Office of Research
2016 Undergraduate Summer Research Award Program
The Office of Research is pleased to announce the availability of funding to support undergraduate
student research and scholarship for summer 2016. The purpose of this program is to provide
undergraduate students an engaged learning experience that involves intellectual inquiry and faculty
mentoring during the summer. Another intention of the program is to foster an engaged environment
that promotes a culture of student involvement in research and scholarship at the University.
Faculty members from any department or discipline are welcome to apply, and may author or coauthor a maximum of two proposals. The proposed activities must provide a genuine research or
scholarship experience for undergraduate students, and faculty mentors must be active participants in
the student experience. Consequently, all proposals should focus on the benefits to the undergraduate
students. There are $250,000 available for this program, and it is anticipated that between 30 and 40
proposals will be funded. Questions about the program may be addressed to Joy Yard, 687-9364,
j.yard@csuohio.edu, or Dan Simon, 687-5171, d.j.simon@csuohio.edu.
Terms of Award
Acceptance of an award signifies the intent of faculty members to (1) require the undergraduate
students to attend periodic Research Office seminars during the summer related to the conduct and
presentation of research, and (2) work with the undergraduate students to submit an abstract and
present a poster at the Fall 2016 Undergraduate Research Poster Session.
The awarded funds must be expended by September 15, 2016. Before work can begin on projects that
involve the study of humans or animals, awardees must obtain approval from the Institutional Review
Board or the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Questions regarding these issues should be
directed to Sponsored Programs and Research Services (SPRS).
The Office of Research exercises no direction or supervision over the details of the activities to be
performed, but it does require adherence to the original objectives and purposes of the proposal.
Any publication or product (report, journal article, work of art, etc.) resulting from an Undergraduate
Summer Research Award must carry an acknowledgment that the project was conducted with support
from the Cleveland State University Undergraduate Summer Research Award Program.
All equipment purchased under the program becomes the sole property of the University and, for
property control purposes, is assigned to the department in which the awardee holds his or her
appointment.
Revised December 10, 2015
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All awards are administered through the Office of Research. Award funds must be expended for the
purposes described in the proposal and in accordance with applicable University regulations and
procedures. All award funds remaining unspent after September 15, 2016 will revert back to the Office
of Research; no extensions will be granted.
Guidelines
Faculty members seeking funding under this program must submit a proposal via email as a single
PDF attachment to j.yard@csuohio.edu and d.j.simon@csuohio.edu no later than 5:00 p.m. on
February 5, 2016.
Award decisions are expected by March 13, 2016. Awarded funds will be available beginning May 11,
2016.
Preparing the Application
Proposals should be written using language that can be understood by non-specialist faculty and should
focus on the learning experiences of the undergraduate students. In order to assist in the preparation of
successful applications, the form that will be used to evaluate the proposals is provided below.
Applications must be prepared using 11-point or larger font on 8 ½" x 11" paper with 1" margins.
Handwritten materials will not be accepted.
In addition to a completed cover page, all proposals should be a maximum of three pages and should
include the following sections:
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•
•
•
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Introduction/Background
Justification for Research/Scholarship Activity
Student Engagement – Without naming any specific students, explain how the students will
be engaged during the summer and the role of the faculty mentors.
Desired Outcomes
Budget and Budget Justification – Proposals should include an itemized budget for all
research and scholarship expenses. Expenses should be limited to those that support student
involvement.
Allowable expenses include: Undergraduate student salary (hourly rate) and fringe, supplies and other
items directly related to the proposed research or scholarship activity; survey costs; funds to pay
research participants; travel expenses related to a presentation by the student investigator at a national
meeting.
Non-allowable expenses include: Stipend or salary for faculty; travel to attend (but not present at)
professional meetings; computer hardware; tablet computers; general-purpose hand-held computing
devices; cell phones; and publication costs for the poster session. Note that Academic Programs will
pay for the cost of producing the poster in the library.
Individual Colleges will be responsible for monitoring the account for adherence to the University’s
accounting policies and practices. Over-expenditure of accounts will be charged to the Colleges.
Questions about the acceptability of anticipated costs for support should be directed to Joy Yard, 6879364, j.yard@csuohio.edu, or Dan Simon, 687-5171, d.j.simon@csuohio.edu.
Revised December 10, 2015
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Do not put your name on this sheet. Use additional sheets if necessary.
2016 Undergraduate Summer Research Award Evaluation Form
Proposal No.: ______________
Criteria
Points
1. Introduction/Background (up to 3 points). This section should be clear, concise, and
relevant to the proposed activity.
_____
Comments:
2. Justification for Research/Scholarly Activity (up to 6 points). The extent to which the
activity is likely to advance scholarship in the field and foster an engaged environment
that promotes student involvement in research and scholarship at CSU.
_____
Comments:
3. Student Engagement (up to 8 points). A clear description of how the student(s) will be
engaged during the summer, how the faculty member(s) will be active participant(s) in the
student experience, how the faculty member(s) will function as appropriate and effective
mentor(s), and plans for engaging students in the dissemination of the project results
beyond the CSU community.
_____
Comments:
4. Desired Outcomes (up to 5 points). Both of the activity and for the student(s).
_____
Comments:
5. Budget justification (up to 3 points). Clear, complete, and consistent with the guidelines.
_____
Comments:
Total (max 25 points)
Additional Comments:
_____