1. Is the Faculty Development Committee the only place I can apply to for funds to support my research?

No.  

You may be able to receive funding from your Department or the Dean of your College.

2. I will be presenting at two conferences this year. One is in the fall in the US and the other in the spring outside the US. Will I be eligible to apply to both the international studies grant and the faculty development grant or can I only apply to ONE per one academic year?

A faculty member cannot receive two faculty development grants, nor a faculty development grant *and* an international grant, during the same academic year. However, you may apply for a faculty development grant and an international grant during the same year. The process is competitive which means that not everybody who applies receives funding. If you are awarded both, you may only receive one.

3. Can I use the grant I was awarded for Conference X to fund my travel to Conference Q?

No. Because the grants are competitive, you won a grant based on a specific presentation to a specific conference. The faculty development committee has determined that awards are not transferable. 

4. The web page says that only completed applications will be considered, but I am not able to get an official letter of acceptance from my conference organizer until after the application deadline. What can I do?

You may turn in an application that is complete save for the official letter. Please note in your application proposal the reason that the letter is lacking and give the approximate deadline that you will receive your letter. The Faculty Development committee can award you funding contingent upon the official letter being received before funds are disbursed.

5. The web page says the grant is $700 (for faculty development grants) OR $2000 (for international studies grants). Why was I awarded a smaller amount?

The web page says that "maximum award per annum" is $700 (or $2000). No award may be more than the maximum, but the Faculty Development Committee may choose to award a smaller amount based on information in your proposal and number of proposals received.

6. I received a grant last year but did not this year. What's wrong with my work? 

The budget allotted to faculty development is less than the amount requested through applications. The number of proposals and amounts requested differs from term to term. The Faculty Development Committee is dedicated to supporting as many faculty as possible with the funds we are granted, but we must give priority to tenure-track faculty.

7.  I understand that priority must be given to tenure-track faculty. But given the resources available, is it even worth my time to apply since I am a tenured full professor?

It could be! While funding is tight now, the Committee hopes to build evidence that there is excellent work being done by tenured faculty who are not excused from research, scholarly and creative activities by being granted tenure and who are evaluated in post-tenure review. We hope to use the number of faculty who apply, and whose proposals are rated as “excellent” by the committee on merit alone, and who are not able to be funded because of lack of funds as one argument for a larger budget in coming years.