Faculty Resources Committee

The Faculty Resources Committee is responsible for considering and recommending to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs (herein referred to as Provost/SVPAA), the awarding of resources designed for faculty development, as described below.

The Faculty Resources Committee is also responsible for planning, organizing and hosting Faculty Research Day annually.  For more information on this event, see the Faculty Research Day page.
 

Active participation in professional development is encouraged for all full-time faculty members, whether new to Utica University or a long-tenured member. Please take a moment to review the various types of support available to you in pursuit of professional development opportunities. Faculty members should always apply for Faculty Development funding for conference travel through the Faculty Resources Committee as listed below. Faculty members should not apply for funding through their school. Faculty accepting development awards are expected to share the fruits of their efforts with the University community. The spirit of collegiality requires no less. This is particularly true for sabbaticals, summer fellowships, and participation in exchanges.

All resources available to faculty members are described in detail in the Faculty Development Resources Memo.  Please review this document carefully, it includes important dates/deadlines for some resources. 

Please make every effort to apply for travel funds as far in advance as possible from anticipated travel date. Applying at least a month in advance of travel is preferable. Applications are competitive and the Committee needs time to review each proposal before recommending an award to the Provost/SVPAA for his consideration. Responses cannot be guaranteed in a certain timeframe.

Faculty members may apply for each fund only once per academic year.

All awards relating to travel will be made based on the funding formula for the fiscal year (June 1 - May 31) in which the travel occurs, not necessarily the year that the award is made.  Awards received and not used for the originally intended, do not “carry over” into a new fiscal year.  A new application will need to be completed.

The funding formula for an award is based on actual, receipted expenses.  Non-receipted expenses, or receipted expenses that do not follow the proper guidelines for reimbursement, will not be counted toward the final award amount.  For more information on Utica University's travel expense reimbursement requirements, see the Office of General Accounting's Business Travel and Entertainment Policy on their webpage.

Your school dean's signature is required on applications for travel (Faculty Leadership Fund, Faculty Professional Travel Fund, Faculty Travel with Students Fund, Crisafulli Fund, or any other award received for travel). If you are requesting an advance, a Travel Authorization and Advance Form, signed by your school dean, must be submitted along with receipts, to the Provost/SVPAA before travel occurs.

A Travel Expense Voucher must be submitted to your school office for reconciliation after travel and within two weeks of travel end date. ALL EXPENSES, including any expenses advanced, must be accounted for, and include original receipts.

  

Using the current cover sheet specific to the fund you are applying for, requests should be submitted to the Office of the Provost/SVPAA in hard copy format (NOTE: Due to COVID19, electronic applications sent via email to provost@utica.edu will be accepted until further notice).  Use the cover sheet like a "checklist" and make sure you have completed each required step before submitting your application (i.e. don't forget to include your Summary of Professional Activities).

All applicants must understand that a committee of peers, who may not be familiar with the subject matter that is being studied, will evaluate a proposal. Therefore, the proposal must be clearly written in language that is accessible to the intelligent layperson. This characteristic cannot be overemphasized. The best proposals are so well written that the committee is usually unanimous in agreeing upon the strength of the proposal even before any discussion has taken place.  Additional information on the criteria for sabbatical and summer fellowship recommendations can be found farther down on this webpage.

Applications should include an explanation of how the proposal fits into the faculty member's plan for professional development. This explanation may include evidence of how earlier awards have contributed to this plan.

Faculty Leadership Fund
Faculty presenting papers, chairing a session, serving as an officer, or serving as a formally invited discussant at a professional conference are encouraged to submit a request for travel expenses through the Faculty Leadership Fund. The award is figured at 85% of the actual, receipted expenses of a trip, up to a maximum of $1,100 for domestic travel (including Canada) and $1,800 for international travel, plus the cost of registration.

Faculty Professional Travel Fund
Faculty attending a professional conference (not presenting) are encouraged to submit a request for travel expenses through the Faculty Professional Travel Fund. The award is figured at 85% of the actual, receipted expenses of a trip, including registration, up to a maximum reimbursement of $850. 

Faculty Travel with Students Fund
Faculty accompanying students who are presenting papers, chairing a session, serving as an officer, or serving as a formally invited discussant at a professional conference are encouraged to submit a request for travel expenses through the Faculty Travel with Students Fund. The award is figured at 85% of the actual, receipted expenses of a trip, including registration, up to a maximum reimbursement of $950.

Funding is available for students to travel to professional conferences through the Student Senate. Students must submit their own application (including a faculty recommendation) to the Office of Student Activities.

 
Crisafulli Fund
The Crisafulli Fund is a competitive fund. To be eligible, faculty must have already received funds from the Faculty Leadership Fund and the Faculty Professional Travel Fund within an academic year.

This fund is intended to provide support for faculty who have already been awarded both the Faculty Leadership Fund and the Faculty Professional Travel Fund, yet have further opportunities to advance their research and/or pedagogy through conferences, leadership initiatives, workshops, or other scholarly opportunities. Recognizing that within a given academic year, faculty will occasionally have the opportunity to engage in multiple unique opportunities to further their own academic and pedagogical interests and contribute to the positive reputation of Utica College, the Crisafulli Fund will provide funds related to academic travel for up to two faculty members a year.

The Crisafulli Fund will provide up to two awards with a maximum reimbursement of $2,250. The competitive awards will be given to faculty chosen by the Faculty Resources Committee who have submitted all application materials by March 16th of the fiscal year.  
 

Small Grants for Faculty
Faculty seeking funds to underwrite the costs of scholarly or artistic activity, and/or to support new research or teaching endeavors, are encouraged to submit a proposal for this award. Up to $600 is available per grant.

