Funding 101

1. Funding 101 Graduate and Professional Student Committee (GPSC) Funding Workshop Florida International University Updated 07-23-2014

2. About GPSC The Graduate & Professional Student Committee Division of Student Affairs Student Government Council MMC (Senate) • Facilitates and enhances the overall graduate student experience • Advances the University’s academic goals • Promotes quality presentations and research efforts • Provide educational workshops on topics including thesis/dissertation, as well as coordinating symposiums, scholarly forums, and social events Activity &Service Fee GPSC Graduate senators UGS Grad Student Funding Programming Note: changes to GPSC policies must be approved as legislation and passed through the SGA senate

3. About GPSC Funding Types of Funding • Conference Funding – $500 Domestic/International – Travel & Registration • Research Funding – $500 Domestic/International – Travel Only • Professional Development – $150 Domestic/International – Travel & Registration *amounts subject to change due to budget restrictions and changes to FIU policies. BBC policies may differ slightly due to different SGA statutes, for more information e-mail gpsc@fiu.edu It is the applicant’s responsibility to comply with GPSC regulations. Funding is not a guarantee, but a privilege, as any other grant or scholarship.

4. About GPSC Funding Funding from GPSC CANNOT be used for • Hiring people • Buying equipment (e.g. computers) or supplies • Back to back conferences • One-way travel • Meals • Lodging • Additional registration fees (e.g. member, mixer, luncheon, gala) • Additional transportation (e.g. taxi/shuttle to/from airport) • Baggage fees • Insurance fees * Please visit our website’s FAQsfor other exceptions

5. Process Overview Click here for a text only version If you have questions before, during, or after you submit an application, contact GSPC. Allow at least 2-3 business days for a reply.

6. Before Applying Check Your Eligibility • You must be a graduate student, enrolled at MMC campus. • You have NOT received funding within the current GPSC funding year (June 1st – May 31st). • You are planning to travel to a country that has diplomatic relations with the government of Unites States. • Per the "Florida Travel Act" Section 1011.90(6), GPSC cannot sponsor students who wish to travel for an event held in a country that the Department of State has designated as a State Sponsor of Terrorism. Please visit their website for the current list: http://www.state.gov/j/ct/list/c14151.htm

7. Before Applying Check Your Eligibility • Your date of travel is at least 6 weeks (42 days) away. • You are NOT receiving funding other A&S funded student organization for the same event. • Ex: Applying to both GPSC and SGA Finance Committee or any other organization using A&S Fees at the same time is considered double-dipping. Students caught doing this will not be reimbursed and be sent to student conduct for violating policy.

8. Apply • Fill out the Funding Request form completely, sign it. • Provide supporting documentation/additional information based on the type of funding you are requesting.

9. Apply GPSC funding requests will be reviewed by GPSC during: • Fall / Spring semesters: 1st day to last day of the semester (excluding finals week/ breaks) • Summer semesters: June 1st to last day of the semester (excluding finals week/ breaks)

10. Apply Absolutely NO applicationswill be reviewed during the blackout periods. The blackout periods are: • Finals week of any semester • Semester breaks • The month of May (5/01 – 5/31) – GPSC transition If your 6-week deadline falls within these blackout periods, you should turn in your application earlier than 6 weeks (42 days) in order to receive the GPSC’s comments and/or decision in a timely manner. All late and/or incomplete applications are automatically rejected.

11. Apply Funding Forms • Funding Request Form • Summary of Benefits to the State of Florida and FIU Form • Budget Form • The amounts requested have to coincide with the quotes you provide, including the total line. Note that you will be given the least amount of funding if there is a discrepancy between the quotes and the amounts in the budget. • Release of Indemnity and Agreement Form – use dates of travel on the form. • You must travel within the dates noted on your Release form. For greater flexibility use 48 hours before and after event start/end dates, keeping in mind that your six-week deadline is from your proposed first date of travel. • For car rental, put dates of car pick-up and return (remember the 48-hour rule).

