Hamilton Annual Research and Travel Funds

Hamilton Annual Research and Travel (HART) Funds for Faculty

 

Beginning in 2023-24, the College will provide faculty members with Hamilton Annual Research and Travel (HART) funds to support their professional travel and scholarly/creative work. Funds may be used to directly support your pedagogical and scholarly or creative activities that promote a faculty member’s intellectual enrichment and allow you to grow as a teacher-scholar.  These funds will also be used to support attendance at professional conferences or other travel related to one’s research.  HART funds remaining unspent at the end of a fiscal year do not “rollover” to the subsequent year.  HART funds can be used during leaves and do not affect eligibility for GAF or CAJ during periodic leaves.

Who is eligible?

Faculty in tenure-track, professor of instruction, physical education, special appointment, and visiting positions (as defined by the Faculty Handbook) of half-time or greater, will be allocated $4,000 of HART funds in each fiscal year (July 1 through June 30). Faculty with professorships providing endowed funds for research and travel will use those first, HART funds will be used as a secondary source.  Pre-tenure faculty with startup funds and faculty holding post doctoral positions will be eligible for one conference trip up to $4000 from HART funds annually. Emeriti faculty are eligible for up to $2,500 reimbursement for a professional conference trip. Normally lecturers are not eligible for professional development funds; however, you may reach out to your associate dean to explore options for support.

Faculty members who exceed their annual allowance will have a reduced allowance in the subsequent year. Faculty who exceed their annual allowance in successive (back-to-back) years will have their eligibility for HART funds reviewed by the Dean.    

How do I use my HART funds?

To use their funds, faculty can log their uses in either the faculty travel or research forms.  Approval from your Associate Dean is no longer required. When using the funds for travel, current mileage and per diem rates apply.   

Process for using HART Funds 

Travel

1. Log your intended use in the travel form
2. Plan your travel (you may use Direct Travel but it is not mandatory)
3. Proceed with your travel
4. Submit final documentation. For travel submit a travel expense report within 30 days of returning (list Tom D’Onofrio as the approver)

Purchasing small dollar items (for purchases of less than $5,000)

1. Log your intended use in the research form 
2. Understand any specific requirements for purchasing items with personal funds to be reimbursed (Please be aware of college policies for example: expectations for purchasing from certain vendors such as Amazon, the NYS Tax exemption for the College, or for certain items that are centrally purchased such as computers, iPads, and such)
3. Purchase small items from third party source 
4. For reimbursement of small items, submit a check request and attach relevant receipts (list Tom D’Onofrio as the approver)

Purchasing large dollar items (for purchases of greater than $5,000)

1. Log your intended use in the research form 
2. Obtain a vendor quote of items for the college to directly purchase with a Purchase Order
3. Submit a vendor quote to Nicolas de la Riva to issue the PO for the Purchasing Dept for items to be purchased directly by the College 
4. Your item will be delivered per instructions from Purchase Order

For processes to pay for other services, please contact your associate dean.

What expenses can I use my HART funds for?

All funds allocated to individual faculty members (HART funds, startup, professorships, post doctoral research expenses etc…) are to be used to support the development of your pedagogical, scholarly or creative work. Expenses must follow our spending policies in order to be paid or reimbursed. Please review the spending guidelines (Make into NEW WEBSITE) for specific details and restrictions.  

What if my teaching and scholarship needs in a given year exceed the HART allowance?

Each year the Dean of Faculty invites proposals for competitive awards that may supplement HART funds.

Faculty Teacher-Scholar Awards for supplemental research or travel

The Dean of Faculty invites faculty to submit proposals for Faculty Teacher-Scholar Awards supporting course and pedagogical development; research and creative work; and international and domestic research travel. Proposals are reviewed annually on December 1 and March 31.  Details and eligibility of specific awards are described here.  Faculty at all ranks are eligible to apply but must hold an appointment of half-time or greater and be expected to continue through the following academic year. A faculty member can apply to one or multiple awards if applicable. Collaborative projects involving faculty and/or students will be considered. Grants are competitive and will be awarded based on the availability of funds and criteria specifically mentioned under each endowment and the following:

• For research awards, articulation of how the project will contribute toward a) the beginning of a new scholarly project, b) advancing a current project to make it more competitive for external funding, or c) the completion of a project for dissemination.
• For pedagogical awards, connection to one or more of the eight educational goals of the College or alignment of the proposal with one or more course designation (WI, SSIH, QSR, SI, EL, or FYC).

Faculty pedagogical awards for supplemental teaching enhancement 

Pedagogical awards are advertised each spring for summer and/or academic year support.  The deadline for applications is March 31. More information can be found at this link. Awards include:

• FYC Course Development Award
• The Class of 1966 Career Development Award
• The Class of 1963 Faculty Fellowship
• Dean's Pedagogical Development Award