Teaching Program Overview

The UT Martin Faculty Development Grants Teaching Program is aimed at faculty members who wish to improve their teaching. It is often difficult to separate research from teaching improvement activities, simply because both of them involve faculty in projects that improve teaching effectiveness in some way. However, these grants (not to exceed $1,500) are reserved for those projects that are beneficial to teaching and do not conform to the guidelines of research grants. Effective Fall 2002, all awards requesting travel for the faculty development teaching program will only be awarded to those individuals who are presenting at a conference, workshop, or seminar related to the guidelines of the award.


There are three categories of grant opportunities: (A) Faculty Development for Instructional Improvement; (B) Course/Curriculum Development; (C) Professional Presentation. Category (A) awards are available for activities that focus on the development of skills, methods, and abilities for teaching improvement. Numerous workshops and seminars are designed to enhance teaching effectiveness. Additionally, publishing one's work is construed as professional development. This category of grants assists faculty in such areas. Category (B) awards are for activities designed for course and curriculum development. This is an area available for recipients who clarify specific course improvement plans and objectives and who describe the nature of requisite workshops and meetings established to further these plans. Finally, Category (C) is reserved for attendance at professional meetings and conferences (i. e., teaching and/or research) where the recipient's presentation has been accepted on the program. General attendance at a professional meeting, where one is not on a program as a presenter, does not fall within the Faculty Development Teaching Program guidelines. The faculty member should seek departmental travel funds for such purposes.

Any regular, full-time faculty member may apply for a Faculty Development Teaching Grant. However, faculty members who have previously been awarded a grant must show evidence that they have (1) presented a report on their findings at a professional meeting, (2) submitted for publication an account of their findings, (3) submitted an extramural proposal for further funding, or (4) incorporated the material into their classrooms before their new proposals will be considered for funding. Evidence should include a copy of a course syllabus highlighting activities relating to the grant activity plus a letter of acceptance to present at a professional meeting and a copy of the program, a publication abstract, or a grant cover sheet. When one of these standards has been met, their proposals will be considered equally with those from first-time applicants.

Funds may be requested for items germane to the completion of the project such as travel (presenting at a conference and/or attending a workshop/seminar related to classroom teaching), student wages (a maximum of 10% of the total costs), supplies (including software, but excluding computers and peripherals), and communication (postage, telephone, freight, etc.). The grant, however, will not pay registration fees for a conference unless the fees include some meals, pre- and/or post-conference workshops, and/or materials provided by the sponsor to be used in the classroom. Also, funds will not be awarded for publicity items (i.e., t-shirts, mugs, posters, etc.). 

Members of the Faculty Research & Development Committee (representing all UT Martin academic units) are responsible for reading and evaluating proposals. In the event a Committee Member submits a proposal, and/or if a Committee Member's immediate family member (i. e., spouse; parent(s); children, including step-children; siblings; nieces and nephews) submits a proposal, the Committee Member will excuse her/himself from reviewing and discussing any proposals, but will participate in all other aspects of the Committee's work. It is the responsibility of the Committee Member to secure a replacement for her/him to review and discuss all proposals and to provide the name of the replacement to the Committee Chair before the Committee's initial meeting.