Research is one of the areas in which a faculty member is evaluated for promotion and tenure.  (See Sections 103.03 and 103.04 in this Handbook.)

A modest sum is allocated annually to assist faculty members in their unsponsored research projects.  Application blanks may be obtained from the Chair of the Learning Resources Committee of the Faculty Senate.  Deadlines for the submission of applications are announced.

Grants are restricted to full-time faculty members who have been employed at the University of West Georgia for at least one year and whose research project will not be used for completion of a degree.  Grants are awarded to support bonafide research leading to a refereed publication.  Grants are given to encourage scholarship that might otherwise go unaccomplished.  Such grants may be used to help defray research expenses involving travel (transportation, food and lodging), photo duplications, equipment purchases, supplies, and publication assistance, with the following qualifications:

1. Any item or service which is normally funded through the grantee's department is generally not a qualified candidate for fund-granting.
2. No more than 50 percent of the subsidy can be made to a publisher up to a maximum grant of $1500 for this purpose.  No private publications can be subsidized in which the author pays all the publication costs.
3. At the discretion of the Committee, a project may be funded at an amount less than the requested amount.
4. The applicant's department is expected to contribute ten (10) percent of the cost of all reusable items to be purchased by grant funding.
5. Funds are not allocated for hiring research assistants to do typing, reading film, or performing experiments (unless expertise is required).
6. Funds are not provided for travel expenses to conferences.
7. Sponsored Operations serves as the central clearing house for all proposals, contracts and grants.  This office also drafts agreements with external agencies.  A representative of Sponsored Operations should assist in the negotiation of the agreement.  The office provides assistance in the writing of proposals and approves the proposed budget.

The following are some general procedural guidelines:

1. Proposals involving faculty or facilities of the university must be approved by the appropriate department chair and dean of the college involved.  If the faculty or facilities of a college or department other than the one in which the proposal originates are committed, the appropriate department chair and dean must approve the proposal.
2. If a training proposal is submitted which commits the institution to a new degree program the degree program, must have been authorized prior to submission of the proposal.
3. New courses included in a funding proposal must have prior approval for inclusion in the course offering of the University of West Georgia.

The routing of proposals will be:

1.   Department Chair (or Chairs)
2.   Dean(s) of the appropriate college(s)
3.   Coordinator of Sponsored Operations
4.   President

In keeping with the fiscal and project management responsibilities reserved for the principal investigator/project manager by federal granting agencies and as per 34 Code of Federal Regulations, parts 74 and 80, all expeditures from sponsored accounts must be approved by the (co-)principal investigator/(co-) project director or their designated signatory.

Requests for expenditures from funded projects should be routed through Sponsored Operations.  Requests for budget amendments must be routed to Sponsored Operations.