Grants for Travel and Research for Emeritus Faculty Members

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MEMO: GRANTS FOR TRAVEL AND RESEARCH FOR EMERITUS FACULTY MEMBERS

TO: Emeritus Faculty Members

FROM: Evelyn Jennings, Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs

RE: Conference Travel Funds and Research Grants

In recognition of the active scholarly life of some retired faculty, President Morris has agreed to continue to offer limited funds for the 2022-2023 academic year to reimburse emeritus faculty members for research-related expenses or for travel-expenses associated with presenting at professional or academic conferences. This memo provides information about the process for applying for the funding, policies to be followed, and guidelines for proposal submission. Section I outlines conference travel opportunities. Section II outlines opportunities for small and large research grants. Any questions regarding the policies can be addressed to Evelyn Jennings (ejennings@stlawu.edu, 315-229-5998), Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs.

I. Emeritus Faculty Travel Reimbursement for Academic or Professional Conferences

Emeritus faculty may be reimbursed for expenses for up to one academic conference per fiscal year (July 1-June 30). To qualify, the faculty member must be participating in the program of the conference (e.g. presenting scholarship or creative works or serving as session organizer/chair, discussant, or presiding officer). The cost associated with the conference participation will be reimbursed up to a maximum of $1400 per trip. Requests will be reviewed on an on-going basis, but due to limited funds, emeritus faculty members are encouraged to submit requests well in advance of their conference.

Procedures and restrictions:

  • Requests for conference travel funds: Please complete and submit the on-line request form specifically for emeritus faculty found on the Academic Affairs website well in advance of, but at least two weeks prior to, your proposed trip. Approval by e-mail will normally occur within 5-7 business days. Please keep a copy of your approval and make a note of the amount approved, in case it differs from the amount requested. Reimbursement is not guaranteed for expenses for conference travel undertaken without prior approval.
  • Vehicle travel: Actual vehicle expenses or mileage reimbursement can be claimed at a rate of $0.50 per mile. Please see the University Travel Policy for more information about rental cars, own vehicle usage and insurance coverage.
  • Food: Food costs are reimbursed at a rate of $30 per day without receipts or $45 per day (not including tips) with receipts. Please see the University Travel Policy for more details on meals and the University’s policy on alcohol while traveling on University business.
  • Tax Exempt Forms: A number of states have granted SLU full sales tax exempt status, and others have granted SLU sales tax exemption on items other than meals and lodging. Please see the Sales Tax page maintained by the University Business Office for details and an up-to-date listing of states granting SLU employees traveling on business sales tax exemptions. Tax exempt forms to be presented at hotels etc. are available on the Sales Tax page. If a faculty member chooses not to use the tax exempt certificate provided, the tax amount will be deducted from receipts submitted for reimbursement. Note that most hotels require use of a University credit card (or direct billing to SLU) in order to grant tax exempt status. For questions on international travel and taxes please call Janet Rowe (x5575) in the Business office.
  • Cash advances are not available to emeritus faculty members under this policy.
  • Please see the University Travel Policy for more details on reimbursement limitations and restrictions.
  • Submitting expense reports: Submit paperwork for reimbursement to the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, not to the Business Office. Please submit expense reports and receipts within 15 days of the conclusion of your travel. You can use this Excel spreadsheet, Travel Expense Report, to calculate your expenses and reimbursement amount. An expense report submitted to the Office of the Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs that includes non-reimbursable expenses will be adjusted accordingly before approval and submission to the Business Office. Itemized receipts should be submitted, not credit card receipts or statements. We recommend that you keep copies of all documents submitted (receipts and expense reports). Expense reports submitted by 4:00 pm on Monday will usually enable us to meet the Business Office deadline for expense reimbursement by the following Monday.
  • Cancellation Policy: In the event that the emeritus faculty member is unable to travel to a conference due to a cancellation of the conference (e.g. due to severe weather emergency), personal or family emergency or illness, the Associate Dean’s office will work with the faculty member to try to attain refunds of expenses paid for the conference (e.g., registration fees, prepaid hotel costs). Any costs for which reimbursement is not given can be covered by the institution at the faculty member’s request. However, in that case, these costs will count toward the faculty member’s ONE conference and allotted travel budget for the year. Faculty members who do not have an emergency or illness and decide not to attend a conference will not be reimbursed for their out-of-pocket expenses and may owe money to the University for expenses paid by the institution for which the university cannot be reimbursed.

II. Grants for Research-Related Expenses

Emeritus faculty can apply for grants to reimburse research-related expenses. There will be one call for proposals in the spring semester. These are competitive grants and require proposals that will be reviewed by the Faculty Development Committee. These grants can be “small,” up to $500, or “large,” up to $2000. These grants are intended to help emeritus faculty members pursue their scholarly research or creative work in their discipline. Reimbursement can be for such things as: research-related travel, publishing or editing expenses for books or manuscripts, academic materials or books (that cannot be obtained through the University library or its library partnerships), purchases of data, or research supplies. Grants cannot be requested for capital equipment purchases, commuting expenses, travel to workshops or conferences, nor for other expenses prohibited by the University’s purchasing policies. More details are provided below.

Procedures and restrictions:

Emeritus faculty members are eligible for one small grant, which can be up to $500, each fiscal year; emeritus faculty members are eligible to receive one large grant, up to a maximum of $2000, every 3 years.

Funds requested in the Spring of 2022 are to be spent and reimbursed within the following fiscal year (July 1, 2022 -June 30, 2023).

Proposals are due by 4:00 pm on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, and should be submitted to the Office of the Associate Dean via hard copy or email to acadean@stlawu.edu.

Grant proposals will be reviewed by the Faculty Development Committee, who will make a recommendation about funding to the Dean of Academic Affairs.

Regardless of dollar amount, grants are meant to support a single project or line of research.

Proposals (not to exceed 2 single-spaced pages) are to be submitted as indicated in the call-for-proposals. They must include:

1. A descriptive title of the proposed project;

2. A 50 word summary of the project;

3. A complete project description that:

a) includes information about your background and qualifications to carry out your project and may include an explanation of how your proposed research project fits with your current and future research agenda.

b) a brief discussion of the current project, including goals, rationale, and process or methodology, written in a way that is accessible to faculty from a wide-range of disciplines;

4. A brief but specific timeline for completion of proposed project activities;

5. An itemized budget; and

6. A current curriculum vitae.

A grant is not intended to be used to attend a conference (whether the emeritus faculty member is on the program or not) and cannot be used in conjunction with other funding.

Recipients of grants must agree to present on their research within one year of spending the small or large grant at an annual gathering of emeritus faculty.