What is offered

One-time funding aimed at expanding the offerings in the College of the Environment in creative directions that are attractive to students and thus sustainable under the rules of Activity Based Budgeting (ABB).

We’re looking for proposals that

  • are interdisciplinary and cross-unit (no single unit proposals please)
  • will expand undergraduate or graduate program(s) in measurable terms (e.g., Student Credit Hours and graduates)
  • will cross-fertilize student/faculty cultures across units
  • have real financial buy-in (paying for faculty, TAs, lab coordinator) from participating units (that is, entire project is not paid for by the College Dean’s Office)
  • are innovative and push creative boundaries
  • are/can become sustainable, including but not limited to:
  • one-time investment is really all that is needed
  • leads to enough ABB resources in the 1-3 year timeline to pay for itself

This funding could be used for (among other things)

  • a TA so a course can be expanded to serve another unit that requires it
  • a part-time student services person to dial up a minor or certificate that will return enrollment and/or major funds through ABB
  • skills or in-practice short course for grad students that will have LOTS of buzz and move a degree or certificate program forward
  • brainiac summer program for gifted high school students linked to an existing or to-be-developed major

This funding is not likely to be given to units requesting

  • additional TAs for existing in-major courses
  • single unit proposals
  • boutique (e.g., highly expensive experiential learning for a small group of students) programs that are unlikely to be sustainably funded in future

How much can you get?

  • maximum of $35K per project
  • no unit can be involved in more than $50K of funded requests

We expect to hand out

at least 10 awards, with 1-2 at the high end, and the remaining 7-12 at the lower end (e.g., funding for a TA).

What do we need from you?

Short letter from proposing units that includes:

  • the dollar amount of funding requested
  • time period/quarter for which the funding is requested
  • the proposed use and how it will benefit the unit and/or college
  • how this proposal meets the specifics of points 1-6 above (especially points 2 and 6)
  • details of the funding request, broken down by major spending categories
  • letter must come from chairs and directors or individual faculty with the endorsement of the relevant chairs and directors

Who makes the decisions?

Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, in consultation with the Dean’s Office Senior Staff.