Professional Activities Fund
The Sociology Department offers funds to faculty and graduate students to explore avenues of research and enrichment. Funds provided to faculty and graduate students may be used toward professional expenditures related but not limited to:
● Publication costs
● Research travel and other costs
● Conference travel and related costs
● Professional supplies (note that any technology will remain WMU property)
● Hourly research assistance
An application is required for all funding requests. Prior approval must be secured for purchases/spending.
Travel support applications must be accompanied by appropriate university travel authorization. Requests will be processed similarly to procedures already set forth with the allocation of Kercher funds.
Requests will be subject to department chair approval if under $500, and to the Kercher Endowment Committee if over $500.
For all faculty members of the department:
1. Prior to the professional activity or professionally related expense the faculty member will complete the “Professional Activities Funding Application” (PAFA) in the Forms section on the sociology department’s website. Included on the form should be any necessary details and an itemized budget. Chair and/or Kercher Endowment Committee will review and approve appropriate funding requests.
2. When possible, expenses will be paid for in advance by the Department. When expenses are paid for by the faculty member, they will submit proof of these activities (e.g. receipts from conference travel expenditures, research-related expenditures, etc.) to the sociology department's administrative assistant.
3. Once these expenditures are received and approved, the faculty member will have the requested funds reimbursed in the same manner as usual.
4. After two years, if none of the funds allocated to a faculty member have been used, this money will default back to the reserve fund for reassessment.
For all graduate students of the department:
1. All graduate students seeking funding must be in good standing in the department (an acceptable or better designation from the most recent annual review and current enrollment).
2. Before the student engages in the professional activities for which they are seeking funding, the student will complete the "Professional Activities Funding Application" (PAFA) in the Forms section on the sociology department's website. The student will respond to questions about the proposed professional activities, total anticipated funds needed, location and dates of professional activities etc.
3. PAFA's will be reviewed regularly and on a rolling basis. Students will be notified within two weeks as to whether their funding request was approved.
4. After approval and when possible, expenses will be paid for in advance by the Department. When expenses are paid for by the student, and after the professional activities have been completed, students will submit proof of activities (e.g. receipts from conference travel expenditures, research-related expenditures, etc.) to the "Proof of Professional Activities" form in the Forms section on the Sociology department's website.
5. Once these expenditures are received, the graduate student will receive the funds into their Go WMU account. According to University Policy, all outstanding balances will be paid before funds become available to the student.