Faculty Excellence

The purpose of the USC Upstate Teaching and Productive Scholarship (TAPS) Fund is to promote faculty excellence in teaching, research, and service. Specifically, TAPS grants support faculty projects that improve pedagogy and further traditional and innovating research, scholarship, and creativity. To this end, the Committee for Faculty Excellence annually recommends the awarding of internal grants from the TAPS fund.

TAPS applications are accepted on a rolling basis, but should be submitted no less than three weeks prior to domestic travel (including Canada) or four weeks for travel advances and prior to international travel. Applications submitted less than three weeks before domestic travel or less than four weeks before international travel are not guaranteed to go through the entire approval process. There are several levels of approvals both before and after the committee vote, including additional steps for international travel and travel advances. Therefore, you are encouraged to submit your TAPS application as soon as possible, ideally a month or two in advance of travel or the beginning of a project. Please remember, travel cannot be funded retroactively. 

Tenured faculty members, tenure-track faculty members, and full-time instructors may apply for eligible projects in research, teaching, and service. Currently, each faculty member may apply for up to $1,750 in domestic expenses (including Canada) or $2,250 in international expenses (or a combined maximum of $2,250) per year. These limits are reviewed periodically by the Committee for Faculty Excellence and depend on available funds.

• As you complete the form, choose save after you have completed the fields marked with a red asterisk (*). Then choose save and continue to resume working on the application or save and exit if you wish to end the session and resume work later. Saving your work early and then regularly afterwards will.
• Please note limits to character amount and types in the Project Title and Attachment fields.
• SharePoint works best with Google Chrome and Internet Explorer.
• Please see the Application Instructions below, including a sample project narrative and itemized budget for travel.
• Video and checklist-based tutorials are available on the TAPS SharePoint website.
• See the TAPS Grant Complete Policies and Guidelines  for more details.

All applications for TAPS Grants will be accepted through the SharePoint Online Application System.

NOTE: Be sure to follow limits to character amounts and types in Project Title and attachment names. Google Chrome and Internet Explorer are preferred browsers for Sharepoint. The IT Help Desk can provide technical assistance with any USC Upstate Sharepoint application. 

Project Description (max. 250 words):

Offer evidence of the ways the proposal fits the eligible projects criteria in research, teaching, and/or service (see above). To be considered for funding, the applicant must submit the following:

1. a description of the activity, including dates, location, and amount requested in first line;
2. the procedures/methodologies used;
3. the expected result and further direction; and,
4. if applicable, strategies for assessment of the project’s results (e.g., in activities to enhance pedagogy).
5. Applicants who are presenting at conferences should substantiate the significance of the conference in relationship both to their academic discipline and to their own professional development and/or scholarly/creative agenda.
6. For presentation of co-authored posters, papers, presentations, and workshops, applicants must explain the necessity and benefits of funding more than one USC Upstate author. In particular, each applicant should discuss his or her individual role in the scholarly work being presented. Without such justification, only one USC Upstate author will receive TAPS funding for the presentation.

Sample Narrative:

IRB Statement of Human/Vertebrate Animal Subjects Review Board Approval:

Applications should include a statement indicating whether this project is

• exempt (include exemption letter), or
• this project does not require IRB approval because no human or animal subjects were part of the research (N/A), or
• IRB approval was obtained (include approval letter).

In accordance with University Guidelines (SPAR 1.10 and ACAF 1.03) all laws, regulations, and ethical principles applicable to the protection of human and vertebrate animal subjects in research will be followed. All projects seeking funding through the Committee for Faculty Excellence involving humans and/or vertebrate animals as research subjects must have approval by the appropriate committee. IRB approvals from prior institutions covering work to be presented are acceptable. A statement of approval or the official IRB exemption notification letter must be submitted with the grant request for work involving humans or vertebrate animals.

IRB information and approvals for new projects are administered through the USC Office of Research Compliance. The online IRB system. The username and password are the same as your Blackboard username and password. IRB-related questions should be directed to Thomas Coggins at tcoggins@mailbox.sc.edu.

Itemized Budget:

The proposal must include a detailed itemized budget, rounded to nearest dollar. Each item, such as each piece of equipment should be justified briefly here as to its use in the described budget. Documentation in the form of receipts, fee statements, or price quotes must follow.

Sample itemized Budget for a Conference: 

Documentation

Documentation should include attachments or Web links to:

• conference abstract,
• notification of acceptance,
• registration fee form or conference Web page listing fees,
• airfare (estimate or actual) or mileage for long trips (maps are not necessary for local travel, such as travel to/from airports),
• hotel fees
• Airline baggage fees, airport and hotel parking fees
• miscellaneous

NOTE: Projects requiring IRB approval cannot be funded without appropriate IRB documentation.

• Successful proposals include a narrative with clear organization, cohesion and a clearly-defined statement of purpose, goals and objectives.
• Successful proposals support institutional and/or unit goals and objectives.
• Successful proposals demonstrate the proposed project's potential to contribute to the individual's professional development and/or scholarly/creative agenda.
• Successful proposals demonstrate the significance and/or potential of the proposed project to contribute to the field, the knowledge domain and/or society.

