GRADUATE STUDENT SENATE

Travel Awards Workshop

Amanda G. SanfordPhD Candidate, Political Science

Travel Awards Committee Chair, 2013-2014

GSS TRAVEL AWARD DEADLINES(DON’T WORRY, WE WILL SHOW YOU THESE DATES AGAIN AND AGAIN AND AGAIN…)

Summer 2014 Deadlines: Monday, April 21st, 2014, 5:00 PM: for all graduate students in the College of

Arts and Sciences and College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. Applications must be submitted to your College Deans

Monday, April 28th, 2014, 5:00 PM: for graduate students in all other colleges. Applications must be submitted to the Dean of Students

Fall cycle deadlines: Dean of Students due date, always first Monday of September

Spring cycle deadlines: Dean of Students due date, always first Monday of classes

WHAT DOES THIS COMMITTEE DO?

The GSS Travel Awards Committee reviews applications for GSS travel funds $240,000 annual budget Divided over three application period roughly coinciding with academic semesters

Summer 2014 Deadlines: Monday, April 21st, 2014, 5:00 PM: for all graduate students in the College of Arts and Sciences and

College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. Monday, April 28th, 2014, 5:00 PM: for graduate students in all other colleges.

WHY DO GRADUATE STUDENTS GET TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS?

GSS mandates:Be the voice of the graduate student body 6,000 graduate, law, veterinary, and professional students

Encourage and support the professionalization of all disciplines

Entrusted by UT’s administration to deliver these funds as one of our primary services Increased budget allows to give more – and larger - awards

DO WE JUDGE THE QUALITY OF YOUR WORK?

NO!

Our job is to evaluate your monetary need These are NOT merit-based awards

A GSS award depends on your actual financial need Outside of department, college, grants, or other sources

OKAY, I NEED MONEY FOR A CONFERENCE. NOW WHAT?

Apply for a GSS travel award! Seriously, we have money for you

Applications are available on the GSS website: http://gss.utk.edu

Submit completed applications to the Dean of Students Office (413 Student Services) by deadline A&S and EHHS students – one week prior

A COMPLETED APPLICATION PACKET

Completed application (download from the GSS website)

An abstract of your project (or brief description of your role at the meeting)

Proof of acceptance, if available If not yet accepted, a note describing when you will knowYou DO NOT have to be accepted to be eligible for an award!

THE REQUISITE DISCLAIMERS

You can only receive one GSS award per academic year This means it’s a one-time source of help Academic year is: Fall, Spring, and Summer

Why? We want to help as many graduate students as possible each year “Double-dipping” diminishes this capacity

No maximum cap on the award

HERE’S SOME DATA, BECAUSE YOU’RE GRAD STUDENTS …

GSS Travel Awards 2011-2012Funded Amount

Fall 2011 70 $24,550

Spring 2012 54 $19,250

Summer 2012   61 $24,950

Total 185 $68,750

2012-2013 ACADEMIC YEAR

GSS Travel Awards 2012-2013

Funded Amount

Fall 2012 111 $104,325Spring 2013 107 $60,225

Summer 2013 126 $86,150

Total 344 $250,700

2013-2014 ACADEMIC YEAR

GSS Travel Awards 2013-2014

Funded Amount

Fall 2013 147 $101,240Spring 2014 144 $95,950

Summer 2014

Total 291 $197,190

PAGE 1: SOME INSTRUCTIONS

You must be a registered grad student in good standing to qualify

You must fill out the application and provide ALL supplemental materials

You must be able to PROVE you attended the meeting to receive your award

You are expected to cover a minimum of $100 of your own expenses

ACCEPTABLE PROOF OF TRAVEL?

You need receiptsAirfare, lodging, ground travel, gas, parking, registration, etc.

We do NOT reimburse per diem expensesYour entertainment and meals

PAGE 2: SOME MORE INSTRUCTIONS

Please TYPE the application It must be submitted by the deadlineA&S and EHHS students MUST submit applications to their deans ONE WEEK before the GSS deadline

There are NO EXCEPTIONS

Sign that you’ve read and understand the rules

DEFINITIONS: SOME CLARIFICATIONS

Conference scope:Who can attend this conference? This has nothing to do with location

International conferences are:Outside the US Inside the US, but international scholars attend

Prestige Invitation You were asked to present by someone in the governing body

Peer-reviewed You submitted a proposal that was reviewed and accepted

Open-call You can pay a registration fee and attend

Student’s Role Paper presentation

You’re presenting original work in a paper format Poster presentation

You’re presenting original work in a poster format Panel participant

You’re a chair or a discussant/evaluator of others’ work Other

You’re doing something else that you need to explain to us

The HIGHEST order should be marked if multiple roles apply

This is important enough to get its own slide in shouty capitals:

