Monthly Archives: October 2017

Leave requests due Oct. 27

Any and all faculty who are considering one-semester (Assigned Research Appointment) or full-year (Faculty Improvement Leave) leaves for the 2018-19 academic year need to submit materials to me by the end of business October 27. From the dean’s office, on process:

Like last year, I would like to ask that the leave requester add a 50 – 60 word abstract to the beginning of their 1-3 page summary of their request. They also need to attach their vita and a leave report if they have been granted one in the last 10 years. Please make sure that any of your faculty applying for leave are aware of the new abstract requirement.

The leave request form can be found on the Academic Personnel website in the forms library (Leaves & Time Off).

Faculty who are considering a leave request should consult with me prior to developing your request. Note that I need to ensure that a leave can be accommodated, and rank these when sending them to the dean. A brief discussion with each of those submitting will not only allow me to do so, but also to help you determine the best way to use this opportunity to maximize your professional development.

 

FYRE open house and 18-19 course planning

Next Friday, October 20, 11:30 – 1:30 in King Library (AIS), the ORU is holding an open house for faculty who would like to consider offering a FYRE section for next academic year. FYRE involves a two-course sequence (UNV 171/172; 2 cr. ea.) that introduces students to the research process through authentic research experiences. The schedule for the event follows:

11:30    Complimentary lunch

11:45    Student/faculty panel

12:45    FYRE poster session

The department is able to support one faculty member to offer a section (each semester) next year as part of a regular teaching load, and I would really like to see PSY continue to be involved in this initiative. Project expenses are also covered (within reasonable limits), and there is the potential for partial GA support as well. Please let me know if you are interested in pursuing this further. Jenn Quinn, Robin Thomas, and I have all offered this “new version” of FYRE since its inception and can also provide feedback to faculty who might be interested.

OER workshop and stipend

From Anna Liss, our social sciences librarian:

Open Educational Resources (OER) help alleviate the burden of textbook costs for students and provide faculty with content that can be customized to their courses. Open textbooks are full, tangible textbooks, used by many faculty across the country, and licensed to be freely used, edited and distributed.

Miami University faculty are eligible for a $200 stipend toward their efforts in exploring open textbook options for one of their courses! Here’s how it works…

  1. Apply for a space in the upcoming “OER Explore” workshop on Monday, Oct. 23, 3:00 – 5:00pm in King Library—During this two-hour session you will learn more about open textbooks resources. Capacity is limited, and preference will be based on OTL textbook subject area availability. Those selected to participate in this initiative will be notified by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 20. Apply here.
  2. After participating in the workshop, write a review of one of the open textbooks found in the Open Textbook Library (OTL).

Please note that you must complete both steps in order to receive the $200 stipend. In an effort to promote wide-spread participation in this initiative, those faculty who participated in previous OER Explore Grant Workshops will not be eligible to participate in this cycle.

If you have questions about this workshop or open textbooks in general, please contact Carla Myers, Coordinator of Scholarly Communications, at 513-529-3935 or myersc2@miamioh.edu.

Undergraduate Research Awards due Oct. 16

There are two rounds for the URA program, the first of which is upcoming next Monday, October 16 and intended for student research projects to be conducted during winter term or spring semester. Students are responsible for submitting the awards, but require faculty endorsement. Successful proposals involve the faculty member’s input throughout the process. Awards are typically around $300 – $500 but may range up to $1,000 for those involving multiple students and/or exceptional merit. A faculty member may sponsor up to 4 submissions per cycle.

Please read the guidelines here and contact Martha Weber in the ORU if you have any questions.

2017 Lilly Conference at Miami

Miami is host each year to the premier conference on college teaching, the Lilly Conference. The 37th annual conference will be held in the Armstrong Student Center, November 16-19.  Registration for Miami faculty is only $50, and is free for Miami graduate students and those currently participating in FLCs (including NFTEP).

Important new guidelines for grant proposals

As most of you are aware, Anne Schauer is currently the only staff available to assist with proposal submissions in OARS. This places an extreme burden on her and she is asking for your help. If you are considering a grant proposal submission you should let Anne know asap, especially those upcoming (e.g. R03, R15, and R21 all due this month).

You should also be aware that she will require a minimum 10 days advance notice of intents to submit, and a minimum of 5 days lead time for receipt of all materials prior to a submission deadline. These are not to be taken lightly and I have asked Anne to notify me of any faculty who disregard these deadlines. Please respect Anne’s position and help her to help you.

Knox Distinguished Teaching Award nominations due

Nominations are being solicited for the E. Phillips Knox Distinguished Teaching Award, one of the highest teaching honors at Miami. It recognizes “creative, innovative, and engaging teaching methods at the undergraduate level.” We have many deserving colleagues doing some great things in the classroom that I hope you might consider. Nominations are due to CTE by October 15.

CUR undergrad travel awards

The Psychology Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research (ORU) has travel awards up to $200 for regional or national conferences for your students. Faculty must be the ones to submit for the awards, and the students submit a report after the meeting. The deadline is October 15 (for conferences thru February). Note there will be another call with a February 15 deadline for spring meetings.

Regional undergrad research conference

IUPUC is hosting the Conference on Undergraduate Research in Psychology in Columbus, IN, November 15, 2017. The submission deadline is October 15, 2017, and registration deadline Nov. 1. This might be a nice opportunity if anyone has students from the area, needs an excuse to visit Bloomington, or even for graduate recruiting.

By the way, our own OUPRC will be upcoming in Columbus, OH (Ohio Dominican; April 28).

Apply for CFR grants, deadline Oct. 20

The major faculty research grant cycle is open, including summer research appointments, grad assistantships, and small grants. I would encourage everyone to consider these if you don’t already and are currently eligible (you may only receive one every four years). From the Faculty Senate Committee on Faculty Research, by way of OARS:

The Faculty Research Grants Program encourages proposals addressing new avenues of research and scholarship either for the investigator or for the institution, initiating new projects and pilot studies, or testing novel or transformative research/creative ideas. The deadline for applying for the CFR Program is 5:00 p.m. Friday, October 20, 2017. Awards generally are announced in December. All continuing tenure-eligible or tenured faculty are eligible.

In particular, there is an important update starting with this funding cycle:

In keeping with broader university-wide diversity and inclusion efforts, a portion of available funds will be reserved for research, scholarship, or creative activities in the areas of social justice, human rights, diversity, and inclusion. Proposals in these areas must address a scholarly question that will lead to testable objectives or measurable outcomes. Regular eligibility criteria and applications procedures, as outlined in the CFR Program Guidelines, apply.