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The University of Iowa

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Faculty Handbook

Faculty Development Program - Policies and Procedures 

See also: Faculty Development Program Forms and Instructions; Faculty Development Deadlines

On this page:

General Principles

Department and Faculty Assistance. The University of Iowa's Faculty Development Programs depend on faculty cooperation, program planning, and judicious use of limited funds. Departments and faculty should recognize developmental activities as a normal part of a productive faculty member's academic work that enhances instructional and general academic effectiveness. Faculty development activities presume a commitment on the part of all faculty and departments to coordinate their instructional, departmental, and developmental activities to optimize the allocation of departmental and university resources.

Preservation of Instructional Programs. To endure, a system of developmental activities must preserve and enhance the integrity and strength of instructional programs at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Ensuring that students' needs are met fully and that their programs of study are not diminished, obstructed, or delayed is a primary objective and responsibility of faculty and departments. Faculty developmental activities, if planned appropriately, assist rather than conflict with this objective.

Eligible Participants. All regular faculty (i.e., tenure- or clinical-track assistant, associate, and full professors with part- or full-time appointments) are eligible to participate in the University's development programs. Special eligibility requirements associated with the individual programs are described with each program. If there is a question about eligibility, faculty are encouraged to seek clarification from the Office of the Provost.

Required Approvals. Applications for all Faculty Development Programs require departmental executive officers' (DEOs')[1] and deans' signatures. These signatures certify that (1) the applicant meets the requirements for the given program, (2) the proposal merits support, (3) acceptance of the award in an individual case will not impair the instructional activities of the department, (4) the proposal is consonant with the University’s strategic plan, and (5) the application follows the requested format.

Merit Considerations. All faculty development programs are competitive, with recipients chosen on the basis of the quality of their proposals. Because funds for faculty replacements and other needs related to the Faculty Development Programs are extremely limited, the determination of fund recipients is based strictly on considerations of the applicant's achievements and the potential promise of the proposed activity.  Purely mechanical considerations such as faculty rank, length of service, and number of publications will not be used to define merit. When merit considerations yield more potential recipients for an award than is feasible, the degree to which the project furthers the strategic plan of the University (e.g., increasing interdisciplinary interaction) and considerations to distribute awards across colleges, departments, and programs will be primary in determining the final selection of candidates.

General Criteria for Evaluating Faculty Activities. Proposals for University-supported faculty development awards are evaluated by advisory committees appointed by the College or by the Provost. In every case, the evaluation focuses on the quality and potential of the proposal and on the past productivity and achievements of the applicant, taking into account both years of previous academic experience and practices characterizing the applicant's field of study. Proposals will be evaluated against the criteria listed below. Therefore, faculty are encouraged to consider these criteria when developing proposals and preparing applications for developmental activities.

1. Scholarly, artistic, or clinical/technical merit of the activities proposed.

  1. Value of the project, including its originality and potential contribution.
  2. Adequacy and feasibility of the project in relation to the length of the developmental award period.
  3. Clarity and completeness of the proposal, including readability by a layperson and references to relevant scholarship.
  4. Project's potential for contributing to the faculty member's professional development.
  5. Potential for disseminating and/or applying anticipated achievements through publications, presentations, and development of curricular and instructional activities.
  6. Likelihood the project will contribute to the quality of the University and to the implementation of departmental, collegiate, and University strategic plans.

2. Scholarly, artistic, or clinical productivity of the applicant.

  1. Quality of professional products, in relation to field and years of academic service.
  2. Quantity of professional products, in relation to field and years of academic service.
  3. Consistency of professional productivity, in relation to years of academic service.
  4. Quality and quantity of work supported by previous UI developmental awards.

3. Other academic achievements and contributions.

  1. Awards, fellowships, grants, offices, and other honors earned.
  2. Consultantships, editorial assignments, review assignments, and other invitations that imply peer recognition.
  3. Conferences, displays, guest lectures, and other professional contributions.
  4. Special assignments, offices, and services performed for The University of Iowa and other outside agencies and associations.

In evaluating proposals and applicants, evaluation committees and administrators also (1) consider the professional practices and traditions of each applicant's field, (2) treat applicants from fields with earlier or later promotion and tenure practices neither less nor more favorably than other faculty, and (3) recognize that the relative value of a smaller number of comprehensive and lengthy publications compared to a larger number of relatively brief, narrowly focused publications is a matter determined in part by the traditions of the field of study.