YOU WILL NOT GET GSS SUPPORT TO GO TO A CONFERENCE JUST FOR THE SAKE OF GOING

THAT’S NOT WHAT THESE AWARDS ARE DESIGNED FOR

YOU NEED TO MAKE A CONTRIBUTION TO YOUR FIELD

PAGE 3: YOUR INFORMATION

Fill out your personal information and the info about your conference Including your total and personal expensesThe amount for which you are personally responsible

DO NOT make deductions to these totals

If you had to pay for everything yourself, what would it cost?

PAGE 3: COSTS

These are your legitimate expenses:Airfare, lodging, transport, registration, etc.

You can fill out the “your share” column alone if you wishThis is your personal responsibility How much are you covering?

Again, DO NOT deduct anything here

PAGE 4

Your adviser must agree with this section: Your role Your involvement: most = you’re actually doing something

Signatures You sign Your adviser signs Your department head/chair signs Your college dean signs NO EXCEPTIONS

ADDITIONAL FUNDING

You must declare your known fundingHow much is your department giving you?Your college?Your conference?Your grant?Your adviser’s grant?

Failure to disclose robs others of their opportunity to receive funding

WHERE DOES YOUR APPLICATION GO?

College of Arts and SciencesCollege of Education,

Health, & Human Sciences

All other colleges

To your college

Dean of Students Office

Graduate Student Senate

Make sure to get both advisor and department chair signatures

Earlier deadline!

Make sure to get signatures from your advisor, department chair, and college dean

Final deadline!

ALL applications MUST go through the DOS The GSS does

not see any applications until AFTER the final deadline

It takes the GSS two (2) weeks to process all of the applications

GSS TRAVEL AWARD DEADLINES(DON’T WORRY, YOU WILL SEE THIS AT LEAST ONE MORE TIME, PROMISE)

Summer 2014 Deadlines: Monday, April 21st, 2014, 5:00 PM: for all graduate students in the College of

Arts and Sciences and College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. Applications must be submitted to your College Deans

Monday, April 28th, 2014, 5:00 PM: for graduate students in all other colleges. Applications must be submitted to the Dean of Students

Fall cycle deadlines: Dean of Students due date, always first Monday of September

Spring cycle deadlines: Dean of Students due date, always first Monday of classes

WHAT HAPPENS DURING GSS REVIEW?

The committee evaluates your application based on our scoring criteria 1: is it complete? 2: does it meet the standard for contribution to your field? 3: how does it rank?

We have a 15-point scale to determine rank

We try to notify candidates within two weeks of application

THE RANKING

Applicant’s Role (1-5 points): 5 Points – Paper Presentation 4 Points – Poster Presentation 3 Points – Other Presentations

Location of Travel (1-4 Points): 4 Points – International 3 Points – Lower 48 (not near

TN) 2 Points – Regional (near TN) 1 Point – within the state of TN

Submission Procedures (1-3 Points): 3 Points – Invitation 2 Points – Peer Reviewed 1 Point – Open Call

Presenter (0/2 Points): 2 Points – Primary Presenter

Authorship (0/1 Point): 1 Point – Primary Author

Usually, all 15-, 14-, and 13-point applicants receive funding(15 points is RARE)

REJECTIONS

Almost all rejections are for a few simple reasons:You aren’t actively participating in the conference

You’ve already received an award this academic year

You don’t have any demonstrated financial need

Incomplete applications

NOTIFICATION

Currently, we send actual lettersTo the address on your application, so use local or departmental addresses to ensure timely delivery

ONLY the applicant receives a letterCopies of approved apps on file in the SGA office

If your department wants a copy, they must get it from you

HOW DO I GET MY REIMBURSEMENT?

Submit your travel letter and your receipts to your departmental secretary Whoever handles travel

They handle the rest SGA account number from SGA Secretary Mary Malichis sgastaff@utk.edu

Funds awarded by direct deposit about two weeks later

GSS TRAVEL AWARD DEADLINES

Summer 2014 Deadlines: Monday, April 21st, 2014, 5:00 PM: for all graduate students in the College of

Arts and Sciences and College of Education, Health, and Human Sciences. Applications must be submitted to your College Deans

Monday, April 28th, 2014, 5:00 PM: for graduate students in all other colleges. Applications must be submitted to the Dean of Students

Fall cycle deadlines: Dean of Students due date, always first Monday of September

Spring cycle deadlines: Dean of Students due date, always first Monday of classes