**Note: Receipts are required for reimbursement. If possible, please include an invoice with your request, showing the amount you are requesting. Make every effort to submit requests as early as possible and reconcile expenses in a timely manner. Please note that the purchase of gift cards for research participation compensation or otherwise is not allowed.

Small Grants for Students
Students working on scholarly research, with or under the direct supervision of faculty, leading to publication or presentation at professional meetings are encouraged to submit for this award. Up to $250 is available per student or $400 per group of students.

**Note: Receipts are required for reimbursement. If possible, please include an invoice with your request, showing the amount you are requesting. Make every effort to submit requests as early as possible and reconcile expenses in a timely manner. Please note that the purchase of gift cards for research participation compensation or otherwise is not allowed.

Summer Fellowships 
Summer fellowships are awards used in support of research, scholarship, and/or creative projects as well as for curriculum and instructional development. The purpose of the latter category is to encourage innovation and improvement in the quality of instruction and curriculum design. Up to six fellowships of $2,300 each are available to faculty members annually. Applications are reviewed for scholarly merit, probability of completion over the summer, and benefit to both the faculty member’s professional development and Utica University. In addition, the Provost/SVPAA may award additional funding or fellowships (see Clark Summer Fellowship/Research Grant below) for exceptional scholarly projects.

A complete application as outlined on the appropriate cover sheet should be submitted along with a letter of support from your dean via hard copy to the FRC through the Office of the Provost/SVPAA by February 15 (for the following summer). Acceptance of a summer fellowship limits summer teaching assignments to one course. A completed Award Assessment/Evaluation Report is required upon return to the University in the fall.

Clark Summer Fellowship/Research Grant
Clark Summer Fellowship/Research Grants may be awarded at the discretion of the Provost/SVPAA. The criteria will be the strength of a submitted summer fellowship proposal (which must be outstanding), any extraordinary expenses associated with the project, the level of past institutional support, and an established track-record of using past institutional resources productively. A Clark Summer Fellowship/Research Grant award will be given only if a worthwhile proposal is received by the Provost Office.

Sabbatical Leave
The granting of sabbaticals is an important part of academic endeavor and research, can contribute significantly to the professional development of the faculty, and add to the prominence and distinction of the programs of the University. Sabbaticals are available to faculty bargaining unit members for activities of professional value, for example: planned travel, study, formal education, research, writing, creative activity, the acceptance of special assignments or fellowships. In order to free faculty to devote time to such development, the University will provide at least eight (8) sabbaticals annually (to tenured faculty members) should eight (8) or greater of the eligible faculty bargaining unit apply and are qualified for a sabbatical, recommended by the Faculty Resources Committee of the Faculty Senate, and approved by the Provost/SVPAA and President.

Tenured faculty members are eligible to apply for a sabbatical leave every seventh year. Such leave may be for one semester at full pay plus full benefits or for one academic year at half pay and full benefits. **Please note: Associate Deans are NOT eligible to apply for a sabbatical, even if they will be bargaining unit members at the time of their proposed sabbatical.

The deadlines for submission of applications have been made with consideration to allow each school dean adequate time to write a letter of recommendation.

A detailed application, as outlined on the appropriate cover sheet, must be submitted to your school dean by October 1 (of the previous academic year), in order to give your dean appropriate time to write his or her letter of recommendation to the Faculty Resources Committee. The entire packet shall be reviewed by the Faculty Resources Committee, who will make their recommendation to the Provost/SVPAA by the AAUP-UC deadline of October 20th. Notification of approval for sabbatical shall be made no later than November 15th. 

When service/committee responsibilities such as those on the FAC or PDC require continuity of service during the academic year, a single-semester sabbatical precludes participation for the entire year.  It is also expected that sabbatical recipients will return to the University. Recipients of sabbaticals who do not return to the University for at least one full year, shall be obligated to reimburse the College in full for all monies received from the College in support of the leave. As part of the award requirements, a completed Award Assessment/Evaluation Report with full report of sabbatical leave activities, together with any documents or publications, should be submitted upon return to the University.

Mini-Sabbatical
Tenured bargaining unit faculty members are eligible to apply for a one-half load reduction mini-sabbatical for up to two semesters without affecting their full sabbatical status. The application process and criteria shall be the same as the full sabbatical except that the deadline for the application to the Provost (with letter of recommendation from the school dean and FRC) shall be at the mid-point of the semester preceding the affected semester (the start of D2).

Applications for leaves during the Spring 2024 semester must be submitted to your school dean by Monday, October 2, 2023.  Applications for leaves during the Fall 2024 semester must be submitted to your school dean by Monday, March 4, 2024.  These deadlines will give school deans appropriate time to write their letters of recommendation to the Faculty Resources Committee and for the FRC to review and make recommendations to the Provost by the AAUP-UC deadline.

The University shall provide up to three (3) mini-sabbaticals to tenured faculty bargaining unit members per academic year.

Acknowledging that both tenured and as-yet untenured faculty have professional development needs, the University recognizes that a mini-sabbatical may be granted to untenured tenure-track faculty in the fourth, fifth, or sixth year of appointment. Such mini-sabbatical shall consist of a one-half load reduction for up to two semesters at full pay and benefits. In such a case, the benefits, application process and evaluation criteria shall be the same as set forth for tenured faculty members.  Applications are due to your dean by Friday, April 5, 2024. This deadline will give school deans appropriate time to write their letters of recommendation to the Faculty Resources Committee and for the FRC to review and make recommendations to the Provost by the AAUP-UC deadline.

A completed Award Assessment/Evaluation Report is required upon return to the College.

**Please note: Funding and eligibility for all resources listed are subject to change.**