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​​​​​​​​Application Guidelines and Rubric

APPLICATION AND DOCUMENTATION ATTACHMENTS

Use the following to gather details for creating and documenting the information required in your application proposal and estimates. This StADevelopment Guidelines and Rubric also contains all of this information for access off-line.

1.     When submitting a proposal, students must include proof of information and documentation estimates relating to the proposal. Simply including a link or web address is not sufficient. Failure to submit materials could lead to automatic rejection of the proposal.

2.     Proposals must demonstrate how the professional academic experience will enhance the student's understanding of their discipline or field of study at The University of Findlay and/or student's ability to contribute to this discipline. The committee will give first priority and funding to proposals that involve presentations (not just attending).

3.     All students must submit their own individual proposals even when they are attending a conference as a group, sharing rides and hotel accommodations, etc. While some information may be identical in proposals submitted by students attending the same conference, proposals should not be identical. Each student's description of the project and rationale should reflect his or her own perspective. If a proposal does not reflect a student's own individual perspective, it will not be considered for funding.

4.     When writing the proposal, provide detailed information, such as the name, date(s), and location of conference; the date(s) that you'll be attending. If you are giving a presentation, indicate its title, briefly summarize your presentation, and explain the significance of your project. To be considered as a presenter, you must include an acceptance (email or letter). If you have submitted but not yet received approval, provide proof of submission. Final funding will be contingent upon proof of acceptance.

5.     Cost Estimates: All cost estimates must be documented, even if the total will be over $500. Do not simply provide a link to a website; instead, print information or create a PDF of the information as indicated below.

Registration Fee

Identify the activity you will attend. In addition, if presenting, provide a copy of acceptance (email or schedule) and document conference or activity fee (print or create a PDF). ​

Travel

If you are traveling by car, estimates should be based on the following formula:  

.50 cents per mile, including return trip. Use a mapping software (such as Google Maps or Mapquest) to identify total miles. Do NOT include cost of gas in your estimate. Show the estimated mileage and by printing or creating a PDF of the route.

If you are sharing costs, be sure to estimate only your own share and show this in your estimate. Be sure to note any tolls along the route and to including parking fees you may incur as well.

Note:If you are the owner/driver of the car, it is fine for you to claim the total mileage cost (.50 cents per mile) as long as no other riders in the car claim any mileage costs.

If you are traveling by plane, use a ticket finder (Google, Travelocity, etc.) to estimate your ticket expenses. Either print or create a PDF of this estimate to include.

Do not forget to investigate public transportation (bus, trains, etc.) that you may also need to use when at your location. This is also where taxi fares would be listed in your final report.

Food

Use a per diem estimator (such as: https://www.gsa.gov/portal/category/100120) to estimate daily food costs. Select the state and city to find an estimated total for three meals a day. Use the final column labeled M&IE. Multiply this by the number of days you will be at the activity. You can also divide this into three to get partial day amounts. Print this estimate or create a PDF for your proposal.

Lodging

Your request should reflect only your own individual share of costs, and you should provide a clear, detailed breakdown of costs. For instance, if the total cost for a hotel room is $160 per night and you're staying in a hotel for two nights and are sharing the room with three other people, your estimate for hotel costs should be $80 and you should provide the details: 2 nights @ $160/night divided by four people. Remember to ask for discounts (Univ. of Findlay at Marriott Hotels or conference discount). Use an online site (through the conference website or something like Trivago) to print or create a PDF of the estimate.

Other

Use this category to indicate expenses not covered in other areas. Be sure to provide documentation and include why this is a required part of the activity.​

FACULTY ENDORSEMENT

Students submitting proposals must include an endorsement from a faculty member who will need to complete and sign the StAD Faculty Endorsement. The proposal will not be considered without a complete Faculty Endorsement Form, it is the student's responsibility to return this form with the application information.

Note: Faculty may complete just one Faculty Endorsement Form to endorse a group of students who are participating in the same conference or workshop—provided, of course, that all students' names are listed on the Endorsement Form. Faculty must send an electronic copy to ALL students' listed on the form.

POST PROJECT EVALUATION

To be eligible for approval, proposals need to demonstrate a commitment to evaluating the project. The completion of the Evaluation Form.  is considered part of the overall assessment and is required for all students who wish to receive funding and/or keep any funding advanced to them. These must be submitted within two weeks of the end of a student's completed project or immediately following committee approval when students have already completed the project prior to submitting a proposal.

In addition, consider other activities that you may be able to share the information gained through the activity with others. This may be tied to answers in the first section about ways you can contribute to the discipline. Think about on-campus student groups, communicating content via email, or how you can work with sponsoring faculty to share this information. Be as detailed and specific in this plan as you can be.

PROPOSAL EVALUATION

Each student proposal is evaluated via a blind review system by two faculty members using the following rubric. Use the rubric as a guide when creating your proposal. Keep in mind you want your proposal to be as individual and specific as possible.

Student Academic Development Fund Application Rubric