Academic Policies

15: Guidelines Governing the Use of the Penn State Global Funds

Purpose

To establish guidelines for the disbursement and management of the so-called Global Funds, that is, those funds provided for the development of international education initiatives by Capital College faculty.

Guidelines for the Distribution of the Global Funds

The Global Funds are distributed by the University as block grants to the colleges, including Capital College to underwrite some of the costs associated with the development of international educational experiences for undergraduate and graduate students.

Global funds will not be used to support international travel unless those initiatives are directly related to the criteria governing the use of such funds. The Global Funds will support only the travel portion of the research initiative and only when such travel meets the University's international education and research goals described below under Award Criteria.

These guidelines apply to Capital College faculty at both campus locations.

Award Criteria

The disbursement of funds will be in the form of small travel or support grants in the $300-$1000 range. Proposals must meet the following criteria:

1. To develop international study tour programs for Capital College students,
2. To develop and maintain international exchange programs for Capital College students and/or faculty,
3. To support a visit by an international scholar or creative artist to Capital College,
4. To foster collaborative research projects with international scholars and universities on projects related to key Penn State research initiatives, such as global warming, sustainable engineering, environmental pollution, and international communication.
5. To encourage new partnerships emerging from Schools and/or individual faculty members,
6. To support teaching or research collaborations with faculty members from other countries that will involve undergraduate students,
7. To stimulate participation in international teaching or education initiatives from federal and state agencies,
8. To assist faculty members who want to develop course materials that have an international component,
9. To provide seed monies to enable a faculty member to attract funding from other sources for international education programs.

Application Process

Applicants should follow the steps outlined below when preparing applications requesting support from the Global Funds.

1. Applicants must consult with the college's Office of International Programs before submitting an application.
2. Applications are available from the Office of the Provost and Dean. A sample may be viewed here.
3. Applicants must use the Global Fund Application Form, which is available from the Office of International Programs.
4. The application form must be accompanied by a proposal not to exceed three pages, which should include a Cover Sheet and Narrative Description outlining the reasons for the request, the nature of the international program initiatives, the connections between the curriculum of the faculty member's academic unit, and any documentation, which could help the evaluation team judge the potential success of the project.
   1. Cover Sheet. A cover sheet should be completed and submitted with the proposal. Please fill in all sections of the form. It is important that you obtain the signature of your School Director or Department Head prior to submission of your proposal.
   2. Narrative Description. This section should provide a brief description (no more than one page) outlining your project. The description should include the places of travel and nature of the project or conference, etc. This section should clearly indicate how this travel/project will further the international goals of the University.
5. All these materials should be submitted to the School Director or her/his delegate, who will make a recommendation to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.

Eligibility Criteria and Distribution Decisions

The Provost and Dean or Senior Associate Dean when delegated will apply the following criteria for evaluating the quality of Global Fund applications and for making decisions about the disbursements from the Global Fund:

1. Applicants must be a tenured or tenure-track Penn State Capital College faculty member. Fixed Term Multi-Year faculty will also be considered if they have been employed by the University for at least three years.
2. Only one grant per faculty member will be awarded in a two-year period.
3. Applications must be approved and endorsed in writing by the applicant's School Director.
4. The sources of any matching funds or other support must be fully disclosed in the applicant's funding request. Matches might include departmental funds, gift funds from appropriate external organizations, or grants from other university units.

Accountability

Since the Global Fund is intended to advance the college's international education goals, faculty receiving such support are required to report the results of their activities in writing to the Senior Associate Dean, the Office of International Programs, Academic Council, and other organizations as deemed appropriate by the Council.

A copy of the report must also be included in any subsequent applications for use of the Global Fund.

Approved: Academic Leadership Council (03-02-04)