Components of Instruction. In evaluating proposals for improving instruction, the University recognizes the following as major components:

  1. Instructional content, materials, and procedures.
  2. Procedures for evaluating student learning.
  3. Departmental support of and expressed need for curriculum development.
  4. Relationship between proposed projects and courses currently or formerly taught.

Announcements of Opportunities and Award Recipients. The Provost annually announces the developmental opportunities available to faculty along with the procedures and deadlines governing each such opportunity. These announcements are circulated to all faculty through DEOs and deans, and are published in the fyi. This information also is continually available on this web site, which is updated on a regular basis. Following the review and evaluation of proposals submitted for each developmental program, the Provost forwards recommended proposals to the Board of Regents and notifies recipients following Board approval.

Departmental Support for Faculty Development. In addition to the University-wide programs for faculty development, each department contributes to the professional development of its faculty. Departments budget funds to enhance faculty inquiry, instruction, and creative activity not associated with leaves of absence. Materials, supplies, clerical assistance, travel, and visiting lecturers are some of the ways departments provide developmental support to faculty.

Assistance in Obtaining Non-University Support. The Division of Sponsored Programs provides a variety of facilities to aid faculty members in acquiring financial support from foundations, government agencies, and other non-University sources. That office provides consultative services, a resource library of information about research grants, and application forms for such grants.

Faculty are advised to seek assistance from their DEO and the Division of Sponsored Programs when preparing proposals and related budgets for non-University agencies. This consultation is necessary (1) to ensure that proposed costs are accurately determined and (2) to obtain required University approval before a proposal is submitted to an agency.

[1] For departmentalized colleges   [back to text]

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Career Development Awards (formerly Semester Assignments)

Nature and Purpose. The program of career development awards (formerly semester assignments) is the heart of the University's Faculty Development Program. This is a competitive program designed to encourage scientific inquiry, research, artistic creation, clinical/technical expertise, and innovation in teaching. Each career development award is expected to result in one or more products for dissemination through publication, exhibit, professional performance, or instruction. Faculty members may receive career development awards at regular intervals, provided their proposals are judged worthy of support. It is emphasized that career development awards are awarded in recognition of the faculty member's accomplishments and potential in teaching and research, creative, or clinical activity.

Career development awards are meant primarily to enhance the research and creative scholarship, art, clinical expertise, and instructional activity of faculty members. They also may be directed toward the development of proposals aimed at securing external grants for continued project work. When opportunity permits, career development awards may be combined with outside support so that an extended time period can be devoted to a project. With the approval of the Office of the Provost, colleges may enact college-specific policies to apply conditions and restrictions according to their specific needs and circumstances.

Leaves of absence in which the faculty member’s salary and benefits are paid wholly or in large part by an external agency (e.g., by a Guggenheim Fellowship, as a Visiting Professor by another university, or by a granting agency) are not considered career development awards per se (i.e., application for a career development award is not required). However, if the leave is partially paid by the University, taking such a leave of absence may affect the time to eligibility for a future career development award and also may be subject to the State of Iowa payback requirement.  If there is any uncertainty about whether an anticipated leave of absence may or may not fall under the guidelines of the career development award program or affect time to eligibility for a future career development award, the faculty member should contact the Office of the Provost for guidance well in advance of the leave.

Faculty with 9-Month Appointments

Award Period. Career development awards for faculty with 9-month appointments normally support faculty development projects for one semester at full salary or two semesters at half salary. In exceptional circumstances, a two-semester career development award at full salary may be granted.

Eligibility for Initial Award. Full-time faculty members with 9-month appointments who have completed a minimum of 10 semesters of full-time academic service (excluding summer terms) are eligible for an initial one-semester career development award. Flexible load (eg. reduced teaching) assignments may or may not be included in the 10 required semesters at the discretion of the college (see additional eligibility information from the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences).

Part-time faculty with 9-month appointments become eligible for a career development award at the level of their appointment upon completion of a minimum of 10 semesters of part-time service. The career development award is then consistent with the percentage of the part-time appointment. For example, a 50% appointment for 10 semesters yields an equivalent one-semester award at 50%. As an option, part-time faculty are eligible for a "regular" career development award when their portions of service equal the minimum requirement for full-time service. For example, 20 semesters of half-time service satisfy the minimum for an initial career development award at equivalent full-time salary.

