Frequently Asked Questions
ASPIRE RESEARCH ENHANCEMENT GRANTS
College of Liberal Arts Faculty Research Fund Support Program
Q. Will the ASPIRE program replace current annual CLA contributions to department travel funds for faculty?
A. No, the ASPIRE program is meant to provide additional funds and opportunities. It will provide for additional travel and research beyond what is currently available to faculty through their departmental allowances and the annual CLA faculty travel allocation.
Q. Can faculty apply to ASPIRE for publication fees required by open access journals?
A. Yes, Faculty may apply for ASPIRE to cover or offset publication fees associated with selective, high quality, open access publications that contribute to their scholarly profile and enhance their visibility in their fields.
Q. The ASPIRE document states that applications have different limits depending on rank and other criteria. Is there any flexibility in the number of ASPIRE applications faculty may submit each year?
A. Yes, there is flexibility and requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Faculty members who have additional compelling research or travel needs should apply.
Q. Are graduate students eligible to apply for the ASPIRE program?
A. No. Faculty members may apply to ASPIRE for funding to support their collaborative research with graduate students or to fund travel by a graduate student to present the co-authored work. Doing so will count towards the faculty limit of ASPIRE applications. Graduate students are eligible for PROMISE funding.
Q. Can Department Heads apply to ASPIRE?
A. Yes, Department Heads are encouraged to apply to ASPIRE. Their applications will not compete with those of faculty members.
Q. Are faculty eligible to apply to ASPIRE if they have travel, start up or other research funds available to them?
A. Faculty may apply for the ASPIRE program if they have additional expenses that will not be covered by departmental travel, research or start up funds. Faculty will not be penalized for having external support for a project. If they can justify the need for additional funds, it will be considered as a legitimate request. The application will include a statement that says any existing start up or research funds are obligated for other purposes.
Q. Will mid or late year applications to ASPIRE be less likely to be funded?
A. We will be monitoring the program closely to make sure late submissions are not disadvantaged. We will continue to monitor the program; depending on the level of demand we may need to make modest changes.
Q. What will the role of Department Heads be in the applications?
A. Department Heads will review and provide an electronic signature as an endorsement that the request is worthy of support. They will review for any applicable department requirements. Department may have criteria in addition to CLA requirements so applicants should check with Departments before applying.
Q. Who is reviewing and approving the applications?
A. Applications will be reviewed by the the Department Head and the Associate Dean for Research for compliance with grant requirements and proposal merit.