12. Apply Additional Funding Forms • Summary Outlining Skills Form (for Professional Development) • The summary should be no longer than one (1) page and should detail the skills that will be learnt at the professional development event, and how they will be taught at FIU. • Summary Outlining the Research and Funding Request Relationship Form (for Research) • Summary outlining the relationship between the research and the funding request (one page and detailed).

13. Apply Supporting Documentation • Letter of support from your advisor, on FIU letterhead • A scanned letter or electronic signature can be sent to gpsc@fiu.edu directly from your advisor’s FIU e-mail address. Forwarded e-mails will NOT be accepted. A copy of the letter isNOT accepted. • Documentation in support of your budget (quotes, brochures, etc.) • GPSC sponsors registration and one (1) mode of transportation only. • The quotes should be for the lowest possible price given your event and class schedule. • When budgeting remember, per FIU Travel Policy, travel must occur within 48 hours of event start and end dates AND travel destination must be within 50 miles of conference location. • Click hereto view requirement for documentation printed from the Internet. • EX: Headers/footers, PrintScreen requirements

14. Apply Supporting Documentation • Airfare/registration fees quotes can come from the Internet. • Transportation can include either airplane, train, car rental, gas mileage (0.445/mile), etc. • For a gas mileage request, print out a map (e.g., MapQuest ) with the complete itinerary, showing the total mileage for the trip. Point of origin and destination must be included in the map. • Car rental requests must be for a compact car. • GPSC sponsors only one person in group travel . • i.e., traveling by car with 3 people, only one person will be reimbursed for mileage. • The quotes should be for the lowest possible price given your event and class schedule. • Failure to provide the correct information (e.g. requesting $500 for a flight when the lowest price is $200) without a reasonable cause, will result in the rejection of your application.

15. Apply Additional Supporting Documentation When applying for Conference Funding, also provide: • An invitation or acceptance letter/e-mail confirming your participation in the event • If letter/e-mail is not addressed to you please submit a copy of the abstract submission showing the abstract and that you are an author. • If you are still waiting for such letter, submit proof that you applied to participate in the event (i.e., abstract & copy of submission, etc.).

16. Apply Additional Supporting Documentation When applying for Professional Development, also provide: • Proof of your registration/ participation in the conference • If you are waiting to register until you are confirmed to receive GPSC funding, submit proof of event (brochure, conference details). ** Remember to sign the appropriate box in the Funding Request form that you agree to do a post-travel presentation You agree that if you receive funding, you will do a presentation that you will schedule upon your return. You will present the skills learnt at this event.

17. Apply Additional Supporting Documentation When applying for Research Funding, also provide: • Thesis or dissertation proposal approved by the University Graduate School • Attach a copy of your dissertation/thesis proposal. • Attach a proof of approval of M2 (for Master students) or D2 and D3 (for PhD students). Proof of M2 and D2, D3 form approval by UGS can be found in PantherSoft(remember Internet printout requirements). • Proposed detailed itinerary of the trip

18. After Applying Review and Approve • Applications are reviewed and approved by GPSC. • GPSC meets on a bi-weekly basis to review the applications. The GPSC Office Assistant does not vote on or review applications. • If the application is submitted ahead of the 6-week deadline and GPSC finds the documentation is insufficient, the applicant will receive a request to provide additional documentation before the 6-week deadline. • If the application is submitted close to the 6-week deadline, no such e-mail will be sent and the committee decision will be final. If you would like to receive feedback on your application, you should submit it 9 weeks in advance.

19. After Applying Review and Approve • GPSC will notify the applicant of their final decision within 3 weeks of the date in which the application was received • All proposals are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis, and are subject to the availability of funds. • Amount awarded will be determined based upon need. Funds are disbursed contingent upon availability of funds, after all procedures have been followed and all receipts/documents have been turned in to both GC 2202 & the applicant’s department.

20. After Applying Review and Approve Not satisfied with the results? You have the right to appeal the GPSC decision. Contact the Senate Speaker or refer to the SGA statutes for a description of the appeal procedure. GPSC reserves the right to make any changes as may be necessary to ensure equity in the distribution of funds.