Eligibility for Subsequent Awards. Following a career development award, 9-month faculty members must complete 10 semesters of full-time service (excluding summer terms) at the University of Iowa to become eligible for a subsequent award. Service typically must be on campus. Eligibility of part-time faculty members for subsequent awards is calculated on a prorated basis as described for initial awards. Subsequent career development awards presume that the faculty member was productive during the previous award period and the intervening years. In exceptional circumstances, a faculty member who has completed 20 semesters of service (excluding summer terms) may apply for a two-semester career development award at full salary.

Faculty with 12-Month Appointments

Award Period. Career development awards for faculty members with 12-month appointments support faculty development projects for up to 1 year.

Eligibility for Initial Award. Twelve-month faculty members who have completed a minimum of 4 years of full-time academic service or the equivalent (i.e., prorated for part-time faculty) are eligible for their first career development award of 4.5 months (i.e., one semester) in length. Alternatively, 12-month faculty members who have completed 8 or 11 years of full-time academic service or the equivalent (i.e., prorated for part-time faculty) are eligible for a career development award of 9 months (i.e., two semesters), or a full 12 months respectively.

Eligibility for Subsequent Awards. Following any career development award, full-time 12-month faculty members must complete a minimum of 4 years of service at the University of Iowa to become eligible for a subsequent semester-length award. Longer award periods have proportionally longer service requirements, following the eligibility requirements described for initial awards. Service typically must be on campus. Eligibility of part-time faculty members for subsequent awards is calculated on a prorated basis as described for initial awards. Subsequent career development awards presume that the faculty member was productive during the previous award period and the intervening years.

Application and Approval Process for All Faculty

1. Application. Application forms for career development awards with detailed instructions for completing the application are on this website.

2. Criteria. Applications will be evaluated against the General Criteria for Evaluating Faculty Development Activities listed under the General Principles section. Faculty should consult these criteria when preparing their applications.

3. Departmental and collegiate support and approval. Each application for a career development award must include: (a) a description provided by the DEO of how the academic unit will meet its instructional needs, including graduate student supervision, during the leave period and (b) DEOs’ and deans’ signatures to indicate that the applicant meets program eligibility requirements and that application follows the requested format. Proposals that do not follow the requested format will be returned. Application deadlines may not be extended to accommodate proposals that are returned.

4. Selection. Following collegiate review and evaluation of applications, colleges will recommend career development award recipients to the Provost. Applicants will be notified by the Provost as to whether their proposal was recommended to and approved by the Board of Regents.

Additional Provisions for Career Development Awards

1. Prior service. The Office of the Provost may count service at other colleges or universities toward the required years of service for an initial award.  Requests to count such service must be approved by the Provost's Office prior to application for a career development award.

2. Exceptions to service requirement. Exceptions of no more than one semester to the specified required periods of service may be made by the Office of the Provost: (1) to allow a faculty member to coordinate a career development award with grant activities supported by non-University agencies, (2) to accommodate instructional needs of a department, or (3) to allow for other special circumstances. Exceptions must be approved prior to application for the award.

3. Deferrals. A faculty member may request deferral of a career development awards to accommodate unanticipated circumstances, such as extended illness or acceptance of an administrative position in the University. Requests for deferral should be submitted to the Provost's Office with letters from the (a) DEO certifying that the instructional activities and needs of the department will not be impaired by the deferral and (b) Dean, endorsing the request. If the original research proposal is not applicable when the award is actually taken (which is likely if the deferral is for longer than one year), the faculty member must submit a revised research plan before the actual award period, so that the award request and subsequent report, both of which the University must report to the Board of Regents, will be consistent.

4. Payback requirement. A faculty member who accepts a career development award must agree, in accordance with the Iowa Code, to return to regular duties at the University following the award period for a period of service at least twice the length of the award period (prorated for part-time faculty). For example, a 9-month faculty member who accepts a one-semester award must return to the University for two semesters of full-time teaching following the award period. Similarly, a 12-month faculty member who accepts a one-year award must return to the University for 2 years of full-time service. Summer session teaching by 9-month faculty does not count towards this payback service. Time on paid or unpaid leave from University duties by a faculty member does not count toward either this payback or the service requirement for a subsequent award.

5. Required report. A report on the faculty development activity must be submitted to the Provost's Office by each recipient shortly after the end of the award period. Deadlines and instructions for completing this report, a Cover and Abstract Form, a Products and Outcomes Summary Form and a sample report are available on the Provost's website (see also additional reporting information on the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences web site).

