Editor: Keith Davis Writers: Dave Maley Publisher: Office of Public Information Volume 22, No.12   February 28, 2000

Five-Year Grant Will Support Faculty Research and Development A $660,000 grant from an anonymous donor will be used to support the Center for Faculty Research and Development. Ithaca College president Peggy R. Williams announced the award to members of the board of trustees at their annual February meeting. The purpose of the center is to give full-time continuing faculty members released time from their teaching loads so they can devote their energies to research, pedagogical, or community-related projects. Over the five-year grant period the College will contribute increasing amounts of its own funds as well. By the end of the grant period, a permanent central fund will have been created to sustain the center’s operations. Established in 1999, the center supports innovative endeavors that might otherwise go unfunded. "In an institution like Ithaca College, faculty members are required to carry out several roles," says provost and vice president for academic affairs Jim Malek. "In addition to teaching, they conduct research, help students find internships and clinical placements, and develop opportunities for community outreach. By granting faculty members released time, this center provides opportunities to incubate innovative ideas in research, teaching methods, and community-related projects." "I am delighted that we could assist the president and provost in obtaining funding to launch this far-reaching initiative," adds Shelley Semmler, vice president for institutional advancement. "It is critical that the institutional advancement office support the College’s highest priorities." The Center for Faculty Research and Development is directed by the provost. To obtain the center’s support, faculty members submit a formal proposal seconded by the applicant’s department chair and dean and reviewed by a faculty panel chaired by the provost. One hundred recipients have already been selected for various projects. Many faculty members are working on research projects, others are redesigning courses and developing new teaching materials, and still others are involved in outreach endeavors. Examples of projects currently being supported include developing a robotics course, redesigning a required course for future teachers, organizing workshops and reading opportunities for young local writers aged 8–13, developing a distance learning course, and producing a guide to using the Internet for undergraduate research. "With funding for the center in place, we can encourage the balance of teaching, research, and outreach that more accurately reflects the mission of Ithaca College," Malek says.

ITHACA | Back Issues | Table of Contents | NEWS Home | Publication Schedule | Letter to the Editor Created by Andrejs Ozolins. Updated 25. .Feb. 2000