Grants are available to provide support for departmental programs that prepare GSIs for teaching. Grants are typically used to establish or enhance 300-level pedagogy seminars, to support a video consultation program for GSI teaching development, to undertake a comprehensive revision of GSI-led sections in large-enrollment courses, or to prepare or revise  handbooks, websites, or other pedagogical materials used in working with GSIs.

Developmental Funds for Departments Beginning New Programs

Start-up funds are available to departments that do not currently have a 300-level course on teaching. Stipends can be used to pay an advanced GSI to assist a faculty member in researching background materials for the 300-level pedagogy course and in developing a syllabus, reader, website, or handouts for the course. Stipends can also be used to pay a GSI to recruit faculty, other GSIs, undergraduates, or campus professionals to be guest speakers at individual class sessions or for a senior graduate student to serve as a consultant to other GSIs by providing guided video feedback. Grant funds cannot be used to pay a GSI to teach a 300-level seminar, as the responsibility for teaching the course resides with departmental faculty. To facilitate your efforts, consultation will be available from the GSI Teaching & Resource Center as you develop your course and throughout the semester in which you launch your program.

Support for Departments with Ongoing Programs

Though priority will be given to departments that do not currently have a 300-level course, stipends are also available to departments that wish to improve established programs. Grant funds can be used for an experienced GSI to work collaboratively with a faculty member to enhance and improve a 300-level pedagogy course, to update and revise materials used in the course, or to add new components such as guided video consulting. Grant funds can also be used for graduate student assistance in 1) the development of departmental or course-specific handbooks or websites for GSIs or 2) the comprehensive revision of GSI-led sections in a large-enrollment course.

Eligibility

The Graduate Council’s Advisory Committee for GSI Affairs has set the following criteria of eligibility for these awards. Departments applying for these funds must:

• conduct a needs assessment of GSIs who have taught in your department in the previous academic year and integrate the findings into the development of the funded project;
• ensure that the 300-level course is taught by a faculty member;
• provide a final report and evaluation of the project at the end of the grant period; and
• work toward establishing an ongoing, comprehensive program for GSI development in your department.

Application Forms for Departmental Grant

Application Form
Needs Assessment Survey Form

Application deadline: April 23, 2021