If preferred, a hard copy of the Instructions and Cover and Abstract Form  may be obtained from the Office of the Provost, 111 JH, 335-0146. The Cover and Abstract Form requires departmental executive officers' (DEOs')[2] and deans' signatures to certify that the applicant completed the reported activities and that the report follows the requested format.

The Office of the Provost uses these reports in preparing the annual summary of faculty development activities for the Board of Regents. Board support for the faculty development program is essential to its continuance, so timely submission of reports is critically important. Faculty members who fail to provide the required report will have lengthened service requirements for subsequent awards. Faculty members should keep a copy of the report for use with subsequent developmental applications that require information about University-supported activities.

6. Funding. Departments are rarely given supplemental funds to cover instructional needs created by faculty members' acceptance of a career development award. For example, a small department with relatively specialized instruction might receive such funding. This support would not exceed the amount needed to meet the minimum teaching requirements of the unit. Application for such support should be made by the department and endorsed by the dean at or before the time of application. The DEO and dean should make clear to the faculty member and to the Provost whether or not their endorsement of the application is contingent on receipt of supplementary funds.

Recipients of career development awards or their academic units normally meet project needs for equipment, facilities, research assistance, and travel in the same ways that these needs are met for other faculty work. However, special project-related needs occasionally may be satisfied through small amounts of supplemental funds provided by the Office of the Provost, if such needs are adequately justified in writing and presented with the application for a career development award. If requests exceed the small amount of available funding, project quality and the degree to which the project furthers the strategic plan of the University will be primary considerations in allocating funds.

[2] For departmentalized colleges [back to text]

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Old Gold Fellowships

Nature and Purpose. The Old Gold Summer Fellowship Program is a developmental program for faculty on nine-month appointments that provides recipients funding for summer work on an approved developmental project. Fellowships may be awarded to support (1) research and creative activities and (2) instructional development activities. Each summer fellowship is expected to result in at least one product for publication, exhibit, performance, or instructional use. For faculty who begin their UI appointments during or after the 2001-2002 academic year, the Old Gold award is a fixed amount ($6000). For faculty who began their UI appointments in the 2000-2001 academic year or earlier, the award is one-ninth of the academic year salary. When applying for the Fellowship, faculty members shall express a preference to receive the award either as (a) a salary stipend (from which taxes and fringe benefits will be deducted), (b) a research grant without salary support (tax-exempt) to support travel, equipment or other research or instructional development needs, or (c) a specific combination of (a) and (b). If no preference is specified, option (a) will be followed. If option (b) is selected, all funds must be expended in the fiscal year awarded. Carryover is not allowed. Colleges may reallocate any funds unspent (unencumbered) by May 15 to fund other faculty development needs. Colleges may be asked to provide a brief year-end report on the final disposition of the funds.

Eligibility

1. Probationary tenure-track assistant and associate professors with nine-month appointments are eligible for Old Gold Summer Fellowships during the first 3 years of their tenure-track appointment at The University of Iowa.

2. To receive a summer fellowship, a faculty member must submit an acceptable proposal, showing a commitment to a clearly defined developmental activity (excluding completion of work toward degrees). Colleges may establish additional guidelines for proposals.

3. Recipients of summer fellowships must commit themselves in writing to the equivalent of a minimum of one summer-month of full-time work on their projects. Recipients may teach or receive grant funds for one summer month salary, but faculty who receive two months (i.e., two-ninths of their academic year salary) from teaching, grant, or other activities are not eligible for Old Gold Summer Fellowships in any way (salary or research support). Payment of Old Gold Summer Fellowships is made August 1, regardless of when the fellowship activity is performed. A request for payment after July 1, but before August 1, may be made in exceptional circumstances. No funds are available before July 1 for Old Gold Awards.  Please review the revised Old Gold Summer Fellowship Payment Guidelines for more detailed information.

Application and Selection  (see important deadline information)

1. A Cover and Abstract form for an Old Gold Summer Fellowship is on this website for your convenience. However, a separate (narrative) proposal should be attached to this form and submitted to your DEO or Dean. Contact your DEO or Dean for information regarding what is required by your college for the proposal.  Colleges may have additional application requirements, so faculty should check with their college to ensure that their application is complete and meets collegiate requirements (see instructions for the Tippie College of Business or instructions for the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences). The Office of the Provost does not maintain a set of collegiate instructions for Old Gold Fellowships. Faculty must contact their DEO or Dean to obtain their college's instructions.

