Non-Tenure Track Faculty Professional Development Fellowship Pilot Program
The Professional Development Fellowship Pilot Program will provide funds to help support colleges to provide a one-semester teaching release (full or partial) for selected non-tenure track faculty at the rank of Senior Lecturer, Senior Instructor, Clinical or Teaching Associate or full Professor with six or more years of full-time equivalent service. Fellowships will be granted to increase the faculty member's value to the University through enhanced opportunities for professional renewal, educational travel, study, formal training, or other experiences of professional value.
For more information, please email facultyaffairsevent@uic.edu.
The application period for Spring 2025 consideration closed March 29, 2024. Heading link
Please check back regularly for updates.
Guidelines Heading link
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Eligibility
- Non-tenure track faculty who have achieved the rank of Senior Lecturer, Senior Instructor, Clinical or Teaching Associate or full Professor with six or more years of full-time equivalent service.
- Faculty who are funded entirely on grants or contracts are not eligible.
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Monetary Support
- The Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs will provide up to $20,000 to the college.
- It will be at the discretion at the college how to best utilize awarded funds to cover teaching release or other duties for the fellow.
- The college will be responsible for costs exceeding $20,000 associated with the full or partial release of duties.
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Conditions
- Within 30 days after completion of the Fellowship, a concise, written report articulating the accomplishments during the Fellowship must be submitted to the unit executive officer for routing and endorsement of the college dean, and final submission to the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs.
- This report shall include information regarding the activities undertaken during the fellowship period, the results accomplished as they affect the employee and the college, and research or other scholarly work produced or expected to be produced as a result of the Fellowship.
- Awarded, non-tenure track faculty will not be eligible for consideration within six years of Fellowship.
- Fellowships are limited. Application submission does not guarantee a faculty member will be awarded.
- Travel expenses incurred for purposes of the fellowship are not reimbursable through the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs. Responsible college/department may approve official university travel as part of the application for the Fellowship.
- Fellowship recipients in some cases may be required to defer the fellowship period to avoid undue hardship or disruption to their department.
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Application Process
Proposals may be submitted online below to the Office of the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs. Proposals should include:
- A one-to-two sentence summary of your proposal.
- A proposal (maximum 1,000 words) that describes, in detail, how the fellowship will be used to fund a full or partial release of duties that will develop and expand the applicant’s expertise and future contributions to UIC or their respective college/department. Proposals should explicitly describe how the contributions align with the priorities or the faculty members academic unit and will increase the faculty member’s ability to fulfill their primary duties in the unit.
- A current CV
Applicants are encouraged to consult with the Office of Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs for assistance in preparing their submission. A workshop to prepare faculty for successful submission will be offered prior to the application deadline.
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Review Process
- Applicants will submit form with completed materials and will move on to the unit executive officer for review.
- The unit executive officer will provide a recommendation and justification (300-word justification) and will be forwarded to the college dean.
- For colleges with schools, the director will also provide a recommendation and brief justification prior to completed materials being forwarded to the college dean.
- The college dean will review and provide a final recommendation to the Provost. The dean may consult with the relevant unit executive officer/director and the college executive committee in connection with their review.
- The Provost and Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs will select up to five (5) fellowships for funding based on the merits of each application and the recommendations of the unit executive officer/director and college dean.
Frequently Asked Questions Heading link
As we engage with interested applicants throughout this process, we will collect questions that may be helpful for others to consider and post here.
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What is needed for the deadline?
A proposal (as developed by the faculty member) and current CV. The application period is strictly for non-tenure track faculty to submit these materials.
Unit executive officers, directors, and college deans do not submit any materials prior to the deadline.
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Can I apply for a release of teaching duties for two semesters?
This fellowship is strictly for the release of teaching duties for one (1) semester.
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Should I detail how the funds will be used in my proposal?
Faculty need not justify use of funding in proposal.
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How many Fellowships will be offered?
There will be five fellowships offered for Fall 2024 and five fellowships offered for Spring 2025.
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Will applicants who were not selected this time receive feedback on their application?
Feedback will not be provided to applicants during the pilot phase of the project.
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I am a faculty member who will complete 6 years by Fall 2024, can I submit an application for consideration?
Yes, you can submit an application if you will complete six years or more by August 2024.
Unable to Attend the Information Sessions? Contact Us Heading link
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Elizabeth Houlihan
Assistant Vice Provost for Faculty Engagement
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Michael Tanis
Faculty Awards Program Manager