SEC Faculty Travel Grants 2017-18

University of Mississippi faculty may apply for grants to visit other SEC universities through a program sponsored by the SECU academic initiative, and administered at UM for the Provost by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP). The program is intended to enhance faculty collaboration that stimulates scholarly initiatives between SEC universities. It gives faculty members at UM and other SEC universities the opportunity to travel to any another SEC campus to exchange ideas, develop grant proposals, and conduct research.

Guidelines

  • Grants may be requested for between $500 and $1,500 dollars per applicant. UM expects to award between 10 and 15 grants through this program.
  • The travel must occur between August 1, 2017 and July 31, 2018 during some appropriate period such as summer, intersession, a designated university break, or a sabbatical leave.
  • Travel must be to other SEC universities. Travel to off-campus locales like research sites, centers, extension offices, etc. is permissible, provided the sites are affiliated with the host unit or university and related directly to the collaborative endeavor.
  • Travel funds may be used only for the travel-related expenses of the visiting faculty member (e.g., transportation, lodging, meals, etc.).  Grants are not necessarily meant to cover ALL the travel costs but to lessen the financial burden of the faculty member’s travel.
  • Eligible Activities: The visiting faculty member may consult with faculty and/or students, offer lectures or symposia, present a recital, or engage in whatever activities are agreeable to the visitor and host unit.
  • UM Administration of Program: The UM University Research Board (URB) Faculty Travel Committee will evaluate and make recommendations about applications. Priority will be given to applications that demonstrate how the travel will advance scholarship and the faculty member’s career; applications from assistant professors; and applications that demonstrate enthusiasm from the applicant’s Chair or Dean.
  • The program may not be used in conjunction with outside employment, and each UM faculty traveler will be responsible for arranging coverage of any UM duties while traveling.
  • Format: Proposals should include a description of the activities, what the expected benefits will be (research, teaching, scholarship) to UM, the applicant’s career, and/or the larger community; the host institution and unit; a detailed budget and justification, a one short (<125 word) biography of the applicant, and a head shot of the applicant that is exactly 1,500x2,000 pixels in size;  and an invitation letter from a representative of the host institution, outlining expectations for the visit, and if available, the preferred visit dates.
    Proposals should be submitted through the UM InfoReady Reivew Portal at https://olemiss.infoready4.com/. First time InfoReady users will first need to Register for an InfoReady Account by clicking Register at the top right of the Portal.
  • Faculty at other SEC schools wishing to travel to UM should apply through their own institution’s SEC travel grants program.
  • A list of SEC institutions: http://www.secdigitalnetwork.com/SECSPORTS/THESEC/AcademicInitiative.aspx

Important Dates

5/02/2017:           Applications due to through the UM InfoReady Reivew Portal at https://olemiss.infoready4.com/.
5/15/2017:           UM URB committee will review and make preliminary recommendations on which applications to fund, and for how much. One or two alternates may also be selected.

5/22/2017:           ORSP will notify applicants whether their respective applications have been tentatively recommended for funding, and at what amount;
                             Recommended applicants should contact the host unit to request a letter of invitation.
                             The letter should be CCed to both the host institution’s designated point of contact for the SEC Visiting Faculty Travel Grant Program,
                             and UM’s designated point of contact, Dr. Charlotte Fant Pegues (cfant@olemiss.edu).

6/11/2017:           Host invitation letters (if not provided at application time) and finalized applications from recommended applicants due to ORSP (jghale@olemiss.edu).

9/2/2017:              UM will submit the packet list of proposed UM faculty travelers for 2016-17 to the SEC.
7/31/2018:           Latest faculty travel date.
8/15/2018:           Each traveller’s brief visit report due to ORSP (jghale@olemiss.edu). Use this form: http://www.research.olemiss.edu/sites/default/files/SECFacultyTravelProgramParticipationSummary-2016format-template.docx
9/30/2018:           Last day for UM to submit 1-page summary to SEC office describing how previous year’s travel grant was used, including a description of the collaborations.

UM Points of Contact

Mr. Jason Hale                                                                          
Director of Research Resources                                             
ORSP, jghale@olemiss.edu, 662-915-3922                         
for UM faculty questions about qualifications/process         
Secondary UM Contact for SEC visitors to UM

Dr. Donna West Strum
Associate Provost
The University of Mississippi
Lyceum 137
P.O. Box 1848
University, MS  38677-1848
O:  1+662-915-5974 
 
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