2. Colleges, following whatever written procedures they deem most ppropriate, may grant all new probationary faculty members on nine-month appointments an Old Gold Summer Fellowship if they present a satisfactory proposal for teaching and/or research development. These Fellowships will be funded by the Office of the Provost and must be taken during the first three years in rank.

3. Proposals for Old Gold Summer Fellowships involving research and creative projects are evaluated against the General Criteria for Evaluating Faculty Development Activities listed in the General Principles.  Applicants should consult the criteria when preparing their applications.

4. Proposals for Old Gold Summer Fellowships involving curriculum development are evaluated against the following criteria. These criteria should be considered when preparing proposals. 

Proposed Activities

  • Clarity and completeness of proposal.
  • Value of proposal, including its creativity and potential contribution.
  • Feasibility of project in relation to fellowship period.
  • Plan and procedure for evaluating curricular value of project.
  • Project justification for summer fellowship funding.
  • Evidence of colleague and departmental support for project.

Previous Contributions of Applicant

  • Quantity of past experience.
  • Expertise of applicant in relationship to project.
  • Evidence of satisfactory student/colleague evaluation of the applicant's previous work.

Additional Provisions for Summer Fellowships

1. Curriculum development. Curriculum development activities supported by these fellowships are those requiring (1) an unusual amount of time, (2) the cooperation of faculty from two or more departments, (3) the expertise and commitment of faculty members not available for such activity during the regular semester, or (4) rapid, concentrated developmental activity requested and endorsed by departmental faculty. Instructional development activities proposed for summer fellowships must promise major curricular improvements. Summer fellowships are not intended to support routine curricular activities, which are a continuing responsibility and normal expectation of all faculty.

2. Payback requirement. Any faculty member who accepts an Old Gold Summer Fellowship must agree to return to regular duties at the University for the following fall semester.

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Faculty Scholar Awards

Nature and Purpose. The University of Iowa's program of Faculty Scholar Awards gives leading scholars the opportunity for creative work of the highest quality. Faculty Scholar Awards are meant to provide faculty of great promise with opportunities for extended and concentrated work. Faculty Scholar applicants typically must be associate professors. Full professors within three years of their promotion to that rank may be considered in exceptional circumstances.

Recipients of this award are released from half of the usual obligations of teaching, advising, administration, and service for three consecutive academic (i.e., 9-month) years. Typically, this award takes the form of a career development award for one semester (4.5 months) of each of three years. As long as applications are made in compliance with the regular review procedure and deadlines, Faculty Scholar Awards also may be used to attract outstanding new faculty members to the University of Iowa. However, no letter of offer may guarantee receipt of a Faculty Scholar Award prior to completion of the application and selection process.

Provided the quality of proposals warrants, an average of up to six new Faculty Scholar Awards will be given each year. Thus, in any given year, the University expects to support about 15 - 18 Faculty Scholars.

Eligibility. Tenured faculty members at associate professor rank (or, in exceptional circumstances, within three years of promotion to full professor) are eligible to apply to the Faculty Scholar program. For the initial award, there are no minimum time-in-rank or time-in-service restrictions, except that faculty who previously received a Faculty Scholar award are not eligible for a Global Scholar Award until they have completed at least 10 semesters of full-time, on-campus service (for 9-month faculty) or 4 years of full-time, on-campus service (for 12-month faculty). Similarly, eligibility for a subsequent developmental award (e.g. Global Scholar or Career Development Award) requires that 9-month faculty members complete a minimum of 10 semesters of full-time, on-campus service (not including summers) and 12-month faculty members a minimum of 4 years of full-time, on-campus service after the end of the Faculty Scholar Award.

Application and Selection

1. Application form. Application forms for Faculty Scholar Awards with detailed instructions for completing the application are on this website. 

2. Criteria. Applications are evaluated against the General Criteria for Evaluating Faculty Development Activities listed under General Principles. Faculty members should consult these criteria when preparing applications.

