Projects For Improvement of Undergraduate Education - Proposal Format (Word Form)
The Committee for the Improvement of Undergraduate Education is able to sponsor a limited number of grants for the improvement of undergraduate education.
Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis to current faculty members who are full-time, regular, tenure-track and tenured individuals for the completion of a project of one month's duration. Each grant will pay a salary up to $3,500. Funds may be available for supplies, travel, or other items that might be necessitated by a given project up to a maximum of $500 unless special circumstances justify increased support.
Proposals should offer imaginative and innovative approaches to the improvement of undergraduate education, including general education, and should be for projects which extend beyond the normal responsibilities of a department's attention to its curriculum and courses. Proposals for projects relating to the development of new courses or to routine course revision are usually not supported. The application should include an explanation of the extent to which the project is beyond normal departmental responsibility. Proposals submitted by faculty members who will not be continuing at NIU in the next academic year will be considered. Such proposals must clearly state that the faculty member will not be continuing at NIU and must address the specific details of how the results of the project will be utilized by other faculty.
A variety of factors will be considered in the decisions regarding funding, including the number of students affected and the extent to which the impact is directly on students, the educational quality of the project, the transferability of the results of the project beyond the single department, and the feasibility of the project. Listed below are some of the types of projects that might be considered. This list is in no sense inclusive and in no way should proposals be limited to these areas, with the general restrictions noted above.
Enhancement of course delivery - the development of programs to assist students in existing courses, the preparation of audio-visual aids, the design of programs to improve the communication skills of faculty;
Research - examination of student background in relation to course-related skills, course-delivery techniques, teaching strategies, comparison of courses and programs with those in other institutions, student evaluation of teaching;
Major revisions of courses or curricula which serve large numbers of students.
The titles of some recently funded projects are: "Development of Annotated Supplementary Resource Materials for PHED 111 and 393"; "Update and Reorganization of the Project Library for MATH 360"; "Development of Lab Materials for Assessment Procedures in COMD 429"; "Exercises in Harmonic Dictation and Keyboard Harmony"; "Computerization of the Art Department Slide Collection"; "Slide/Audio Tape Programs of the Evolution of American Radio"; "An Investigation of Accounting Information Systems Education in Undergraduate Accounting Programs."
LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION
Please submit a letter of recommendation (e.g. from dean, chair, or expert).
Supportable items will be determined by the above objectives and criteria and may include equipment (which becomes the property of the University), materials and audio/visual aids, travel (for purposes of research or observation related to the project), personal services (graduate assistant and student help, consultant's fees, extra secretarial services), and other justifiable project-related expenses, up to the $500 maximum.
Requests for support for departmental services (e.g., manuscript typing, commodities, printing and duplicating, etc., as well as other university services) should be accompanied by an explanation why such departmental support or university service is not available.
Project support money cannot be used for computer connectivity. Project funds are intended to support the work of faculty at Northern Illinois University and not individuals employed at other institutions. Outsourcing is not permitted.
Funds may not be used to reward participants (i.e. gift certificates, drawings, etc.).
All paperwork for purchases and other expenses must be submitted to the Business Manager in the Office of the Vice Provost by May 15 or you will forfeit these monies.
Faculty whose projects are funded will submit a brief (two-page) activity report and an expense report by October 30 . Recipients who do not submit reports will not be eligible for future funding. CIUE will acknowledge receipt of this report via e-mail.
Proposals must be in the hands of the CIUE by JANUARY 21, 2008. Because these proposals must be endorsed by the applicant's college and are often ranked by the appropriate college committee, please consult your college office about the college deadline for submitting your proposal.
Last updated 11/28/07