Guidelines for Probationary Faculty
Development Grants
Academic Year 2008-2009

The Dean's office will again make available grants for probationary
faculty. For the purposes of these awards, "Probationary Faculty"
will be defined as full-time, untenured, tenure-track faculty in the
College of Humanities and Fine Arts at the University of Northern Iowa.

These grants may be used for a wide variety of purposes, but must focus
upon enhancing faculty development in scholarly, creative, or artistic activities.

The funds may be used, for example (these are only a few of many possible uses):

•  as seed money in the development of larger funding proposals

•  to defray expenses associated with obtaining documents for research projects

•  to prepare artistic work for exhibitions

•  to help in the production and exhibition of creative work

The award may not be used to defray costs related to attending annually scheduled professional conferences, or association meetings, or purchasing computer hardware/software. Generally speaking, requests related to purely pedagogical projects and for the development of curricular materials are not considered appropriate for the purpose of this grant.

The CHFA Probationary Faculty Development Grants in the amount of $500 are limited to one per faculty member per academic year and cannot be awarded more than twice per probationary period.

For the current year, the procedures for applying for and allocating these funds will be as follows:

•  Applications for grants may be submitted to the Dean's office at any time during the academic year. Your application should include an itemized budget, have the required signatures, and adhere to other application guidelines.

•  Additional application forms will be available from department offices and the CHFA website at http://www.uni.edu/chfa/ and click on the Dean's Office for guidelines and application forms.

• All funds awarded must be spent by May 29, 2009.

Decisions regarding awards will be made by the Dean in order to allow the allocation with as short a turn-around time as possible. The review and evaluation of your grant proposal will be based on these criteria:

1. Does the application establish a compelling need for this project expressed in terms of the faculty's professional development?

2. How do the project goals and objectives relate to the faculty's professional development?

3. Can the goals and objectives be accomplished through the proposed activities?

4. Does the application make clear how the results of proposed project relate to the present body of knowledge in the discipline?

5. Does the proposed development project deepen and/or broaden the applicant's insights into areas not presently understood?

6. Does the proposed project resolve current areas of conflicting scholarly viewpoints?

7. Is the budget realistic for the completion of the project?

Recognition should be given that the College provided funding for the project in any publicity.

[NOTE: As you plan your applications, be aware that according to IRS guidelines, items which have a useful life of one year or more must become UNI property, or the amount provided by UNI towards the purchase must be reported as taxable income to you and the item then becomes your personal property. The amount provided by the University for personal property will be reported and the tax deducted from your UNI paycheck. A written statement indicating whether the purchase is to become personal or University property must be submitted to the Dean's office before the funds can be released.]