Call for proposals – Summer Session 2017

Summer Session provides an important academic opportunity for students and faculty. More than 7,500 students take Summer Session courses each year and about 95 percent of the students are in CU Boulder degree programs. In Summer 2016, we saw significant increases in the number of freshmen, sophomores and juniors taking Summer Session, and a decrease in seniors. Please keep these students in mind when planning your 2017 offerings. As you’re aware, most students use Summer Session to:  

• maintain or advance progress toward degree completion,
• focus on a difficult course or a prerequisite course,
• work toward a second major or minor, and/or
• allow time for an internship or study abroad experience during the fall or spring semesters.  

Summer Session includes two three-week terms (Maymester and Augmester), two five-week terms (A and B), one eight-week term (C), one ten-week term (D) and intensive one or more week terms (E and F). During these terms the Office of the Associate Vice Provost for Summer Session offers programs designed to engage faculty as well as enhance and expand Summer Session offerings: FIRST, Instructional Grants and the Online Grant Program. 

The FIRST (Faculty-in-Residence Summer Term) program brings prominent scholars and practitioners to teach during summer 2017. Academic departments nominate candidates for the program. FIRST broadens the faculty expertise and curricula offered to Summer Session students. FIRST scholars may teach undergraduate or graduate classes during one of the Summer Session terms. Visiting scholars will be invited from a range of disciplines. FIRST faculty will lead department colloquia and, if appropriate, present a public lecture. FIRST faculty should be distinguished scholars and teachers in their academic disciplines and generally hold the rank of associate or full professor. Grants for FIRST faculty are for $15,000. Learn more about the FIRST Program Request for Proposals.

The Instructional Grant Program funds CU Boulder faculty to offer classes new to Summer Session. The program encourages various course proposals including a course that has never been offered in Summer Session; a course with modified pedagogy or content (a hybrid online-classroom model or a shortened time frame); a major/minor or core course that is over-subscribed in the fall and spring semesters; or an opportunity to offer faculty teaching assignments during Summer Session when funds would otherwise not be available. The Instructional Grant Program provides funding for CU Boulder faculty salaries up to $7,000. Salary is based upon the college salary schedule. Priority is given to funding instructor level and tenure-track faculty. Learn more about the Instructional Grant Program Request for Proposals.

Online Course Grants are also available for the development of new online courses. Summer Session first offered three online classes in 2009 and offerings grew to 65 courses in 2016. Faculty members receive a $5,000 course development stipend (for a 3-credit class) and work one-on-one with an instructional designer to develop the online course. The online course must be ready by May 1, 2017 and will be taught in Summer Session 2017. Faculty who are interested must have approval by the appropriate supervising dean by December 1, 2017; and, follow their college policies relating to overloads for instructors, tenure-track faculty, and for those holding administrative appointments. The development stipend, the faculty salary, the grader salary and one-on-one instructional design are provided by Summer Session. Faculty salaries are determined by the School or College Summer Session Salary Schedule. Priority is for major, minor or core classes at the upper division level offered by tenure-track faculty. Learn more about the Online Course Grant Request for Proposals.

Faculty interested in any of these programs should consult with their department chair. Department chairs should submit an electronic and paper copy of grant proposals to their school or college Summer Session dean by Friday, October 21. Summer Session deans will provide ranked grant proposals to the Summer Session office by Thursday, October 27. Summer Session deans will be notified in mid-November of grants awarded. Visit the Summer Session website to access complete information for each of the Summer Session program Request for Proposals.

Contact the Summer Session dean in your school or college or Jessica Madrigal, Assistant Dean for Summer Session, for additional information.