Office of the Provost and Chief Academic Officer

The Howard University Fund for Academic Excellence

Grants Program (Eighth Cycle)

An Initiative of The Strategic Framework for Action

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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION AND GUIDELINES

The Fund for Academic Excellence was proposed in The Strategic Framework for Action by President H. Patrick Swygert. Because the primary goal of this fund is to promote and foster continued excellence in the University’s varied academic programs and activities, all proposals submitted for consideration must have the ultimate objective of improving teaching and learning at Howard University. This objective can be accomplished through projects and activities, designed by full-time faculty, to strengthen and enhance instruction, curricula, scholarly expertise, performance and creative expression, and academic management. All applications must include an evaluation plan that provides an indication of the measurable impact of the proposed initiative or activity on instruction, assessment of teaching, advisement of students, student performance, faculty or academic staff development, or academic management. The financial resources dedicated to this program are intended to supplement, rather than supplant, current Department/School/College funds for travel and special initiatives.

FALL 2001 SPRING 2002 ACADEMIC YEAR

DEADLINE AND GRANT SUBMISSION DATES

CATEGORY A

GRANT ACTIVITIES (EXCLUDING TRAVEL GRANT PROPOSALS)

GRANT FUNDING CYCLE: JULY 1, 2002 JUNE 30, 2003

CATEGORY A - GRANT PROPOSALS ARE DUE NOVEMBER 30, 2001 BY 5:00 P.M.

CATEGORY B

TRAVEL GRANT PROPOSALS (ONLY)

CYCLE I FOR TRAVEL BETWEEN JANUARY 1, 2002 JUNE 30, 2002
TRAVEL GRANT PROPOSALS ARE DUE OCTOBER 26, 2001 BY 5:00 P.M.

CYCLE II FOR TRAVEL BETWEEN JULY 1, 2002 DECEMBER 30, 2002
TRAVEL GRANT PROPOSALS ARE DUE MARCH 1, 2002 BY 5:00 P.M.

CATEGORIES OF ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES

CATEGORY A

The following illustrative list provides examples of eligible activities that will be considered by the Fund for Academic Excellence Advisory Review Committee.

a) Support, up to a maximum of $5,000, for the re-design of current courses or the development of new courses whereby new pedagogies can improve student performance; special consideration will be given to the design of interdisciplinary or multi-disciplinary courses and courses which incorporate the distance learning paradigm;

b) Support, up to a maximum of $6,000, for on-campus faculty seminars focusing on research topics which promote interdisciplinary collaboration within/across schools/colleges;

c) Support, up to a maximum of $6,000, for special on-campus seminars and workshops on any of the above topics in a, b, or c which might be conducted by external consultants and experts;

d) Support, up to a maximum of $4,000, for requests to purchase equipment which meet the following criteria:

· demonstrates a measurable impact on teaching and student learning

· includes a strategy for sharing the equipment with faculty members in the applicant’s department

· meets the approval of the department chairperson as an expense for which the school/department could not pay; and

e) Support, up to $6,000, for other proposals submitted by a faculty member or team of faculty, on behalf of academic divisions, departments, schools, or colleges, which focus primarily on enhancing academic program quality, i.e., student performance, retention, graduation rates, recruitment, student career development, etc.

CATEGORY B

Travel and subsistence costs, up to $4,000, for attendance at regional or national faculty development workshops and conferences on key issues related to teaching, learning, assessment, technology, scholarship, academic management, continuous quality improvement, etc.

Travel Grants must be completed during the established time periods, for meetings, seminars, or educational programs which will serve to enhance student education, retention, or improve outcomes. All faculty travel must adhere to the Howard University Travel Policy.

The foregoing list is not all-inclusive, but applicants should focus their attention on teaching and learning goals in the development of potentially eligible projects.

Applicants who received an award during or prior to this program’s Sixth Cycle - Spring 2000, must have their grant’s Final Report on file in the Office of the Provost in order to be eligible for participation in the Eighth Cycle of the grants program.

APPLICATION PROCEDURES

Proposal narratives should not exceed five pages in length to be considered. (Font size should not be smaller than 10-point.)

Abstract: Provide a concise description of the proposed project or activity on the attached cover sheet (maximum 75 words).

Rationale/Purpose/Objectives: In this section, the applicant should provide a description of the rationale, purpose and specific objectives of the project or activity. The objectives should also clearly indicate how the project would improve teaching and learning or the assessment of outcomes in the area(s) of focus.

Work Plan: The Work Plan narrative should provide the specific details of the project or activity. This section should also include a timetable and the activities delineating the accomplishment of project tasks. Projects should not exceed two semesters.

Evaluation Plan: The evaluation plan narrative must indicate specifically how the results of the project or activity will be measured and/or eventually applied to teaching and learning situations. Applicants should include their proposed quantitative or qualitative indicators to measure the impact of the project on students, faculty, advisement staff, academic procedures, etc.

Signature of Acknowledgment of Academic Administrator(s): A signature from the appropriate academic administrator (i.e., chairperson, dean, etc.) who acknowledges awareness of the proposal should be provided on the cover sheet. If the project is a collaborative venture, signatures of the academic administrators from the respective areas should be provided.

Budget: An itemized budget should be submitted and, where necessary, justifications for certain expenses should be provided. Also, please assure that guidelines are observed strictly regarding maximum allowable budget limits for the particular type of project proposed. Budgets that exceed those amounts will not be considered.

Biographical Sketch: A brief biographical sketch (i.e., one paragraph or less), highlighting the applicant’s academic experience, notable accomplishments and, where necessary, demonstrated expertise to execute the proposed initiative, is required.

APPLICATION REVIEW CRITERIA

· A faculty member may submit or participate in, as a principal investigator, co-principal investigator or consultant, only one proposal to be considered for funding.

· Priority will be given to proposals submitted by faculty members who have not previously been awarded a Fund for Academic Excellence grant during the previous cycles of this program.

· Stipends for principal investigator(s) are not customarily considered under this program.

· All applications will be evaluated on the quality of the rationale, purpose, objectives, the work plan, the proposed evaluation methodology, and reasonableness of the budget.

· An advisory review panel of faculty and academic administrators will review all proposals, and funding recommendations will be submitted to the Provost for final consideration. Decisions will be announced during the spring 2002 semester. Questions regarding the application process should be directed to the Office of the Provost at (202) 806-2550.

OFFICE OF THE PROVOST AND CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER

DR. A. TOY CALDWELL-COLBERT
PROVOST AND CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER
Mordecai Wyatt Johnson Administration Building, Room 405

HOWARD UNIVERSITY
WASHINGTON, DC 20059
202·806·2550