Hewlett Mellon Awards

The Provost’s Office, on behalf of the President, invites proposals from academic departments, interdisciplinary programs, and cross-disciplinary groups of faculty for focused summer workshops that pursue discovery, planning, and/or institutional self-renewal projects. Hewlett Mellon-funded activities may be held anytime between 1 June and 15 August 2024. Eligible faculty will receive standard summer per-day compensation for participating in the program as specified in the proposal. New for 2024, in view of other available funding opportunities, is a narrowed scope and streamlined proposal process.

Categories of Eligible Workshops and Collaborative Projects  

Proposals for Hewlett Mellon Summer Workshops and Collaborative Projects are invited in the following areas:

• Analysis, preparation and implementation planning for significant curricular transformation in the upcoming academic year;
• Investigation of or planning for major curricular change, including items such as planning for new majors, minors, and programs, whether at the department level, between departments, or across disciplines;
  Investigation of or planning for the adoption of new pedagogical strategies, especially those that implement inclusive pedagogies;
• Engaging in foundational assessment planning for academic departments, to include developing departmental learning goals, outcomes and curricular maps;
• Design and implement an assessment project that directly addresses a student learning outcome(s) or experience(s);
• Departmental or program-level planning for internal procedural reform (e.g. drafting departmental standards, bylaws, and operating procedures);
• Strategic planning and future-oriented exploration of academic innovation for a unit or units, or as a group of collaborating faculty;
• Focused communities of practice across disciplines that investigate a collaborative project that will lead to institutional self-renewal or transformation;
• Departmental workshops to plan a self-study preceding the departmental external review will receive priority.

Eligible Applicant Groups

1. Academic departments and interdisciplinary programs (one or more), applying collectively.
2. Groups of collaborating faculty and staff whether in a single department or across departments and disciplines. 
3. Individual applications are not permitted. 
4. The purpose of this award is to support collaborative institutional self-renewal, curricular transformation, and academic innovation.

Application Materials and Procedures

1. Cover Sheet (in form)  including proposing faculty and a list of committed participants;
2. Project Description and Rationale (PDF) of no more than 1250 words that addresses the following:
   1. The format, committed participants and goals of the activity as well as the eligible category or categories;
   2. The rationale outlining how the workshop or project will advance specific goals  institutional transformation and self-renewal:
      1. What is the purpose of the workshop pr project? Why explore it now?
      2. What specific questions will be pursued? 
      3. What are potential outcomes from the summer and over the longer term? 
      4. How will the project measure success?
   3. A rationale for the duration of the workshop or project, including meeting times, dates, and the number of hours proposed for each day.
3. Budget Estimate 
   1. The 2024 per-day rate for HM participants is $250 per person. Half-day rates may be proposed as appropriate.
   2. A refreshments budget may be up to $25 per person per day.
   3. Each budget element will need a rationale. Venue costs should be limited to Holy Cross whenever possible.
4. Assessment Plan 
   1. Any projects that pursue substantive assessment work will need to include a detailed assessment plan, ordinarily to be developed collaboratively with the Office of Assessment and Research.

Proposals are due using this portal only no later than Friday May 3, 2024. The Provost and Deans as well as the Associate Provost and the Director of Strategic Initiatives will review all proposals, consulting with the incoming Deans and the Vice Provost & Associate Vice President for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion. The Provost will make final determination of awards in consultation with the President.