Funding and Support

The College is committed to nurturing and supporting our researchers, scholars, and artists by providing opportunities for professional growth and development and rewarding excellence in research, scholarship, and creative activity.

Programs for Faculty

A&S Program for Intensive Research

Recognizing that assistant professors would benefit from adequate time to complete research projects crucial to their tenure and promotion, the College of Arts and Sciences offers a workload adjustment program called ASPIRE: A&S Program for Intensive Research. Untenured professors who meet several expectations for performance and are making good progress toward tenure are eligible for a one-semester assignment of 100 percent research in their third year at the University.

Interested faculty are encouraged to talk to their chairs about ASPIRE requirements and timing.

College Academy of Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity

Each year College faculty can apply for funding through our College Academy of Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity (CARSCA), which supports faculty involved in innovative projects. CARSCA funding recipients present their work at an annual conference held on campus.

Grant-Writing Workshops

Interested tenured and tenure-track faculty members may apply to join a 15-month grant-writing training program with external-funding expert David G. Bauer. At the successful completion of the program, each participant will have researched, drafted, and submitted a proposal for funding.

Publisher-in-Residence Program

The College offers all faculty members a way to enhance their publishing opportunities through the Publisher-in-Residence Program, a one-year training program with well-known publishing expert George F. Thompson. At the successful completion of the program, each participant will have researched, drafted, and submitted a proposal for a book or have submitted a series of related articles, as appropriate to each academic field.

Programs for Students

Undergraduate Research Funding

Students and their faculty mentors may apply for funding through the A&S Support for Undergraduate Research program (ASSURE). Students who receive UCRA funds present their work at the University’s annual Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Conference; they are also encouraged to present their work at regional, national, and international conferences.

Graduate Support

The College of Arts and Sciences provides supplemental conference and research funding for graduate students. The process starts at the department level, with students submitting their travel requests to their departments by the communicated deadline; departments may then submit requests to the College for additional support. For more information about conference and research funding for graduate students, visit the Graduate School’s website.