EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND POLICY
GRADUATE STUDENT FINANCIAL SUPPORT PROGRAM
Introduction
The Department of Educational Leadership and Policy offers and/or participates in four programs designed to provide financial help and support to departmental graduate students. Some of these programs are limited to qualified full-time students and/or doctoral students while others are available to all matriculated students within the department. These programs include:
1. Departmentally Sponsored & Financed Teaching Assistantships. These come in three categories including:
a. Departmentally Appointed Graduate Assistantships.
These types of assistantships are available each academic year, depending on availability of appropriate departmental funds. They are awarded on a competitive basis by the Department's Chair, with consultation by the Awards Committee, the Admissions Committee, and/or appropriately informed faculty. Only full-time matriculated students are eligible to apply. Applications are received and reviewed in the early Spring of the year. These types of assistantships pay academic year salaries consistent with the University tuition benefit eligibility guidelines. Recipients are required to work 10-20 hours per week (depending on level of funding) for the department with specific assignments being made by the department chair taking into consideration the department’s needs and the skill, ability, and academic program interests of the recipients.
b. Faculty Appointed Assistantships.
Faculty members with appropriate external funding and coordination with the department chair may recruit and appoint departmental graduate students to assist him/her with teaching, research, and service related responsibilities.
These assistantships take one of two forms including:
1. Faculty Appointed Graduate Assistantships.
These appointments are made by professors who have the need for a regular graduate assistant to help them throughout the semester or full academic year. Appointments require a work commitment of 10, 15, or 20 hours per week depending on the need of the professor. Full and part-time students are eligible to apply. Recruitment and selection is made by the individual professor with the actual appointment being based on ability and skill to perform the required tasks. Full-time students (those taking at least 9 hours of coursework) will qualify for the additional benefit of a full or partial tuition waiver if they are funded at the appropriate university-approved level of funding to qualify for a tuition waiver.
2. Faculty Appointed Project Assistants.
These appointments are made by professors who need student assistance with a specific project. Work time requirements vary. Full and part-time students are eligible to apply. Announcements of need are made as projects are identified and developed. Recruitment and selection is made by the individual professor with the actual appointment being based on the student’s ability and skill to perform the required tasks. Compensation is calculated on an hourly wage formula.
c. Other Graduate Assistantships
Assistantships are available for students enrolled in the program full-time. Currently assistantships may be available in the areas such as: Admissions/Recruitment, Housing and Residential Education, Student Union, Women’s Center, Greek Life, Orientation and Leadership Development, International Student Services, and Career Services. Assistantships may include tuition and a stipend. Students interested in applying for fellowships should note the top three departments on the program application. Applicants will be contacted by the respective departments following admission to the program.
2. Departmental Scholarships and Fellowships.
The department offers two scholarships and two fellowships. These are the Milton Bennion Scholarship, the Winifred Dyer Scholarship, the Roald F. and Della J. Campbell Fellowship and the Elmo R. and Frances Bennion Morgan Fellowship. All provide cash awards to selected recipients. Nomination and selection for these awards is made by faculty following the criteria and stipulation of the donors. Nominations are solicited and selections are made in the early spring of each year (see following page for more details).
3. University and College Level Scholarships, Fellowships, and Research Grants.
The department attempts to post, circulate, and otherwise draw to the attention of students financial awards for which they may be eligible. Prominent among these awards are the Marriner S. Eccles Fellowship, Steffensen Cannon Scholarship, J. George Jr. & Velma Rife Jones Scholarships, and the University sponsored Graduate Research Fellowships. Information regarding these specific fellowships is provided by the Dean of the Graduate School in December each year.
4. Graduate School Student Travel Award.
The intent of this award is to assist in covering travel costs for a graduate student presenting at a professional meeting. There are a limited number of these Graduate School awards and the amount of the award is established by the Graduate School (typically $400 or $500), which must be matched dollar-for-dollar from a departmental funding source. Applications will be reviewed on a monthly basis, and a student may receive one award each year. Contact the Graduate School for additional information and application materials.
Departmental Policy on Student Travel
The department chair is encouraged to budget funds each year to assist eligible full-time graduate students to attend and participate in national professional conventions and conferences which parallel their areas of academic specialization. Student eligibility considerations and priorities include:
1. Doctoral students will have priority over masters students.
2. Full-time students will have priority over part-time students.
3. Students presenting a paper will have priority over students participating in there aspects of conference participation (e.g. chair a session, function as a panelist, serve as an elected or appointed officer of the organization, etc.)
4. Whether or not a student has been funded by the department for another conference in the same year will also be a consideration, with priority given to distributing travel funds more broadly among eligible students. The Department Chair may consult with other faculty when necessary to decide travel award funding. (Funding for Jackson Scholars is governed by additional considerations listed below*).
The amount of money given each student will be determined by the department chair, but should not be so generous as to create any serious problems with the faculty travel fund or cause any travel restrictions that would adversely affect departmental business including travel monies for faculty searches, etc. Faculty members should encourage full-time students to become a part of the profession by drawing to their attention relevant national organizations ad conferences that could help further their professional development. Where possible joint papers should be prepared and submitted for presentation. Faculty are also encouraged to seek outside monies and grants that can support student travel and thereby supplement limited department student travel monies.
*Specific commitment should be given to funding UCEA Jackson Scholars, within the guidelines outlined below:
1. During a Jackson Scholar’s initial year of award, students will receive full reimbursement for travel expenses to attend the annual UCEA conference. Additionally, first-year Jackson Scholars will receive funding for 2 days of attendance at the annual AERA conference.
2. During a Jackson Scholar’s second year of award, students will receive up to $500 in travel funds from the department, contingent upon presenting a conference paper or other significant professional contribution to a conference.
Fellowship and Scholarships
The Roald F. and Della J. Campbell Fellowship
The Roald F. and Della J. Campbell Fellowship may be given each year to a student of significant achievement and promise in the field of educational administration. The fellowship is preferably awarded to a deserving student who will be in full-time residence during the year of the award and who has excelled academically and shows promise of high achievement in the field of educational administration as a practitioner or as a scholar. Financial need, on the part of the candidate, will not be considered as a criterion in selecting the fellowship winner. Candidates for the fellowship must be nominated by a member of the faculty in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy.
The Milton Bennion ScholarshipThe Milton Bennion Scholarship was established in honor of Dr. Milton Bennion, former Dean of the Graduate School of Education. It may be given each year to a promising graduate student who has a high interest in public schools and who is preparing for a career as a public school administrator. Recipients will have the opportunity to work closely with the Association of School Superintendents. Candidates for the scholarship will be nominated by a member of the faculty in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy and demonstrate financial need.
The Elmo R. and Frances Bennion Morgan Fellowship
The Elmo R. and Frances Bennion Morgan Fellowship may be given each year to a deserving graduate student in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy whose career goal is to work in a college or university either as a faculty member or an administrator. The Fellowship was established to provide support for a graduate student whose interests lie in policy research projects of benefit to Utah's system of education. Candidates for the Fellowship must be nominated by a member of the faculty in the Department of Educational Leadership and Policy.