Grants
Summer Course Development Grants
Berry College funds summer grants for course development to
encourage faculty members to engage in professional activities during
the summer that will:
(1) greatly enhance courses they teach;
(2)
contribute to the goals and objectives of their department, school, and
college; and
(3) employ teaching initiatives that can serve as a model
for other faculty. It is expected that grants will be used for
initiatives that go well beyond normal levels of preparation for new
course assignments.
The deadline for applying for a Course Development Grant is
February 15. Those who receive grants will have the opportunity to
present the results of their work in the following academic year as part
of the Berry Innovators Series.
Up to three grants of $1,000 each may be awarded.
All full-time, non-temporary faculty holding the rank of
assistant professor, associate professor, and professor are eligible to
participate in the program. Should a faculty member resign before the
start of the next contract year, he/she will automatically relinquish
the grant.
Applications
Applications for summer grants for course development are
due on the nearest working day to February 15 of each year and are
awarded within one month.
Faculty should submit applications through the appropriate
chair of the department and dean of the school which are then forwarded
to the Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence (Dr. Mary Clement, Cook 249, School of Education).
Faculty members may not receive a summer grant for course
development in the same year that she or he has received a summer
stipend, nor may they receive faculty development grants for this
identical project.
Unlike summer stipends, faculty members may apply for summer
grants for course development every summer. However, priority will be
given to faculty who have not previously been funded with this grant in
the past three years.
Only one summer grant for course development is available
per project. Teaching initiatives involving more than one faculty member
may only receive one grant, though group/team projects are certainly
encouraged to apply.
Criteria
The following criteria will be used by the Center for
Teaching Excellence and the CTE Advisory Committee to make a competitive
evaluation of the potential value of the various applications:
- Will significant effort be required, either to develop a
new course or to revamp an existing one?
- Will the course be strengthened as a result of the grant
award, and will the applicant be a better teacher?
- Will the project strengthen the academic goals and
objectives of the department, school, and college?
- Will the project serve as a model for other faculty
initiatives?
Members of the CTE Advisory Committee are eligible to apply for
summer grants for course development, but must recuse themselves when
their proposals are considered. The director of the Center for Teaching
Excellence is not eligible for a summer grant.
Grants are awarded for the effort required for course
development over the summer, not to purchase resources for a course.
Proposals should contain clear and specific information
about the project, alternate sources of funding, and the expected
results of the grant on one's teaching.
The committee evaluates applications and makes
recommendations to the provost regarding funding.
Application forms are available in the office of the provost
and the Center for Teaching Excellence.
Faculty who receive a grant must file a report detailing
project activity and outcomes to the office of the provost during the
following fall semester. Also, recipients will be expected to share
their efforts with other faculty at a brownbag discussion or workshop
the following academic year.