The College of Arts and Sciences provides funds to support undergraduate and graduate student travel for research, presentation of research, or other educationally valuable purposes. Although the funds available are limited, students are encouraged to submit proposals to the college. The college’s Committee for Support of Teaching and Research (a committee of faculty and students) will review the applications for funding through this program.
Requests will be considered up to a maximum of $500 per academic year per student for educational or research activity travel (as distinguished from travel to make a research presentation). Undergraduates or graduate students who are traveling to PRESENT research at a professional meeting or other professional setting may request up to $750. More than one request per year (fiscal year July – June) may be submitted but the totals of all requests cannot exceed $750.
Travel funds will be provided within the limits of the total money available and based on a ranking procedure using information provided in the proposal materials.
THE PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Depending on the specifics of your travel, you will be asked to submit some or all of the following items:
1) Application form - Student Request for Travel Funds
2) One page justification of travel
3) Endorsement letter from the Chair of your major department
4) Information on conference (2 pages maximum) taken from a brochure or from the internet.
5) If presenting research: copy of confirmation that research has been accepted for presentation
(copy of email or letter)
6) Graduate Students – required to apply for travel funding from the Graduate College – Specify amount applied for under “Funding Requested From” column on application).
7) Submit original plus 3 copies to the Dean’s office (ELLH 323)
Specifics regarding requirements are explained in detail below.
1) The student must complete the online “Student Request for Travel Funds” form (see link below) and print a copy.
a. This form will include your travel budget: see your major department travel coordinator for specifics of these items. Students must follow all departmental and university policies and procedures regarding travel and reimbursement. Departments are responsible for ensuring that students comply. Details are available in the department and at http://www.ou.edu/aa/travel.htm.
b. The amount requested from the College of Arts and Sciences: this amount must be filled in. It can be any amount up to the limits mentioned in the second paragraph above. It is not a “matching amount” to any funds provided from your major department but may be a “matching amount” to the Graduate College funding.
c. The amount(s) sought and/or obtained from other sources:
- All students are required to seek money from another university source (including but not limited to the student’s major department). If you are not able to obtain these funds, you must include information in your travel justification (see Item 2 below) as to what sources you have requested from and what the results were.
- Graduate students are also required to submit a request for funds to the Graduate College Dean to support the travel at least equal to the amount requested from the College of Arts and Sciences. (Note: The Graduate College does not have to match the $750 request.) If you do not qualify for this funding source, you must include an explanation in your travel justification (see Item 2 below).
- The total amount of funding requested may exceed the total amount of your expenses if one or more of your sources of funding have not yet been confirmed. If multiple sources are approved, expenses can be distributed evenly between the available funding sources. [Example: your total expenses are $1,000.00. You are able to request $750 from Arts & Sciences; you request $500 from the Grad College and your major department has committed to $200. All funding gets approved. You would use $200 of the department funding, $400 (of the $750) of the Arts & Sciences and $400 (of the $500) of the Grad College funding.]
d. This form must be signed by you and the chair of your major department.
2) The student must provide a brief (separate sheet, no longer than one page) justification for funding of the proposed travel-related activity, explaining how it entails travel connected with research, the presentation of research, or other educationally valuable activity. Any explanations as mentioned in “1) c” above would be included here, as well as specifics on travel arrangements and any other miscellaneous information you feel the committee should know to show the importance of your travel.
3) The student must request an endorsement letter from the chair or director of the student’s major department. An endorsement from one additional faculty sponsor may also be included but is not required. The chair or director will attach the endorsement letter(s) to the application packet and submit the original plus 3 copies of the proposal materials to the College of Arts and Sciences Dean's Office, Room 323, Ellison Hall, attention Gail Brown.
4) Additional items:
- Requested: For students traveling to present research at a professional meeting, it is strongly preferred that you provide documentation that your research presentation has been accepted. Also include information about the conference (preferably one page) copied from a brochure or printed from the web.
- Optional: Items such as CVs and abstracts are accepted but not required.
5) Request forms and supporting material must be submitted to the Dean’s Office at least 30 days prior to travel. The college’s Committee for Support of Teaching and Research (a committee of faculty and students) will review the applications for funding through this program throughout the year. The Dean’s Office will notify the chair or director of your major department of the decision, and the chair or director will notify the student.
6) Students must follow all departmental and university policies and procedures regarding travel and reimbursement. Departments are responsible for ensuring that students comply. Details are available in the department and at http://www.ou.edu/aa/travel.htm.
7) Funds are not issued prior to travel. Students must pay for their expenses, then request reimbursement from their department. Departments will pay for the approved travel expenses and submit copies of paid invoices/receipts and CUFS statements to the Dean’s Office for reimbursement to the departmental account.
Questions about the student research travel and educational travel funding program should be directed to the College of Arts and Sciences by phone (325-2077) or by e-mail to Dr. Edward Sankowski (
), copying Gail Brown (
).
