Policy Statement - 19-03 Policy and Procedures for Supporting Research, Scholarly and Creative Activity
California State University, Long Beach Policy Statement
Policy Number: 19-03
Date: March 7, 2019
POLICY AND PROCEDURES FOR SUPPORTING
RESEARCH, SCHOLARLY, AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY
(This revised policy supersedes PS 11-08.)
This policy statement was recommended by the Academic Senate on February 8, 2019
and approved by the president on February 13, 2019.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This policy addresses support for research, scholarly, and creative activity, which is a core mission of our comprehensive master’s-granting institution. Support for research, scholarly, and creative activity (RSCA) is divided into two pools: (1) mini-grants and summer stipends (MGSS) and (2) reassigned time and faculty small grants. Funding and regulations for MGSS are mandated by the legislature and the Chancellor’s office, while funding and regulations for reassigned time and faculty small grants are determined on the campus.
The allocation of funding for all awards shall be made transparent to CSULB faculty through an active educational program including workshops sponsored by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and the appropriate college-level bodies responsible for the oversight of all research, scholarly, and creative activity.
2.0 AWARD ELIGIBILITY
2.1 Mini-Grants and Summer Stipends
All members of Unit 3 (Faculty, Librarians, Coaches, and Counselors) not receiving new faculty reassigned time are eligible to compete for MGSS awards. Faculty members with 12-month full-time appointments are not eligible for summer stipends. Summer stipend applicants may not have additional employment in the CSU or an auxiliary equivalent to 6 WTUs or more during the summer.
2.2 RSCA Reassigned Time
Tenured, probationary, and full-time lecturer faculty not receiving new faculty reassigned time are eligible to compete for RSCA reassigned time awards.
2.3 Faculty Small Grants
Tenured, probationary, and full-time lecturer faculty, including those receiving new faculty reassigned time, are eligible to compete for faculty small grant funding.
3.0 TYPES OF AWARDS
A faculty member is allowed to receive only one award—a summer stipend, a mini-grant, reassigned time, or a faculty small grant—in a given year under this policy. The deadline for RSCA awards and faculty small grants will be set by the college.
3.1 Mini-Grants and Summer Stipends
Faculty must select either Mini-Grant or Summer Stipend in their application.
3.1.1 Mini-Grants
Mini-grants allow recipients to test promising ideas and obtain preliminary results prior to seeking external support. Funds may be used for undergraduate and/or graduate student assistants, clerical assistance, minor equipment, and for travel and supplies necessary for the activity. These mini-grants are intended to be ‘seed money’ leading to the application for external support. Since this award is ‘seed money,’ acceptance of a mini-grant requires that the application for external funding based on the proposal be submitted within two years of the date of the award and prior to any subsequent mini-grant awards.
3.1.2 Summer Stipends
Summer stipends are equivalent to the prevailing 3-WTU Vacant Rate to support a recipient in continuance of scholarly and creative activity during the summer.
3.1.3. Mini-Grant and Summer Stipend (MGSS) Award Committees
In accordance with the Chancellor’s mandate, the mini-grant and summer stipend (MGSS) award committee is designated to serve as the primary advisory body to the Academic Senate, the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs or designee, and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs in furthering an atmosphere conducive to research, scholarly, and creative activity. The MGSS is a standing committee of the Faculty Personnel Policies Council.
Each college shall have a MGSS committee to review and rank mini-grant and summer stipend proposals. The college MGSS committee forwards its recommendations and rankings to the college dean. The faculty of the college shall devise procedures so that the committee membership reflects the diversity of disciplines within the college in order to assure that applicants are likely to have their proposals judged by people familiar with their fields of specialization.
3.1.4. Duties for MGSS Committees
3.1.4.1 The College Mini-Grant and Summer Stipend Committee shall:
a. Meet to discuss criteria, processes and procedures for the review, evaluation, and rating of mini-grant and summer stipend proposals; and
b. Discuss, rate, recommend, and provide written rationale on recommendations of applications to the college dean.
3.1.4.2 The College Dean shall:
a. Review the college mini-grant and summer stipend ratings and recommendation;
b. Agree or disagree with the college committee recommendations; and
c. Forward all proposals and recommendations to the university committee.
