SCORE: Strengthening the Core

Fund for Innovation in Graduate Education

2012-13 SCORE proposals deadline is TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 2012.

Strengthening Stanford’s core departments and programs is crucial for maintaining Stanford’s preeminence in graduate education. Changing circumstances in universities and disciplines make thoughtful reassessment of graduate education an urgent priority. Among the emerging challenges are reconfigurations of disciplinary boundaries, shifting demographics of the graduate student population, and new technologies that change the way knowledge is shared and developed. Additional financial resources can support the reflection and experimentation necessary to respond effectively.

SCORE Innovation Funds help faculty and graduate students to scrutinize long-existing practices and test new approaches for graduate education.

Academic departments and programs are invited to submit proposals for one-year projects. A proposal should identify a pressing challenge and a plan for addressing the issue. A call for proposals usually goes out to the campus in Spring Quarter for projects anticipated for the next academic year.

Types of projects could include:

• improving communication between faculty advisors and students;
• rethinking curricular requirements in light of knowledge change in the field and related fields;
• teaching students to ask better questions, to take risks in their research, or to work collaboratively in new ways;
• reconsidering the preparation for doctoral students who will embark on academic careers likely to span the next three or four decades;
• better preparing doctoral students for non-academic career paths;
• experimenting with more extensive mentoring practices that include partners within and outside Stanford;
• rethinking primary objectives and requirements for the master’s degree.

NEW in 2012: Course Development Funds

Pilot program to provide support to create new courses or redesign existing credit bearing academic courses. Courses must be primarily for graduate students. Courses should advance VPGE priorities.  Must be in at least one of these categories:

1. courses aimed at promoting and easing key transitions faced by graduate students (e.g., introduction to the department, transition from course taking stage to independent research stage, transition to careers);
2. interdisciplinary or cross-department courses, including courses team taught by faculty members from different departments;
3. courses aimed at introducing non-specialists from other fields to the field(s) understudy, so-called “outward facing courses”;
4. courses exploring and promoting the educational benefits of diversity;
5. courses that teach knowledge, skills and dispositions related to graduate professional development, in areas such as leadership, communication, self-awareness, and career preparation;
6. courses that pilot pedagogical innovations.

Budget request may include the following:

• Up to two quarters of 25% TA support to help with course development (typically at the Course Assistant level).  This may support two students for one quarter, or one student for two quarters.
• Direct expenses related to course development, such as equipment or data sets needed to develop and launch the course.
• Direct expenses related to faculty, postdoc, staff or contractor time, subject to University and School policies.  This may include student hourly help.

Direct expenses, other than direct support to students (CA or hourly), may not exceed $5,000.

Cost sharing, especially for expensive items, such as equipment, is encouraged.

Expenses related to course delivery, including compensation for instructors or teaching assistants, may not be included. The funds are to be used exclusively for course development.

Prior Awardees

The first SCORE awardees were selected in the spring of 2008. To date, thirteen Stanford departments/graduate programs have received SCORE funds.

A list of awarded projects is provided here [pdf file].

Application Information

A. SCORE FUNDS

To apply for SCORE funding, please submit the following via email to Vice Provost Patricia Gumport, [email protected].

1. A brief project description answering the following questions:
   • Which challenge will be the focus? Why is this timely and relevant for this discipline and department? What do you hope to achieve by the conclusion of the project?
   • What plan of action is proposed? What do you intend to do? Recognizing that plans will evolve, what is the timeline for planning and implementation? Who is leading the project?
   • How will you evaluate the success of your work?
2. A brief budget request. Requests up to $30,000 will be considered; proposal budgets and scope of activities may be negotiated. There are no restrictions on the kinds of activities on which funds can be spent. Possibilities include conducting a curriculum review, creating new seminars or workshops, providing faculty development, hosting conferences that focus on cutting-edge practices in doctoral education, enabling internships in the community, establishing mentoring networks, or purchasing new equipment for pedagogical innovation. Funds may also be used for departmental retreats, external consultants, site visits to other campuses, faculty salary or graduate student project assistants.

Awards are made on a competitive basis by the Vice Provost for Graduate Education. Proposal budgets and scope of activities may be negotiated. Activities should be completed by the end of Spring quarter of the following year.

B. COURSE DEVELOPMENT FUNDS

To apply for course development funding, please submit the following via email to Vice Provost Patricia Gumport, [email protected] by March 20, 2012:

1. A brief narrative (1-3 pages) including:
   • Names, departmental affiliations, and contact information of faculty or staff member(s) leading and participating in course development. Applications may not be led by students.
   • Description of and rationale for proposed course.
   • Explanation of the target student �audience� for the course. What is the expected demand? From which departments, schools, and degree levels (doctoral, masters) are students sought? Will enrollment be limited? If so, to which students?
   • Plan for course delivery. During which quarter(s) will the course by taught? By whom?
   • Please list which of the VPGE priorities listed above are served by this proposal. Describe how the course advances the priority(s)?
2. Budget (see description of Course Development Funds, above). If other sources of funding have been identified, please indicate that.
3. Include short endorsement from the Department Chair(s) or IDP program director(s) of the department(s)/program(s) that will host the course, indicating support of proposal and plan for course delivery. A brief note or email is sufficient.