Research and Scholarship
A variety of offices, departments, programs, and committees support faculty research and development. The following overview aims to help faculty plan ahead for internal funding opportunities. Faculty should wait until calls for proposals are issued before submitting applications.
College-wide Conference Travel
The College provides support towards attendance at one conference per year for all full-time and adjunct faculty. The Dean's Office will fund a flat $1,600 toward the cost of presenting at a national conference and $750 toward the cost of attending a national conference. Each spring, the departmental assistants collect faculty requests. Divisional Executive Committees accept requests for support for second conferences.
Each of the three divisions has approximately $80,000 to allocate for their faculty's research and development. Generally, proposals are accepted early in the academic year for research & development activities that will take place that academic year or the following summer. Typically, the call is issued via email in the fall, with the deadline at the beginning of Block 3.
The College supports several grants for summer research and scholarship including the Mrachek Fellowship Program and the DOF Summer Research Grant. These grants provide $4800 to underwrite scholarly travel, equipment, books, or other similar expenses and have different eligibility requirements. Typically, the call is issued via email in Block 6, with the deadline in Block 7.
Faculty-Student Collaborative Research Grants
Grants for faculty who involve students in the faculty member's research activities and provide these students with a first-hand research experience as undergraduates. The grant pays $5400 to the students for a nine-week commitment. Faculty mentors receive up to $500 for research expenses. Typically, the call is issued via email in Block 5, with the deadline in Block 6.
The Dean's Office and the Asian Studies Program have established a research fund for ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï faculty who participate in a variety of Asian-related activities. Through the terms of the Gaylord Endowment for Pacific Areas Studies, the Dean's Office and the Asian Studies Program support projects in or about countries/regions that touch on the Pacific Ocean. Typically, the call is issued via email and in the faculty digest in Block 2, with the deadline in Block 3. There is often a second call in block 6 with a deadline near or during spring break. In both fall and spring, after reviewing proposals, funding recommendations are put forward by an Asian Studies ad hoc faculty committee, but these decisions are then finalized through the Dean's office. Feel free to e-mail the Director of the Asian Studies program should you have any questions.
Each fall, tenure-track faculty, lecturers, and regular, part-time faculty are invited by the Dean to apply for a faculty development block to be awarded for the following academic year. The block of release time is intended to support faculty research and scholarship. Approximately four to six are awarded each year. Typically, the call is issued via email in Block 1, with the deadline in Block 2.
Early each fall, the Dean of the Faculty will invite eligible faculty to apply for a sabbatical leave in the following academic year. Proposals will be reviewed by the Faculty Research and Development Board. Faculty may choose full-year or half-year sabbatical leaves - an eight-block leave at 5/9th salary or a four-block leave at full salary. Typically, the call is issued via email in Block 1, with the deadline in Block 2.
The Crown Faculty Center offers a number of initiatives to support and promote productive scholarship at CC. The Manuscript Workshops bring together a CC faculty member and up to three experts in their field for an intensive two-day seminar discussing and revising the faculty member's manuscript. Typically, the call is issued via email in Block 5, with the deadline at the beginning of Block 7.
Named for Helen Jackson, the grandniece of Helen Hunt Jackson, Jackson Fellowship grants provide support to ºÚÁÏ³Ô¹Ï faculty involved in scholarship or course development on themes with southwestern content. The program is funded by the Helen Jackson and William S. Jackson Family Endowment. The call is typically issued via email in Block 5 with a deadline in Block 6.
The SEGway Program ("Spurring/Supporting External Grants") is designed to position faculty to be more competitive for external funding; to assist faculty who have been awarded external grants, often through required or voluntary matching grants; and to invest in the College's research environment. Funding decisions are made by the SEGway Committee, represented by each of the divisions. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
Sheffer Fund for Roman Catholic Studies
The Paul Frederick Sheffer Fund for Roman Catholic Studies awards grants to students and faculty for travel/study and social justice projects, provides library materials, funds internships with Roman Catholic agencies of community service, and supports visiting lecturers and block visitors. A portion of the fund is administered by the Department of Religion to support Religion faculty and students whose projects are related to their work in the Department. The remainder of the fund is administered by the Provost's Office with the help of the Sheffer Fund Advisory Committee. The committee has representatives from the Religion Department, faculty outside of the Religion Department, the student body, the Colorado Springs Diocese, and the Chaplain of the College. The Sheffer Fund Advisory Committee offers six deadlines a year: the first Monday of Blocks 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 at 5 p.m.
Student Research Funding from Natural Sciences Executive Committee
Typically in Block 6, the Natural Sciences Executive Committee issues a call for proposals from faculty for support from the Taber Fund ($500 for student conference travel), the Lindeman Fund (student research fellowship in chemistry or physics), and the Dille Fund (for a research fellowship for a student wishing to pursue a career in secondary education in a STEM field). The deadline is typically in early Block 7.
Figge-Bourquin Summer Research Award
The Figge and Bourquin endowments are dedicated to supporting students who plan on careers in the medical profession (i.e., pre-health students) or those who are furthering the medical disciplines. Not every research project needs to be medical in nature since research experiences in other fields are beneficial to pre-health students. Typically, the call is issued via email by the Health Professions Advisory Committee in Block 5, with the deadline in Block 6.
Kresge Science Initiative Fund
The Kresge Science Initiative Fund supports the replacement of science equipment, new equipment, and, to a limited extent, the maintenance of equipment. Chairs of the Natural Science Departments, including Chemistry, Geology, Mathematics, and Computer Science, Molecular Biology, Organismal Biology and Ecology, Physics, and Psychology and Neuroscience are invited to submit proposals to the Dean's Office. Typically, the call is issued via email in Block 3, with the deadline in Block 4. Contact Dale Willson, Assistant to the Dean of Faculty, for more information.