Call for Proposals
Proposal Review Deadline: May 13, 2022
Final Proposal Due: May 22, 2022
Background
This year the College of Arts and Architecture will be funding the “Incentives and Innovations Grant Program.” The purpose of the program is to improve existing courses as well as support innovative and timely course and curriculum development.
Purpose
The primary objective of the fund is to advance college and unit strategic objectives related to undergraduate and graduate instruction. Proposals should be clear in describing how the course(s) to be developed or enhanced contribute to key initiatives such as:
- Upholding anti-racist and equitable standards and ideals in college curricula.
- Providing opportunities to enrich, deepen and catalyze environmental, cultural and social awareness.
- Expanding arts/design curricula to a wider range of students, both in residence and online.
- Enhancing the impact of work in sustainability.
The highest priority for the spring 2022 call is for proposals that significantly foster a culture of inclusion and promote equity through our curricula in the College.
Two types of grants are available. Larger awards up to $14,000 will be granted to one or two proposals in the category of New Course/Curriculum Development, and several smaller awards of $4–6,000 will be provided to Course Enhancement proposals. Please note that faculty summer salary is generally not awarded for Course Enhancement proposals.
Proposals for New Course/Curriculum Development (up to $14,000) should briefly describe the new course or program to be created including an assessment of the need and the relationship of the new program, course or courses to existing offerings. Proposals for Course Enhancement ($4–6,000) should describe the need and how improvements will advance teaching effectiveness and student learning.
A detailed budget describing how funds will be used must be submitted with the proposal. Additional points to consider in developing either proposal include:
- Developing a new course/program or enhancements to an existing course that has the potential to reach a large audience and generate significant credit hours.
- Developing a new course/program or enhancements to an existing course where credit hours, while not large, may be sustained over time without additional resources.
- Developing a new course/program that addresses an area of content not currently offered in the academic units or the College and may be sustained over time.
- Developing master classes, seminars, workshops and symposia from which student credit hours and or revenue may be generated.
- Developing a new program, course or enhancements to an existing course in which a commitment for matching funds or additional support from other sources, either internal or external, has been secured.
*Please note that proposals focused solely on converting an existing course to an on-line course should not be submitted to this call for proposals. They should be submitted to the College’s Office of Digital Learning.
Proposals should not exceed 750 words not including the proposed budget.
Procedures
The Incentives and Innovations Fund will be managed in the office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Outreach. A call for proposals shall be issued during the Spring Semester of each academic year to all academic units of the College. All tenured/tenure track and non- tenure-line multiyear term faculty shall be eligible to submit a proposal.
Completed proposals must be submitted via the School Directors or Department Heads. It is strongly advised that faculty first discuss their idea for a new or enhanced course with their school director or department head, and if appropriate, the program curriculum committee prior to developing a complete proposal. The academic unit heads shall evaluate the importance of a proposal to the strategic goals of the unit; discuss the sustainability of the proposed course or program after this initial funding; and, if there are multiple proposals from an academic unit, to rank order the proposals. The deadline for submitting proposals to Directors and Heads is May 13, 2022.
Following review by unit administrators, please submit electronic copies of the proposals (PDF format preferred) to Cori Donaghy (cxh271@psu.edu) in the office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Outreach. Proposals are due to the Associate Dean’s office by Friday, May 20, 2022.
A committee comprised of The Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Outreach, the Associate Dean for Research, the Assistant Dean for Digital Learning, and the chair of the A&A Faculty Council (or the chair’s designee) will review and evaluate the proposals. The Review Committee shall forward their recommendations, in rank order, to the Dean who shall make the final awards.
Schedule
Proposals shall be submitted and reviewed during the spring semester; awards will be announced prior to the end of the fiscal year. Funds are released by the college finance office after the start of the new fiscal year in the fall. The duration of the award, for new or enhanced courses, shall be through the end of the next academic year following the award. For new courses, a course description, in the appropriate format, suitable for circulation in the College and to the Faculty Senate, shall be submitted to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Outreach by the end of the next spring semester following the award. For enhancements to an existing course, a one- or two-page report shall be submitted to the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Outreach within two weeks of the conclusion of the semester in which the enhanced course was taught.
Additional Information
If you have questions, please contact:
Cori Donaghy
Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Outreach
cxh271@psu.edu