3.1.4.3 The University Mini-Grant and Summer Stipend Committee shall:
a. Meet to review criteria, processes, and procedures for the review, evaluation, and rating of mini-grant and summer stipend proposals;
b. Review and rate the proposals for summer stipends and mini-grants;
c. Make recommendations to the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs concerning the awarding of mini-grants and summer stipends;
d. Review University policies governing research and creative activities and make recommendations to the Faculty Personnel Policies Council;
e. Work with the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs to generate announcements with deadlines and application forms; and
f. Submit an annual report to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
3.1.5 Committee Membership
3.1.5.1 College-Level MGSS Committee Membership
a. Each College elects membership under procedures set by the college.
b. Members of the MGSS committee are not eligible to apply for these awards.
3.1.5.2 University Mini-Grant and Summer Stipend Committee
a. Elected members serve two-year terms. No member may serve consecutive terms.
b. Full-time tenured faculty members elected by their respective colleges: four (4) from the College of Liberal Arts; two (2) from each of the other colleges; and one (1) full time tenured librarian.
c. Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs (or designee).
d. Associate Vice President for Research and External Support (or designee).
e. Members of the committee are not eligible to apply for either the mini-grant or summer stipend during committee service.
3.1.6 MGSS Evaluation Criteria
Awards shall be based primarily on the quality of the proposed research, scholarly, or creative activity as manifested in the proposal. Proposals are expected to be clear to reviewers outside the discipline.
Criteria include:
a. Significance of the research, scholarship, or creative activity;
b. Extent to which the methodology is appropriate to the stated purpose;
c. Likelihood that the work proposed will be completed within the timeline;
d. Extent to which the project will promote the faculty member’s scholarly or creative development, direction, or purpose;
e. Probability that the project will lead to peer-reviewed publication, exhibitions, or external grant proposals; and
f. Extent to which the project benefits the university mission.
3.1.7. MGSS Award Decisions
The Office of University Research shall allocate support for mini-grants and summer stipends based on the recommendations from the University MGSS Committee.
Once MGSS awards have been made, the Office of University Research and Sponsored Programs shall provide the applicant with any available feedback generated by the evaluation process, upon request. The Office of University Research and Sponsored Programs shall submit a report on MGSS every three years to the Academic Senate.
3.2 Reassigned Time and Faculty Small Grant Awards
Reassigned time awards release awardees from other duties, providing time for research, scholarly, and creative activities. Faculty small grants are monetary awards to facilitate RSCA activities. They may be used for expenses such as student assistance, minor equipment or materials & supplies, or travel to advance RSCA activities.
Reassigned time and faculty small grants will be awarded through a competitive process at the college level. Each college will be allocated support from Academic Affairs for reassigned time and faculty small grant applications. Colleges may supplement this amount with their own funds.
Awards may be used for reassigned time, faculty small grants, or a combination of both equivalent to the Vacant Rate for up to 6 WTU per academic year. Applications for more than 3 WTU require additional justification in the application. Should more than 3 WTU of reassigned time be awarded, the awardee can choose to take the reassigned time all in one semester or distribute the reassigned time over two semesters.
3.2.1. College faculty councils shall:
a. Establish the criteria, policies, procedures, and deadlines for applying for and evaluating reassigned time and faculty small grant applications;
b. Determine the composition and charge of their reassigned time and faculty small grant award committee; and
d. Establish procedures by which, if the college desires, reassigned time can be converted into faculty small grants and vice versa.
3.2.2. Reassigned time and faculty small grant awards committee shall:
a. Meet to discuss implementation of criteria, processes, and procedures for the review, evaluation, and ranking of proposals;
b. Discuss, rank, recommend, and provide written rationale on recommendations of applications to the college dean; and
c. Forward to the college faculty council and dean any feedback or recommendations for improvement of the selection process and criteria.
3.2.3. The College Dean shall:
a. Review the awards committee recommendations; and
b. Make final decisions on reassigned time and faculty small grant awards.
4.0 DOCUMENTING WORK ACCOMPLISHED
4.1. Faculty who receive awards shall be required to submit a Report of Work Accomplished by the announced deadline to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs. This requirement must be met whether or not a faculty member chooses to submit a subsequent scholarly and creative activities application.
4.2 The documentation of work accomplished shall include (at a minimum):
a. What was accomplished;
b. How what was learned, experienced, or achieved has contributed to the faculty member’s professional development. This may include how the research, scholarly, or creative activity resulting from the award has contributed to more effective teaching and enhanced student learning; and
c. How the information will be disseminated or showcased.
4.3 Applicants who do not submit the required Report of Work Accomplished shall be automatically disqualified from receiving subsequent mini-grant, summer stipend, RSCA reassigned time, or faculty small grant awards until the required report is submitted.
4.4 The University shall provide opportunities for award recipients to showcase the results of their projects, whether final or preliminary.
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EFFECTIVE: IMMEDIATELY
