Annual Evaluation: Chair Resource Guide

The annual review process may reveal a variety of goals and areas for growth or improvement. Annual review may also be a time when faculty members disclose future plans such as retirement, applying for promotion or sabbatical, or taking parental or medical leave. 

The purpose of this document is to provide information about available resources to which chairs and directors might refer faculty members in the course of the annual review process. This document primarily focuses on resources internal to KU, but keep in mind that outside sources (e.g., professional organization newsletters, listservs, conferences) may also be an important source of relevant resources.

  • Connect the faculty member with writing groups or workshops within your unit 
  • Connect the faculty member with relevant research centers on campus (e.g., Achievement & Assessment Institute, Hall Center for the Humanities, Institute for Policy & Social Research, Lifespan Institute, Frontiers Translational & Clinical Science Institute) 
  • Writing to Publish Faculty Development Academy 
  • Some faculty members may benefit from the assistance of an undergraduate student research assistant; volunteer student research assistant positions can be listed with the Center for Undergraduate Research & Fellowships  
  • Hall Center Research Fellowships: provide release time from teaching and service obligations for focused scholarly work 
  • NCFDD resources provide guidance aimed at research productivity, such as semester planning and developing a writing practice (faculty member will need to create an account using KU’s institutional membership)  
  • NCFDD Faculty Success Program: this is a semester-long program including weekly trainings, individual coaching, and accountability meetings (note that this is a paid program but KU has scholarships available) 

Internal funding opportunities 

  • New faculty research development award  
    • Deadlines: March 1 and October 1; Applications must be received within two years of the applicant’s appointment date. 
    • Budget: up to $8,000 for support of research, scholarship, or creative activity; up to $20,000 for seed funding for major external funding opportunities  
  • General research fund (GRF) 
    • Each faculty member on the Lawrence campus is eligible to submit one GRF proposal to their school or college as the principal investigator. All funds are awarded for a one-year period (July 1 to June 30) and may be used for summer salary, student or GRA salary, supplies, or travel.  
  • International travel funds  
    • International affairs provides funds for conducting research internationally or presenting at international conferences. Faculty members are eligible for one award every three years.  
    • Deadline: Rolling, funds are first come first serve; Application must be received no later than four weeks prior to travel 
    • Budget: up to $1,000 
  • Racial equity awards 
    • These awards support research, scholarship, and creative projects related to attaining the goal of racial equity.  
    • Deadline: November 15, 2024 
    • Budget: up to $20,000 
  • Hall Center for the Humanities Faculty Research Travel Grant 
    • Faculty Research Travel Grants provide faculty members with financial support for humanities-oriented research (such as archival work, fieldwork, or interviews) that requires domestic or international travel. 
    • Deadline: TBD 
    • Budget: up to $3,500 
  • Scholars on Site 
    • Supports partnerships between KU Humanities Scholars and community organizations that bring humanities research to the public. 
    • Deadline: TBD 
    • Budget: up to $15,000 
  • Humanities Col(LAB)oratives 
    • Offers faculty in the humanities and humanities-oriented social sciences the opportunity to work collaboratively through a three-year long Humanities Col(LAB)orative organized around a central humanistic theme or topic.  
    • Deadline: This competition runs once every three years, next application cycle will be in 2027.  
    • Budget: up to $30,000 per year, $90,000 over a three-year period  

 

Support for seeking external funding 

  • Consider incorporating presentations about faculty research into unit-level faculty meetings, proseminars, or presentation series  
  • Connect the faculty member with writing groups within your unit 
  • Encourage the faculty member to attend relevant proseminars, lectures, workshops, and conferences (e.g., Red Hot Research) 
  • Connect the faculty member with relevant research centers on campus  
  • Encourage the faculty member to join relevant professional organizations and subscribe to relevant listservs and newsletters 
  • Interdisciplinary Research Initiatives through The Commons 
  • Keeler Family Intra-University Professorship: This program provides support for a semester free of departmental responsibilities for inter-disciplinary research or teaching work by tenured faculty members via collaboration with faculty members from another discipline.   
    • Deadline: March 3, 2025 
    • Budget: the recipient’s unit will receive $12,000 to assist in meeting department instructional needs resulting from the award 
  • Big XII Faculty Fellowship: This program supports collaboration with faculty members at another Big XII institution.   
    • Deadline: March 3, 2025 
    • Budget: up to $2,500 
  • Encourage the faculty member to attend relevant proseminars, lectures, workshops, and conferences (e.g., Red Hot Research) 
  • Encourage the faculty member to join relevant professional organizations and subscribe to relevant listservs and newsletters 
  • Faculty / staff councils: affinity groups for faculty from a variety of identity categories / backgrounds  
  • Faculty learning circles: small-group, interactive experiences designed to foster interpersonal connections and collective wisdom around specific topics of interest or shared circumstances; group topics change each semester 
  • UAKU  

Additional Resources