Faculty Resources

Hosted by Graduate Studies, the Scholarly Activity Fund (SAF) provides travel support to UCM full-time faculty to promote and encourage participation in scholarly activities at state/regional, national, or international professional conferences, meetings, or events. These activities provide for both improved teaching as well as for ensuring faculty have the resources to earn Graduate Faculty Status, promotion, and tenure. As funding is not unlimited, this application process ensures equity across campus and distribution of resources. Faculty should complete the appropriate travel pre-authorization with their school chair before submitting the SAF.

Funding is provided for one trip and up to $1,200 per fiscal year per faculty member contingent upon the available budget.

• Scholarly Activity Fund Application (to be submitted by faculty prior to travel)
• Scholarly Activity Fund Reimbursement Requests (to be submitted by school office professional following travel)

Funding Categories

• Category 1 - Scholarly Presentation, Performance, or Exhibition recognized by college for promotion and tenure
• Category 2 - Professional Duties (leadership of professional organizations in elected roles)
• Category 3 - New First and Second Year Faculty Member (attendance at conferences to prepare for future scholarly activities)
• Category 4 - Student Sponsor (for the dissemination of scholarly work performed by students under a faculty member's guidance, which requires supervision or collaboration of the faculty member)

Hosted by Graduate Studies, these funds are broadly awarded to faculty and staff to support the purchase of materials, supplies, resources, travel, etc. for research, teaching / curriculum, or service-learning activities related to diversity, equity, and inclusion at UCM.

To obtain funding faculty and staff must submit to Graduate Studies a complete application with all required documentation. This award is available to all full-time employees.

Applications will be reviewed in the order received. As funds are available, employees may be awarded up to $1,000 per fiscal year.

 

Access, Opportunity and Community Fund Application

Access, Opportunity and Community Fund Reimbursement Request (to be submitted by office professional following purchases)

Full Graduate Faculty Status provides the privilege to

• Teach all courses in the program offered for graduate credit;
• Be eligible to chair committees overseeing graduate students’ capstone experiences, such as theses, research papers, and final projects;
• Be eligible to serve as program coordinators and graduate student advisors;
• Be members of the Graduate Faculty Assembly with all voting privileges;
• Be eligible to serve on the Graduate Council

 

Associate Graduate Faculty Status provides the privilege to

• Teach courses offered for graduate credit for which the person has been approved;
• Be eligible to serve on committees, but not chair, overseeing graduate students’ capstone experiences, such as theses, research papers, and final projects;
• Be members of the Graduate Faculty Assembly with limited voting privileges (i.e., may not elect members to Graduate Council)

 

Graduate Faculty Status Criteria

Graduate Faculty Status Application

2025 Faculty Scholar Award.  The Faculty Scholar Award is sponsored by the Office of Graduate Studies and selected by the University Research Council (URC), which recognizes exceptional merit in the scholarly and creative work of faculty at UCM.  The award is open to all ranks of full-time faculty performing original creative work, scholarly activities, or research projects.  

Nominations are now being accepted.  Deadline for submission: 2/23/25, by 5pm

For more information on how to Apply please review the Application Instructions. 

The Graduate Faculty Assembly (GFA) is the governing body of graduate programs for the University of Central Missouri. The GFA is comprised of all members of the Graduate Faculty and administrators assigned to Graduate Studies. Recognizing that input from graduate faculty is crucial to the quality of graduate education, the GFA provides a forum for discussion of graduate education issues and elects members to the Graduate Council (GC).

For meeting dates, agenda, and minutes, visit the Graduate Council website.

The Graduate Council serves as an administrative committee for the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice Provost of Academic Programs and Graduate Studies. The GC serves as a recommending body to Graduate Studies and all graduate functions of International Student Services and the Registrar. The Graduate Council functions as the main recommending body to the director of Graduate Studies on all issues central to: the development and advancement of the university's vision with regard to graduate education and research, the development and review of University policies and procedures for graduate education as set forth in the Graduate Catalog, the review and recommendation of curricula (including program admissions requirements, courses, degrees, and certificates), the monitoring of graduate program quality, and the review of all full graduate-faculty status requests.

For more information visit the Graduate Council website.