3. Departmental and collegiate support. The DEO must submit a plan with each application for a Faculty Scholar Award that describes how the academic unit will meet its instructional needs, including graduate student supervision, during the period of the faculty scholar's award. The DEO and/or dean also must submit a statement evaluating the quality of the proposal and detailing how the proposed project will contribute to the scholarship of the field, the quality of the department, and the strategic plans of the department, college, and University. DEOs’ and dean’s signatures also certify that the applicant meets program eligibility requirements and that application follows the requested format. (Proposals that do not follow the requested format will be returned by the Provost. Application deadlines may not be extended to accommodate proposals that are returned.)

4. Selection. Following the review and evaluation of applications by a committee of distinguished faculty, the Provost notifies each applicant as to whether her or his proposal was recommended to and approved by the Board of Regents.  If an application for a Faculty Scholar Award is not recommended, the Office of the Provost, upon request, will explain the reasons to the applicant, the DEO, and the relevant dean. For colleges with a large number of applications, a two-stage selection process (e.g., involving a collegiate pre-selection process) may be implemented with the approval of the Office of the Provost.

Additional Provisions for Faculty Scholar Awards

1. Extended leave without pay. A faculty member receiving a Faculty Scholar Award may apply to couple the scholarship with one or more semesters of unpaid leave if, for example, the scholar receives supplemental funds from external sources.

2. Limitations. A Faculty Scholar will not normally be awarded any other developmental awards or fellowships during the three-year scholarship period, nor may the scholar receive an Old Gold Summer Fellowship immediately preceding the Faculty Scholar Award.

3. Subsequent eligibility. The semesters comprising the Faculty Scholar Award period are not counted toward the minimum years of service required for eligibility for a subsequent career development award. Accumulation of full-time, on-campus service required for a subsequent career development award may begin only after the final semester of the Faculty Scholar Award has been completed.

4. Payback requirement. Any faculty member who accepts a Faculty Scholar Award must agree, in accordance with the Iowa Code, to return to regular duties at the University following the award for a period of service at least twice the length of the award period. For a 9-month faculty member, therefore, completion of a full three-year Faculty Scholar Award implies that during the three years, the Faculty Scholar will have served from one to one and one-half years [two or three semesters] of the time required by code and thereafter, would have a minimum of one and one-half  to two years [three or four semesters] subsequent required service. For a 12-month faculty member, completion of a full 3-year scholar award implies that during the 3 years, the Faculty Scholar will have served as much as 19.5 months (each year counts as 11 months of service; 33 months - 4.5*3 months) of the time required by the code and would, thereafter, have a minimum of 7.5 months of subsequent required service.  NOTE: The exact payback requirement depends on the timing of the leaves.

5. Required Report. A report on the faculty development activity must be submitted to the Provost by each recipient shortly after the completion of each portion of the Faculty Scholar Award. Deadlines and Instructions for completing this report, a Cover and Abstract Form, a Products and Outcomes Summary Form and a sample report are available on the Provost's web site.  If you are unable to access these instructions and forms, please contact the Office of the Provost, 111 JH, 335-0146.

The Office of the Provost uses these reports in preparing the annual summary of faculty development activities for the Board of Regents. Board support for the faculty development program is essential to its continuance, so timely submission of reports is critically important. Faculty members who fail to provide the required report may be prohibited from completing the Faculty Scholarship Award and/or will have lengthened service requirements for subsequent career development awards. Faculty members should keep a copy of the report for use with subsequent developmental applications that require information about University-supported activities.

6. Funding. Faculty Scholars may apply to the Office of the Provost for limited financial support to help subsidize needs for equipment, facilities, research assistance, and travel. Regular notification of the application timeline for these funds will be sent to the Faculty Scholar yearly.

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Global Scholar Awards

Nature and Purpose. The Global Scholars Program provides faculty members the opportunity to conduct research on international topics and issues for a semester each year for two years.  This faculty development program grew out of The University of Iowa’s strategic plan, Achieving Distinction 2000. The University recognized that as a state university with national and international obligations, it had a commitment to understanding and contributing to global issues and trends. The International Program’s strategic plan seeks to achieve a faculty who are globally oriented in their teaching, research, and service by offering development opportunities for faculty members to reexamine and reorient teaching and research in the direction of global themes. This program is intended to provide the opportunity for tenured faculty members, with established records of research and teaching, to consider their research and teaching in relation to significant globalizing trends. Faculty who have not previously carried out research on international issues are particularly encouraged to apply. Applications for international research that incorporate new and innovative approaches and methodologies are also encouraged.

