Tenured and tenure-track faculty members, full-time coaches, librarians and academic affairs staff with faulty rank may apply for competitive professional development funds to reimburse professional development expenses. These funds may be used for any legitimate professional development expense including faculty stipends, domestic and international travel, conference and workshop fees, research expenses, professional association memberships, sabbatical expenses, etc.  The Call for Proposal for the Competitive Professional Development Funds is sent in December.  An Internal Grants Cover Sheet is needed when submitting your proposal.  Be sure to review the Internal Grants Guidelines before submitting.  It is a detailed list of what is needed when submitting your proposal.

Faculty-Student Projects

This program funds a range of faculty-student projects including but not limited to laboratory research, archival research, research in preparation for honors theses or other significant student projects, and projects in the studio arts, music and theatre.  Projects may involve collaborative faculty-student research, faculty supervised undergraduate research, or intensive projects in the arts, music and theatre. The goal is to accommodate different types of faculty-student projects aimed at improving student learning and strengthening faculty teaching and/or scholarship.  Tenured and tenure-track faculty and academic affairs staff with faculty rank may apply.  Part-time and visiting faculty may apply with departmental approval. The Call for Proposal for the Faculty-Student Projects Funds is sent in December.  An Internal Grants Cover Sheet is needed when submitting your proposal.  Be sure to review the Internal Grants Guidelines before submitting.  It is a detailed list of what is needed when submitting your proposal.

William Carrington Finch Award

The William Carrington Finch Award is given to a full-time faculty member “for conspicuous accomplishment in furthering the aims of Southwestern University.  Its purpose is to recognized and encourage faculty who best identify themselves with an attempt to fulfill the objectives and aims of the University, as well as to encourage that combination of ability and achievement whoch makes for an effective faculty member.”  The Call for Nominations for the William Carrington Finch Award is sent in February every other year (2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 etc.)

Sam Taylor Awards

The will of the late Sam Taylor set aside income from a portion of his estate to fund continuing education and development of faculty members at United Methodist-related colleges and universities in Texas.  Grants may be used for graduate study or post-graduate research. The Call for Proposals for the Sam Taylor Funds is sent in May. The deadline for proposal submission is August 5th or the next business day if the deadline falls on a weekend or holiday.  Please submit proposals via e-mail to Christine Vasquez (vasquezc@southwestern.edu).  Please direct questions to John McCann (x1233, mccannj@southwestern.edu).

Awards Committee

An Awards Committee will make awards for all internal, competitive faculty development programs.  These include Competitive Professional Development Funds, Faculty-Student Projects, Sabbatical Projects, and any future competitive programs. Committee members will have staggered terms of up to three years.  The Provost, Dean of the Sarofim School of Fine Arts, and Associate Dean of the Brown College will also serve on the committee.  The Awards Committee membership is as follows:

• four tenure-track or tenured faculty elected by division/school
• three tenure-track or tenured faculty elected by the faculty-at-large
• one librarian or academic affairs staff member with faculty rank elected by the faculty-at-large