Guidelines for Administration, Application, Distribution and Reporting of State Appropriated Research and Professional Development Funds

Procedure Administrator: Associate Provost

Authority: N.J.S.A. 18A:64-8

Effective Date: June 6, 1977, June 21, 2010; March 20, 2023

Index Cross-References: Policy I-52.2: Research and Professional Development

Procedure File Number: 1095

Approved By: Dr. Harvey Kesselman, President

I. PURPOSE:

1. To provide guidelines for (1) the general administration of development funds to insure their most effective uses, (2) the application of eligible persons and
   programs for development funds, (3) the distribution of development funds to the most qualified applicants and most worthy programs, and (4) the reporting of activities and programs supported by development funds.

2. To encourage the design and implementation of individual and collective research and development activities/projects which have the potential to lead to outside funding and will serve to expand individual scholarship and professional skills, provide means for developing innovative instructional programs, and support University-wide initiatives.

II. PROCEDURE:

A. Research and Professional Development Programs

1. Research and Professional Development Projects of faculty and staff that are designed to expand areas of knowledge, improve professional skills in teaching, improve effectiveness of existing programs, explore and propose new approaches, develop creative works, and become better prepared for seeking outside funding.
   

2. Innovative Pedagogical/Curriculum Development that are aimed at the substantial revision of existing programs and curricula and/or designed to create new programs and curricula.
   

3. University-wide initiatives that could be advanced through support for focused program/activities.

B. Applicants.

1. Individual faculty who have or will have a contract for the coming academic
   year are eligible for support.

2. Faculty and staff may propose a joint project/activity.

3. No member of the Research and Professional Development Committee shall apply for a funding program reviewed by the Committee during their term.
   

C. Review of Proposals

1. The University President is the final approval officer for funds authorized and allocated as part of the development program. In reviewing proposals for approval, the President shall receive the written recommendations of the Deans’ Council and the Provost.

2. The Committee on Research and Professional Development will review all proposals for eligible Research and Professional Development Programs under Section II. A, 1, 2 and 3 above. The Committee's role is to make critical evaluations of the intrinsic merits of proposals to use limited financial resources most wisely and to provide reasonable assurances as to the quality of proposals, including whether the applicant is qualified to carry out the project, the likelihood that the project will be completed with intended outcomes, and the appropriateness of the project methods.

3. The Committee does not as part of its review of proposals consider whether an applicant can be released from teaching or other duties, whether devotion to a project will otherwise detract from the applicant's primary responsibilities, or whether other faculty can be used to cover teaching or other duties. Such considerations will be addressed by the appropriate Deans or supervisor, Divisional Executives, and the President.

4. The composition and election of Committee members and Chair are set forth in the Constitution of the Faculty Senate or any superseding faculty governance body.
   

D. Types of Proposals

1. Research and Professional Development Projects. Faculty and staff requesting assistance for Research and Professional Development Projects must complete and submit an application and proposal to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs for distribution to the Committee on Research and Professional Development. Proposals must adhere to the requirements for Proposal Content, specified in the Internal Award Program Guidelines which are available from the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
   

   All applications must be signed by the applicant’s Dean or supervisor.

   Applicants are strongly advised to discuss their proposals before submission with their Dean or supervisors, as well as with members of the Committee, in order to benefit from constructive criticism.
   

   The Committee shall forward its recommendation on an application to the Provost. The Provost will discuss applications with the Deans’ Council, may add comments and will include their recommendation. Following a final conference with the Chair of the Committee on Research and Professional Development, the Provost will forward all comments and recommendations to the University President. The Provost shall inform the applicant of their decision within 20 calendar days of receipt of the President’s recommendations, with a copy to the Committee on Research and Professional Development and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
   

   In the October following the end date of the funding period, each recipient is expected to submit a written report to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and their Dean or supervisor describing the progress and outcomes that resulted from the funding.
   

   Research and Professional Development Projects shall be defined to include one or more of the following: (1) released time for the purposes of conducting research or undertaking professional development projects, but not including thesis or dissertation completion or courses; (2) financial support for research and/or professional development projects including, but not limited to, travel directly related to specific projects, purchase of materials and supplies, student assistants, printing and making art; (3) stipends for grant proposal writing for a major project such as expensive equipment for research or directly related to the improvement of teaching, or in support of a University-wide initiative; (4) contract payments to consultants or companies for technical and/or professional services rendered in connection with a project; (5) financial support, including stipends, for time spent conducting research projects and development activities, usually designed specifically for the period during the summer; (6) costs of organizing, hosting, and summarizing the results of conferences/symposia; (7) expenses such as salary differentials, entailed by faculty/staff temporary internships and exchanges with other institutions; and (8) costs of equipment and supplies needed for the introduction of new streams of research.
   

2. University-wide Initiatives. This category of funding is intended to provide for the development of activities which have a substantial institutional impact and to focus specific resources on program developments intended to enhance institutional vitality in a slow/no growth environment.
   

3. Research and Educational Equipment and Materials. Proposals that anticipate acquisition of substantial amounts of and/or substantial expenditures for equipment and materials for a research program or curricular development. Development funds in this category are intended to provide for the extraordinary support of existing and new programs/activities which have long-term value to the University, but could not be pursued from regular annual support sources.

E. Review of Proposals

1. The Committee promotes an annual colloquium on Research and Professional Development projects funded by the University. Recipients
   of grants will be expected to present their conclusions at sessions of the colloquium.

2. The Chair of the Committee on Research and Professional Development shall prepare and submit annually a report on its activities, including any reports made to the Committee and any observations about future committee activities and/or concerns to the Provost and to the President.

3. Guidelines and application materials are available on the webpage of the University’s.

Review History:

Date

Procedure Administrator 07/22/2022

Deans 08/15/2022

AA Leadership 08/19/2022

Faculty Senate 12/16/2022

Divisional Executive 12/22/2022

General Counsel 03/03/2023

Cabinet 03/16/2023

President 03/20/2023