Recipients of the Global Scholar Award are released from half their usual teaching, advising, administrative, and service obligations for two consecutive academic (i.e., 9-month) years. Typically, the award will take the form of a career development award for one semester (4.5 months) each of two years, part of which will be spent in one or more foreign countries. Up to two Global Scholar Awards will be made annually, for a total of four scholars in any given year.

Eligibility. Tenured faculty members are eligible to participate in the Global Scholar Awards program. For the initial award, there are no minimum time-in-rank or time-in-service restrictions except that faculty who previously received a Faculty Scholar award are not eligible for a Global Scholar Award until they have completed at least 10 semesters of full-time, on-campus service (for 9-month faculty) or 4 years of full-time, on-campus service (for 12-month faculty). Similarly, eligibility for subsequent awards (e.g. Faculty Scholar or Career Development Award) requires 9-month faculty members to complete a minimum of 10 semesters of full-time, on-campus service and 12-month faculty members a minimum of 4 years of full-time, on-campus service after the end of the Global Scholar Award.

Application and Selection

1. Application form. Application forms for Global Scholar Awards with detailed instructions for completing the application are on this website with links from the International Programs website. 

2. Criteria. Applications are evaluated against the General Criteria for Evaluating Faculty Development Activities listed under General Principles. Faculty members should consult these criteria when preparing applications. In addition, the degree to which the proposal advances the strategic plan to achieve a globally oriented faculty is an important criterion.

3. Departmental and collegiate support. The DEO must submit a plan with each application for a Global Scholar Award that describes how the academic unit will meet its instructional needs, including graduate student supervision, during the period of the global scholar's award. The DEO and/or dean also must submit a statement evaluating the quality of the proposal and detailing how the proposed project will contribute to the scholarship of the field, the quality of the department, and the strategic plans of the department, college, and University. DEOs’ and dean’s signatures also certify that the applicant meets program eligibility requirements and that application follows the requested format. (Proposals that do not follow the requested format will be returned by the Provost. Application deadlines may not be extended to accommodate proposals that are returned.)

Additional Provisions for Global Scholar Awards

1. Extended leave without pay. A faculty member receiving a Global Scholar Award may apply to couple the scholarship with one or more semesters of unpaid leave if, for example, the scholar receives supplemental funds from external sources.

2. Limitations. A global scholar will not normally be awarded any other development awards or fellowships during the two-year scholarship period, nor may the scholar hold an Old Gold Summer Fellowship immediately preceding the Global Scholar Award.

3. Subsequent eligibility. The time comprising the Global Scholar Award period is not counted toward the minimum years of service required for eligibility for a subsequent career development award. Accumulation of full-time, on-campus service required for a subsequent career development award may begin only after the final semester of the Global Scholar Award has been completed.

4. Payback requirement. Any faculty member who accepts a Global Scholar Award must agree, in accordance with the Iowa Code, to return to regular duties at the University following the award period for a period of service at least twice the length of the award period. For a 9-month faculty member, therefore, completion of a full two-year scholar award implies that during the two years, the global scholar will have served one-half  to one year [one or two semesters] of the time required by code and would, thereafter, have a minimum of one to one-and-a-half years [two to three semesters] subsequent required service. For a 12-month faculty member, completion of a full 2-year scholar award implies that during the 2 years, the global scholar will have served as much as 13 months (each year counts as 11 months of service; 22 months - 4.5*2 months) of the time required by the code and would, thereafter, have a minimum of 5 months of subsequent required service.  NOTE: The exact payback requirement depends on the timing of the leaves.

5. Required Report. A report on the faculty development activity must be submitted to the Provost by each recipient shortly after the completion of each portion of the Global Scholar Award. Deadlines and Instructions for completing this report, a Cover and Abstract Form, a Products and Outcomes Summary Form and a sample report are available on the Provost's website with links from the International Programs website.  If you are unable to access these instructions and forms, please contact the Office of the Provost, 111 JH, 335-0146.

The Office of the Provost uses these reports in preparing the annual summary of faculty development activities for the Board of Regents. Board support for the faculty development program is essential to its continuance, so timely submission of reports is critically important. Faculty members who fail to provide the required report will have lengthened service requirements for subsequent career development awards. Faculty members should keep a copy of the report for use with subsequent developmental applications that require information about University-supported activities.

