Requesting SLF (proposer guidelines)

If you are a student, faculty, or staff member in an academic college, or work in the division of Student Affairs, please discuss your funding needs with your unit head to determine the best source of funding for your proposal. Proposals submitted for Campus Fee Advisory Committee (CFAC) awards should demonstrate a broader impact and serve students from a number of areas or disciplines. These may be cross-college or cross-divisional proposals, or initiatives emerging from non-college Academic Affairs’ units (e.g., Meriam Library, Undergraduate Education).

Proposals are submitted online. Further details and instructions for submission of proposals will be sent via email, campus announcements, and Orion advertisement during the fall semester. Proposals must be finalized before 5:00 p.m. on the deadline found in the timeline.

After the proposal cycle closes (see timeline), each unit-level committee will review and recommend proposals according to their own internal procedures. The procedure must ensure the student voice is reflected throughout the process. Unit-level committees are encouraged to contact submitters with any specific questions about any proposals, and submitters may be asked to meet with the committees. If, upon final review of the awarded proposals, CFAC determines that a given proposal, or part thereof, falls outside SLF guidelines, unit heads will be asked to reallocate that funding to another approved proposal in the expenditure plan.

After the proposal cycle closes (see timeline), CFAC committee members review and rank the non-college academic unit proposals, and the cross-college and cross-division (interdisciplinary) proposals.  If questions arise about a proposal, CFAC may request further information from submitters.

Following review of each unit’s expenditure plans for compliance with SLF guidelines, CFAC presents all recommendations for SLF funding to the Provost for final approval. Award notifications for the following year are sent to unit heads and awardees before the end of the spring semester.

Proposals must clearly state how funds will be used to enhance student learning and student success. A minimum requested amount of $2,000 serves as a threshold for proposal consideration. Proposals should indicate the minimum acceptable level of partial funding.

Items for which SLF funds can be used include, but are not limited to:

• Equipment, materials, hardware and software to prepare students for the workplace.
• Computer labs to foster collaboration and teaching.
• Hands-on experiences that enhance learning and engagement in solving real-world problems.
• Experiential opportunities such as field trips, field schools and student competitions.
• Instructional student assistants for tutoring services (college and program specific, as well as general education), supplemental instruction, and writing assistance.
• Student assistants who do not teach or grade (student assistants in galleries, libraries, student learning centers, other lab settings, etc.).
• Fees for visiting artists, guest lecturers, or a lecture series, including travel expenses and food as a travel per diem. (Related expenses for faculty and staff are not covered.)
• Off-campus facility usage expenses.
• Hospitality for students when deemed an essential part of the learning experience (see campus Hospitality Procedures (PDF)).
• Any funding for outreach and recruitment activities must serve primarily to benefit currently enrolled students performing those activities (through development of leadership skills, pre-professional experience, etc.)

Items for which SLF funds cannot be used include, but are not limited to:  

• Faculty or staff-related salaries, benefits, travel, registration fees, or hardware/software/equipment for them.
• Teaching associates, graduate assistants, student assistants or instructional student assistants who teach or grade.
• Student club activities.
• Capital improvement expenditures such as those related to land acquisition, new or remodel construction or installation costs. This includes remodel costs or installation paid to on-campus service centers such as Facilities Management & Services (FMS) or Telecommunication Services (TSRV) to install equipment. SLF funding can support equipment purchases but the installation and remodeling of space must be covered by other funding.
  
  

The proposal budget is an important consideration in the review and ranking process. Please note the following budget requirements:

• Requests for equipment purchases should include sales tax and shipping, if applicable, and possible increases should be anticipated. Please contact your unit office for possible additional funding should pricing, taxes, and/or shipping increase after you submit your proposal.
• Proposals that have inherent installation or infrastructure costs must clearly separate those costs from costs to be covered by the SLF award.
  • SLF funds are not to be used for these types of expenditures, they must be covered from other funds.
  • For all proposals, “requested funds” should include only that portion of the total cost that is to be funded by SLF.
  • If the proposal includes items that require installation, which may include building modification/renovation, it is critical to communicate that via the proposal.
  • While it may not seem like an item requires installation, many do. Even an item that plugs into a standard wall outlet requires installation, so please carefully review the list of Facility and Secure Storage Concerns (PDF). Include a web address for these items, or attach a specification sheet for the items (usually available on the vendor’s website or by calling the vendor and requesting one).
• Proposals to purchase electronic and information technology (E&IT) products (hardware, software, etc.) require an Information Technology Procurement Review (ITPR). If awarded, the purchase of these types of items is contingent on completion of an ITPR. For additional information or assistance with the ITPR, please email itpr@csuchico.edu.
• Proposals that have received SLF funding previously may be asked to provide additional information and justification for continued funding.

While Unit-level committees can determine their own funding priorities within the above guidelines, the following are typically considered in the review process:

1. Evidence of effectiveness: Is clear evidence offered that the proposed activity or acquisition will be effective in enhancing student learning—by enabling a new activity, solving a particular problem, or expanding access to effective learning experiences?
2. Scope of impact: How many classes and students (estimate) will benefit from the proposal if funded?
3. High impact practices: Does the proposal include opportunities for students to engage in high impact learning experiences like community-based learning, undergraduate research, capstone experiences, project-based and collaborative learning, engagement with diversity, etc.? (See AAC&U report on HIPs.)
4. University Strategic Priorities: Does the proposal stand to make a significant contribution to the University’s strategic priorities of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; Civic and Global Engagement; and Resilient and Sustainable Systems?
5. Interdisciplinary: Does the proposal indicate opportunities for intra- and inter-college and cross-divisional collaboration? What synergies will be created?
6. Innovation and potential for growth: Does the proposal represent a pilot project that could “seed” new initiatives or link to specific opportunities for continued funding (e.g., CSU System-wide, federal or foundation grants)?
7. Previous funding requests: If the proposal was previously submitted and not funded, have substantial modifications been made? If the proposal has been funded in the past, have successful outcomes been documented?
8. Other funding sources: Was the requested funding previously supplied by a different funding source, such as college or department general funds? Are there other sources of funding that will or could be used for the proposal, such as IRA funds, fundraising, or college or department general funds?
9. Assessment plan: Does the proposal include a detailed assessment plan with measurable outcomes and performance metrics?