ACS and outside of ACS for use as a possible model. For example: posting results and a final report on the ACS website along with presenting project findings at a professional conference or meeting at a specific time.
        
        
     2. Institutional Approval
        The final proposal must be approved by the Academic Dean or Provost. The approval note should be sent along with the proposal. Each collaborative proposal must include letters of intent from all participants. In the case of cross-institutional collaborations, the proposal should be accompanied by a letter of support from the academic dean of each participating institution.
        
        
     3. Disclosure Statement
        Applicants should list other current financial support for the project that will coincide with the timetable of the proposal.
        
        
     4. Curriculum vitae
        Applicants should include a short CV of professional activity. This should be emailed with the proposal and should not exceed two single-spaced pages.
        
        
     5. A final report must be received at ACS within 15 days of the end of the project but no later than June 1, 2013 for the first-round grants. This report should state how the goals were met, should include an expense budget with receipts and should provide the dissemination plan. (Budget guidelines will be supplied later.)
        
        
     6. All first-round projects must be completed and the final report received by ACS by June 1, 2013. All events must occur within this period. The funds also must be spent within this same time period, and any unused funds should be returned to ACS within 10 days of the end of the project.
        Link for Final Report Guidelines
        
        
     7. Grantees will be asked to participate in evaluation of the faculty renewal grants. Feedback will help ACS refine the application and award process and assist in an overall evaluation of the total grant.

Proposal Review

A Grant Review Committee will be made up of academic deans and faculty from ACS institutions. Applicants will receive notification within 30 days of receipt of the full proposal.

EXAMPLES OF INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES

• Working with a group to design an interdisciplinary course
• Attending a particularly valuable workshop or seminar (e.g., a seminar on teaching)
• Purchasing a particularly needed piece of equipment for a new interdisciplinary course
• Obtaining support to produce publications
• Establishing a visitation program for faculty- an opportunity for faculty to visit other campuses, learning about their programs
• Mentoring connections between the faculty in two different departments, aiming at interdisciplinary collaboration
• Mentoring across institutional boundaries

EXAMPLES OF ENGAGED LEARNING

• Creating a service learning class, partnering with other faculty
• Finishing and/or staging a play
• Mounting an exhibit
• Offering training programs for faculty
• Engaging in an environmental project linked to a class

EXAMPLES OF UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH

• Acquiring necessary materials for a research project (e.g., in preparation for a sabbatical)
• Acquiring necessary materials for a work of art or an exhibition
• Carrying out a joint research project (e.g., travel to a field site)
• Obtaining access to materials in international libraries
• Designing and engaging a focus group
• Assisting in preparing materials for publication
• Attending a tutorial or seminar on how publish papers and books
• Obtaining editorial assistance for a group project

EXAMPLES OF LEARNING-BASED PEDAGOGY

• Devising new ways of fully engaging students (emphasizing meta-cognition, for example)
• Experimenting with a new evaluation system
• Utilizing teaching and/or research assistants in new ways
• Arranging and developing train-the-trainer workshops
• Creating a clearinghouse of information
• Planning and organizing a workshop on neuroscience, cognition and the learning process
• Mentoring with a focus on teaching, with an outstanding teacher working with another on specific skills and issues

EXAMPLES OF USE OF BLENDED LEARNING

• Joining with others in creating and offering a new seminar
• Acquiring a new technological skill
• Designing an on-line language tutorial or class
• Working with colleagues to create an online journal
• Developing a new module for a course
• Engaging tutors for specific lessons and skills