6. Financial support. Global scholars may apply to the Office of the Provost for limited financial support to help subsidize needs for equipment, facilities, research assistance, and travel; regular notification of the application timeline for these funds will be sent to the global scholar yearly.

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Faculty Fellowships

Nature and Purpose. Faculty fellowships have been named in honor of distinguished UI faculty. These awards provide an opportunity for other scholars to contribute to the fields of study in which these distinguished faculty are most clearly recognized. There are two such awards and they are awarded in alternate years. The May Brodbeck Humanities Fellowship is awarded in the fall of even-numbered years (e.g., 2002, 2004) for use in the subsequent fiscal year (e.g., 2003-2004). The James Van Allen Natural Science Fellowship is awarded in the fall of odd-numbered years (e.g., 2003, 2005) for use in the subsequent fiscal year (e.g., 2004-2005).

The May Brodbeck Humanities Fellowship is a competitive award designed to encourage and support the study of language, linguistics, literature, philosophy, history, jurisprudence, criticism, and theory of the arts as well as humanistic aspects of the natural and social sciences. The James Van Allen Natural Sciences Fellowship is a competitive award designed to encourage and support scholarly work in the physical, natural, and mathematical sciences. Each fellowship provides the recipient a stipend of $15,000 that can be used in any of the following ways:

1. As a stipend for developmental activities conducted during the summer.

2. To appoint a graduate research assistant to facilitate the recipient's scholarly activities during the academic year or some portion thereof.

3. To reimburse a graduate teaching assistant or visiting faculty member for instructional activities that ordinarily would be the responsibility of the award recipient, during the summer or during a period of the academic year, thereby increasing the amount of time the recipient can devote to developmental activities.

4. To obtain materials, supplies, and equipment or to support travel related to the proposed developmental activities.

5. Any combination of the above.

The proposed use of the stipend must be identified and justified at the time the application is submitted and must be approved by the applicant's DEO and dean. The stipend must be expended during the fiscal year following receipt of the award. If the stipend is used as salary for the faculty member, graduate research assistant or replacement instructor, taxes and fringe benefits also will be paid form the award. The developmental activity supported by these fellowships can take any of a variety of forms including research, artistic creation, professional writing, conference or workshop development, or scholarly activity of significant and promising quality.

Eligibility

1. All regular faculty members (i.e., tenure- or clinical-track assistant, associate, and full professors with part- or full-time appointments) are eligible to apply for a faculty fellowship.

2. No faculty member may receive any one fellowship more than once.

Application and Selection

1. Application form. Application forms for faculty fellowships (the May Brodbeck Humanities Fellowship and the James Van Allen Natural Science Fellowship), with detailed instructions for their completion, are on this website. 

2. Criteria. Applications are evaluated against the General Criteria for Evaluating Faculty Developmental Activities listed under General Principles. Faculty members should consult these criteria when preparing their applications.

3. Departmental and collegiate support. The DEO and/or dean must submit a statement evaluating the quality of the proposal and detailing how the proposed project will contribute to the scholarship of the field, the quality of the department, and the strategic plans of the department, college, and University.

4. Selection process. Following review and evaluation of proposals by a committee of distinguished faculty, applicants are notified by the Provost as to whether or not their proposal was approved. If an application for a faculty fellowship is not approved, the Office of the Provost, upon request, will explain the reasons to the applicant, the DEO, and the relevant dean.

Additional Provisions for Faculty Fellowships

1. Limitation. A faculty fellowship may not be held simultaneously with any other UI developmental award. It may, however, be immediately preceded or followed by such an award.

2. Service requirements. A faculty fellowship has no effect on the recipient's service requirements for career development awards, Faculty Scholar or Global Scholar awards.

3. Required Report. A final report on the faculty development activity must be submitted within two months following the completion of the fellowship. Deadlines and instructions for completing this report, a Cover and Abstract Form, a Products and Outcomes Summary Form and a sample report are available from the Provost's website.  Alternatively, a hard copy of the Instructions and Cover and Abstract Form may be obtained from the Office of the Provost, 111 JH, 335-0146. A copy of this report should be kept by the faculty member and used for subsequent developmental applications that require information about University-supported activities.

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rev. 8/10/99
revised to reflect inclusion of clinical-track and 12-month faculty 3/9/00
revised to reflect changes in the Old Gold Summer Fellowship Program 7/14/00

[Go to Faculty Development Programs Information Page]




Questions? E-mail us at provost-office@uiowa.edu.