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Program Budgeting Procedures

Approved September 2018

1) Programs have been allocated $5,000 per fiscal year. This money may be spent on anything program-related, including student recruitment and retention, marketing, curriculum, or student development. Programs are NOT expected to cover adjunct expenses out of this amount. Spending needs to follow university policies and procedures.

2) Program Leads will retain discretion over program budget spending. Faculty requests for program-related activities should first be directed to Program Leads.

3) If Program Leads and their faculty would like to propose activities or initiatives that exceed the $5,000 yearly budget, but which will bring value to Programs and to the School, those proposals should be made to the Faculty Directors. Faculty Directors will review proposals and make recommendations to the Dean, who retains final budgeting authority.

4) For individual faculty research project funding, faculty should apply to the SPS research committee grant programs.

5) The Faculty Directors have a yearly budget to support activities that are interdisciplinary or cross-disciplinary in nature. This includes proposals that cross program lines (e.g., between POLS and ENVSTD) and which benefit the inter- or cross-disciplinary work of the school. Proposals should be made to the Faculty Directors, and should include the following in a Word document:

  • A justification for the proposal, including a description of how it bridges multiple disciplines or programs;
  • Details about the activity, including who will be involved, where the event may be held, and when it will be held;
  • A budget for how the money will spent;
  • An explanation of how the activity will benefit SPS, including how it will be publicized to students, faculty, and staff.

Proposals are due September 15, November 15, February 15, and April 15.

6) All Program funds must be spent on a fiscal-year basis; funds may not be “rolled over” from year to year.

7) Program Leads should keep track of their spending and budgets in coordination with the business manager, who will provide monthly updates.

Please note that this policy does not address the issue of travel funds or self- support. Requests for travel funds in excess of the $1800/yr allotted to full-time, tenure-line faculty will be handled separately; more information about that is forthcoming, as are policies about self-support funds.