SUMMER FACULTY/STUDENT

SCRIBNER-MELLON SCHOLAR RESEARCH PROGRAM

Summer 2007

CLOSING DATE: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2007

PROGRAM

The Summer Faculty/Student Scribner-Mellon Scholar Research Program, initially funded in part by the W. W. Keck Foundation and now funded by the Mellon Foundation, enables teams of Skidmore faculty and first-year students to engage in significant projects over a ten-week period during the summer, beginning at the end of May. The project should be closely related to the faculty member's curricular, pedagogical, scholarly, or creative interests and should be planned and executed by the student and faculty member working together. Projects should ensure good student learning outcomes.

Projects:

o May be collaborative but could also include other kinds of mentoring experiences including guided independent study
o May advance the research agenda of the faculty member
o May be student initiated

The project should be defined in such a way as to permit completion of a substantial portion of the project by the end of the ten-week period. Each team will give an oral report on the planned project, explaining goals and methods, early in the period; participate in a discussion about the Summer Faculty/Student Scribner-Mellon Scholar Research Program in early July; and submit a final report, demonstration, poster show, or other appropriate activity on progress and achievements at the close. A final written report is due from both the student and faculty member no later than September 15. Scribner-Mellon Scholars will also give an oral report or other appropriate activity in November of the sophomore year.

AWARDS

1. Each faculty participant will be given a stipend of $3,000.
   
2. Each first-year student participant will be paid $2,500 and receive free room and board at the campus. Because the program emphasizes the sharing of ideas and experiences, students are strongly urged to live on campus. In exceptional circumstances, students may be granted permission by the Faculty Development Committee and/or the Associate Dean of the Faculty to live off campus (in such cases the students will have to provide for their own housing). Whether living on or off campus, students are expected to participate in all Faculty/Student Summer Research group activities.
   
3. Faculty/student teams may apply for funds to pay for the costs of travel to libraries and/or sites that will advance the goals of the research project (not more than $3000).
   
4. Faculty may apply for funds to purchase supplies and equipment of modest cost (not more than $750). Faculty may also request funds to pay for the costs of travel to conferences where faculty/student teams will report the results of their research or further costs of printed publication. The FDC budget for such costs is limited and faculty are urged to use departmental funds as well to help pay for their costs.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Faculty/Student teams wishing to participate in the Summer Faculty/Student Scribner-Mellon Scholar Research Program should submit an application to the Office of the First-Year Experience by FEBRUARY 12, 2007. The Director of the First-Year Experience will recommend which proposals to fund to the the Faculty Development Committee, which will communicate its selection of funded proposals to all applicants prior to spring break. The application should consist of the following clearly marked components:

1. the names of the student and faculty team members. Indicate if either has participated in the Summer Faculty/Student Research Program before, and if so, when;
   
2. the title of the project;
   
3. a brief description or abstract of the project (125 words maximum) written in a fashion comprehensible to non specialists;
   
4. a statement of the goals, proposed activities, and format of the final outcome (e.g., journal article, exhibit, website, conference presentation, etc.);
   
5. a brief description of the working relationship of the student and faculty member that specifies how the experience benefits the student’s educational, professional, and/or creative goals;
   
6. an itemized budget, listing the costs of equipment and supplies needed to complete the project; if the team decides to apply for travel funds, the application should include a detailed rationale for the travel and an itemized list of requested funds;
   
7. a complete description of the project in language accessible to the non-specialist (1500 words maximum);
   
8. a signed description of project responsibilities written by the student;
   
9. signatures of both the faculty and student applicants.

ONLINE APPLICATION Cover Page:
http://www.skidmore.edu/administration/dof/fac-dev/FDC-Forms/ScribnerMellonFundingAppl.pdf

CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

1. Each proposal will be judged on the merits of the project, its feasibility, the clarity of presentation and the nature of student learning.
   
2. Projects which have the potential for generating continuing work of an intellectually stimulating nature after the ten-week period has ended will be favored.
   
3. Where proposals are equivalent in merit, selection of proposals will favor distribution of grants across the largest possible number of disciplines.
   
4. In general, proposals from faculty who will return to the College for the 2007-08 academic year will be given priority over proposals from other faculty.
   
5. This program is available to only those teams that apply to the First-Year Experience, which will forward the applications to the Faculty Development Committee.
   
6. Teams will be selected by the Associate Dean of the Faculty following recommendation by the Director of the First-Year Experience and the Faculty Development Committee.

CONDITIONS

1. Other summer commitments that either the student or the faculty member may have must not interfere with the demands of this program. Please note that during the grant period students may not enroll in summer school since they are expected to commit to the project a minimum of 35 – 40 hours per week. The collaborative work schedule shall be the priority over all other commitments and will be determined in consultation with the faculty mentor. Students may not stay on campus beyond the ten-week period for which they have been funded. Faculty members are discouraged from teaching in summer school or participating in any other grant program during the grant period.
   
2. Teams are expected to be present for the three summer group sessions and the November presentation unless prior arrangements have been made with the Associate Dean of the Faculty and the Director of the First-Year Experience when the awards are accepted – for example, a proposed research trip coincides with one of the sessions.
   
3. The applications which are funded may be placed in a file accessible to the public, foundations, media, and future applicants.
   
4. Teams may be asked to participate in programs where they can present reports of their work from the summer to the larger Skidmore community during the succeeding academic year.
   
5. Work submitted for publication or public presentation should acknowledge the role of the Skidmore College Summer Faculty/Student Scribner-Mellon Scholar Research Program funded in part by the W. W. Keck Foundation and the Mellon Foundation.
   
6. A FINAL REPORT must be submitted to the Office of the Dean of the Faculty and the Office of the First-Year Experience by September 15 immediately following the summer the research project occurred. Faculty members must submit one report for each award. Failure to file a final report may result in advances being treated as taxable income and will disqualify participants from future grant opportunities.

The Final Report, submitted online, will consist of the following:

1. An itemized expense form and receipts for expenditures that supported the work of the project.
   
2. A brief written summary. The final report forms can be found at:
   
   FACULTY Final Report: http://www.skidmore.edu/administration/dof/fac-dev/FDC-Forms/SM-FacFinalRpt.htm
   
   STUDENT Final Report: http://www.skidmore.edu/administration/dof/fac-dev/FDC-Forms/SM-StuFinalRpt.htm
   
3. All materials and/or equipment purchased with the aid of grant funding become the property of Skidmore College when the funded project is completed.
   

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