21. Before you travel…..

22. Travel Before you travel……………….. • Contact your department secretary to create and submit a Travel Authorization Number (TAR) before your travel. Failure to do so will result in loss of funding. • Obtain a TAR. • After you have a Travel Authorization # you can purchase the airfare/registration as needed. If you purchase a package, please be sure that you can obtain a receipt with price breakdown. Per recent regulations, FIU’s Travel Department is able to reimburse only the person that made the payment. Make sure the payments is made by you, not your advisor/friend/parents.

23. After you travel…..

24. Travel After you travel……………….. • Submit post-travel documents within one (1) weekafter travel to the GPSC Office and your department secretary. Failure to do so will result in loss of funding. • Check with the department secretary for your reimbursement details and dates and for other paperwork he/she may need, after you submit your paperwork to the GPSC Office. It is your responsibility to ensure you receive reimbursement within the current funding year (June 1st – May 31st). If you are not reimbursed before the end of the funding year, it may result in loss of funding or it will affect your eligibility for GPSC funding during the next funding year.

25. Travel After you travel…………… • Submit original receipts of payment for your transportation to the secretary who created your TAR. • Submit photocopies of receipts of payment for your transportation to the GPSC Office. • Submit the original boarding passes to the secretary who created your TAR. • If you requested gas mileage make sure to provide your departmental secretary the mileage calculation of the trip. You can print this information on MapQuest or GoogleMaps. • Submit photocopies of boarding passes to the GSPC Office.

26. Travel After you travel…………… Conference awardeesmust also: • Submit original receipts of payment for your registration to the secretary who created your TAR. • Submit photocopies of receipts of payment for your registration to the GPSC Office. • Submit a photocopy of the abstract of the paper presented at the conference to the secretary who created your TAR and the GSPC Office. • Submit photocopy of the program to the secretary who created your TAR and the GPSC Office. • If the program is too long, submit a photocopy of the front page and the page containing your name, day, and title.

27. Travel After you travel…………… Professional Development awardeesmust also: • Submit original receipts of payment for your registration to the secretary who created your TAR. • Submit photocopies of receipts of payment for your registration to the GPSC Office. • Submit photocopy of the program to the secretary who created your TAR and the GPSC Office. • If the program is too long, submit a photocopy of the front page and the schedule overview.

28. Travel After you travel…………… Professional Development awardeesmust also: • Submit an outline of your post-travel presentation to the GPSC Office. • The outline must include the date and location of the presentation you are to give after you return from the conference. • If several students from your department attend the same conference, no more than two people can present at the same time/on the same topic. • Submit a memorandum about your conference experience to the GPSC Office. • This memo should be no longer than one (1) page and detail how and where you’ll implement your newly acquired knowledge.

29. Travel After you travel…………… Research awardeesmust also: • Submit a memorandum about your research experience to the GPSC Office. • This memo should be no longer than one (1) page and include details of your research activities and how this experience will aid your research.

30. Travel After you travel…………… After GPSC approves your post-travel documents, it does not have any control over your reimbursement ! If you have any questions about your reimbursement after your post-travel documents are approved by the GPSC Office, you should contact the department secretarywho created the TAR/expense report with any questions regarding your reimbursement. *We must receive post-travel documents within one (1) week in order to close out expense reports. If you are not reimbursed within 30 days of travel you will lose funding.

31. Additional Information FAQs : http://gpsc.fiu.edu/?page_id=8 Process Overview Applications not meeting the requirements found in the links below will not be approved: Internet Printout Requirements Internet Browser Settings for Headers/Footers PrintScreen Information It is the applicant’s responsibility to comply with GPSC regulations. Funding is not a guarantee, but a privilege, as any other grant or scholarship.

32. Contact Us Web site Graduate and Professional Student Committee Student Government Association Email: gpsc@fiu.edu Office: GC 2202 Office Assistant available Monday to Thursday. 3:00 PM -7:00 PM

33. Funding 101 Graduate and Professional Student Committee Funding Workshop