Professional Development Funds are a significant benefit to PTLs. We encourage you, in applying for funds, to think outside the box. In the past, funds have been approved for PTLs to attend national and international conferences, to present papers, to pursue research and to purchase classroom materials. All PTLs are eligible for this benefit.
Our new contract sets aside $300,000 for professional development. This year, funds will be distributed in two cycles, both fall and spring, to accommodate the previous academic year, 2018-2019, and the current academic year, 2019-2020. (No funds were distributed in 2018-2019 during contract negotiations; this double cycle of funding assures that 2018-2019 awards are made retroactively.)
What makes a strong application?
Deans recommend this: Demonstrate the benefit to your students. This is what matters most, say those who approve the applications. Demonstrate an explicit connection. How does this opportunity benefit your teaching at Rutgers?
Apply early
The application deadline is Nov. 22 for funding requests for activities in Fall 2018, Spring 2019 or Summer 2019.
However, keep in mind that your application must be processed first by your department chair and then by the department dean before the Nov. 22 deadline to reach the office of Academic Labor Relations. It’s best to apply early to allow time for departmental processing. Once your application is approved by the chair and the dean, you submit it to Academic Labor Relations at oalr@oq.rutgers.edu.
You should be prepared to produce receipts for expenses incurred. Funding decisions will be announced by Jan. 24.
Apply often
In February, the university will begin accepting applications for funding requests for activities in Fall 2019, Spring 2020 or Summer 2020.
We encourage you to submit applications in both fall and spring. In Spring 2020, the application deadline is March 9, with funding decisions announced April 24.
How much is an award?
Award amounts vary, and are dependent upon the specifics of the application and number of applications received. In recent years, many PTLs received funding in the range of $1,000 to 1,500, although some awards have reached up to $4,000.
What should you include in your application?
- Name
- Department
- Decanal unit
- Campus
- Amount of funding requested along with a detailed budget outlining the use of funds
- Semester during which funds were expended
- Project statement, including how the project relates to professional activities at Rutgers (limited to one page).
- Endorsement by department chair
- Endorsement by dean
We will continue to provide updates on the specifics of the Professional Development Fund program. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or concerns.