The main purpose of TAPS funding is to support individual faculty members in their faculty development. Eligible projects are aligned with promotion and tenure, administrative review, and post-tenure review categories of teaching, research, and service.

1. Research: Research, scholarly, and creative activities that contribute to the faculty member’s scholarly agenda especially with the goal of publication and/or formal presentation at conferences significant in the faculty member's discipline.
• Eligible
• Activities may include travel, research equipment and expendables, or salaries for support of research projects.
• Ineligible
• Please note limitations on travel expenses below.
• Merely attending a conference, which is passive participation/learning, will not meet the criteria for funding.
• When more than one faculty member applies to complete the same activity in support of research, applicants must explain the necessity and benefit of funding more than one USC Upstate faculty member. Each applicant should discuss his or her individual role in the research project or presentation. Without such justification, only one USC Upstate faculty member will receive TAPS funding for a single research activity.
• Equipment that is not specific to an individual faculty member’s research activities should be obtained through other university sources, such as the university technology fund.
  
  
2. Teaching: Scholarly activities designed to improve an individual faculty member’s pedagogy and curriculum at USC Upstate and contribute to University and/or unit mission, such as active paritcipation in special courses, workshops, or institutes.
• Ineligible
• Merely attending a conference, which is passive participation/learning, will not meet the criteria for funding.
• When more than one faculty member applies to complete the same activity in support of teaching, applicants must explain the necessity and benefits of funding more than one USC Upstate faculty member. Each applicant should discuss his or her individual role in the program and in the pedagogy or curriculum to be developed or improved. Without such justification, only one USC Upstate faculty member will receive TAPS funding for a single teaching activity.
• Collaborative teaching projects undertaken by a college or department with the aim of improving a program rather than individual faculty member’s teaching activities should seek funding through other avenues.
• For technology and other equipment for pedagogy or curricular development, applicants should seek funding through other avenues; e.g., TAPS funds cannot be used to provide a biology lab with dissection equipment.
• Students attending conferences should seek funding through Student Affairs and/or SARS.
• Due to University policy (ACAF 2.10), TAPS funds may not be utilized to fund program leader expenses for faculty/staff-led international study abroad programs. Faculty interested in coordinating a study abroad program are encouraged to contact the Center for International Studies for assistance with financial planning for international studies at studyabroad@uscupstate.edu
3. Service: Major service activities in a professional organization requiring the application of scholarly and/or professional knowledge. Applicants for the Teaching and Productive Scholarship Grants are encouraged but not required to present research in addition to completing service at conferences.
• Ineligible
• Merely attending a conference, which is passive participation, will not meet the criteria for funding.
• When more than one faculty member applies to complete the same activity in support of service, applicants must explain the necessity and benefits of funding more than one USC Upstate faculty member. Each applicant should discuss his or her individual role in the program and in the professional service to be completed. Without such justification, only one USC Upstate faculty member will receive TAPS funding for a single service activity.

1. Brief Project Narrative: Limit 250 words. Include type of activity, dates, location, and total requested in first line. Offer evidence of the ways the proposal fits the eligible projects criteria in research, teaching, or service.
2. IRB Statement and Official Letters: Indicate n/a if no animals or humans involved, explain if the project does involve humans but does not require approval or official exemption, indicate exempt and include official exemption letter, indicate approved and include official approval letter in documentation. See USC Office of Research Compliance.
3. Itemized Budget: List details of expenses for accommodations (fee/day), registration, transportation, per diem, equipment, student salaries, and other costs. Pleas round the requested amount to the nearest dollar.
4. Documentation of All Budget Expenses: Include receipts or fee statements for the following:

• Registration Fee
• Hotel Fees (plus taxes)
• Estimated/Actual Transportation Costs (airline, baggage fees, parking, and ground transportation. OR, if driving, MapQuest printout with beginning and ending destinations)
• Other Expenses (i.e., poster materials, equipment)

Allowable Expenses

• Conference or institute registration
• Accommodations and lodging for travel over 50 miles from Upstate or place of residence (NOTE: nightly total for accommodation cannot exceed $371.11 a night)
• Transportation (airline, baggage fees, parking, and ground transportation. OR, if driving, MapQuest, Google Maps or similar printout showing mileage with beginning and ending destinations at state mileage rates* (current rate on TAPS application form)
• Per diem (see in state, out of state and international allowances on TAPS application form)
• Student/other salaries plus fringe benefits
• Equipment plus sales tax
• Publishing costs
• Expendable supplies plus sales tax

*NOTE: University procedure for FINA 1.00 states, “If a private vehicle is authorized the University will pay mileage or economy airfare whichever is less.”

 Excluded Expenses

• Membership dues,
• Specific conference meals or entertainment not included in registration fees
• Student travel
• Retroactive expenses
• Research expenses in connection with faculty member’s degree requirements
• Textbook writing for financial gain
• Air travel at rates above economy class
• Rental car fees are not refunded in addition to air travel without detailed justification
• Travel for merely attending a conference with no related presentation, workshop, or major professional serviceE activity (see “eligible Projects” above).
• Tips for services (restaurant, transportation, etc.), particularly if indicated in the receipt