APPLICATION GUIDE Please read all directions on each page carefully before completing the application form. Incomplete or incorrect applications will not be considered. Questions may be directed to gradinfo@ou.edu Purpose The purpose of the Robberson Conference Presentation and Creative Exhibition Travel Grant is to provide financial assistance to academically outstanding students who are presenting significant research information or creative activity. Eligibility Criteria Applicants for these funds: Must be an active presenter at the conference/exhibition. Must be in good academic standing and have an OU grade point average of 3.00 or better. Must be enrolled during the semester he/she plans to travel Fellows who receive professional development funds from the Graduate College are not eligible. Maximum Award Amounts Students may receive up to $1800 per degree program. (Students may submit more than one application per degree program.) $1000 of unmatched funds or the cost of travel, whichever is less. $500 of additional funding will be available if the student can show evidence of matching funds from an OU entity. $300 of additional funding will be available for international travel if the student can show matching funds from an OU entity. Application Deadlines September 15; October 15; November 15; January 15; February 15; March 15; April 15. If deadline falls on a weekend, applications may be submitted by 5 p.m. the following Monday. Updated: June 2017 SP 1
Application Process 1. Funding is limited. In order to ensure that students do not incur expenses that cannot be reimbursed, applications must be submitted by the Robberson deadline that falls at least 30 days prior to the departure date. Exceptions to this policy can be made when the student provides documentation indicating that acceptance to the conference was received after the target deadline. Summer travel will be considered during the Spring semester (prior to travel) or retroactively by the September 15th deadline. Because the evaluation committee does not meet during the summer, we have made this exception to ensure that summer travel applications are evaluated after travel takes place. 2. The application packet must include the following, collated in order of the list below: (Do not double side any documents. Do not staple any documents.) The completed application form with the appropriate signatures. o A copy of the applicant s most recent Curriculum Vitae (2 pages maximum). The CV should provide evidence of professional and scholarly activity. Verification of the student s presentation at the conference or exhibition. This may be in the form of an acceptance letter, a verification letter from the conference coordinator, or a copy of the page(s) from the conference schedule listing the student's scheduled presentation(s). Verification letter(s) of matching award(s) (if applicable) - May be in the form of an award notification and should be on the awarding unit s letterhead. A complete travel budget and justification (form available on page 5 of this packet) indicating those items for which the student is requesting funds, according to the University of Oklahoma guidelines listed below: a. Estimations of plane or train fares should be based on the lowest possible 21-day advance purchase price available from the lowestcost airline regardless of actual booking rate. b. If the conference fee includes meals, the per diem must be reduced by 1/4 for each meal provided per day. (For per diem amounts, see http://www.gsa.gov) c. If sharing a room, the applicant must include his/her portion. d. The applicant must list all expenses in the budget and indicate all sources and amounts of other funding, including departmental and personal funds. Eligible Budget Expenses: a. Registration fees for conference or creative exhibition. b. Travel fees: plane fares, train fares, car rental, and mileage based on current University of Oklahoma Financial Services rate. c. Lodging: up to, but not exceeding, the federal maximum rate for in-state, standard out-of-state, or geographical area out-of-state based on the conference location. Full reimbursement if the conference or creative exhibition designates the hotel (verification of hotel designation required). d. Food: up to, but not exceeding, the federal per diem rate (http://www.gsa.gov) e. Shipping: An individual may utilize university services or ship the exhibition materials themselves, using the least expensive UPS ground shipping only. f. The award may NOT be used to cover individual membership dues for professional organizations or societies. The complete title of the paper being presented, a list of all contributing authors, and a one-page summary by the applicant of the research or creative activity to be presented. An abstract is not sufficient for this purpose. The summary must be readable by an interdisciplinary audience; if the evaluating committee members cannot understand the nature of the project, they will not be able to determine its value or rate it highly. The research summary must: give sufficient background to show the compelling reasons for the research or creative activity clearly show the contribution of the research or creative activity to the field clearly state the anticipated conclusions and findings of the research, or the anticipated impact of the creative activity clearly state how the applicant will benefit by attending the conference/exhibition and why the applicant should receive a Robberson travel grant A confidential letter of recommendation, signed and sealed in an envelope, from the student s major advisor. The letter should be written for an audience of non-specialists. A helpful letter will address as many as possible of the following points, as well as any other information the advisor considers relevant: About the student and the project: The nature and level of the student s participation in the project The nature and significance of the presentation s contribution to the discipline The nature of the presentation s potential broader significance, if any How the student s presentation ranks among all student presentations The student s progress toward his or her graduate degree About the conference: The type of conference: a. local, regional, or national; and b. very specialized, discipline-specific, or interdisciplinary The contribution of the meeting to the student s graduate program The contribution of the meeting to the student s development in his or her field Updated: June 2017 SP 2
Review and Award Process 1. Applications will be reviewed during the three weeks after the deadline. 2. A notification letter will be sent to the applicant s OU e-mail address once the decisions are made. Copies of this decision will also be sent to the major professor and the department chair or liaison. 3. Applicants awarded funding should contact the department support staff regarding the payment/disbursement of these funds. The department should complete and process a travel claim for the recipient and then submit a copy of the e-mail award, a copy of the travel claim, and a request for reimbursement to the Graduate College by the deadline stated in the notification letter. The Graduate College will then transfer funds to the student s department. The Graduate College will not transfer funds if the transfer request is received after the stated deadline. Note: The departmental account must be a 122- Account. Restrictions & Limitations Verification of the student s presentation at the conference/exhibition will be required before funds are dispersed. If a student is awarded an amount which is beneath the maximum award amount, the student may apply again for the remainder of the funds during the same degree program. Eligibility for future awards is based upon the original award amount, not the actual expenditure. These funds may not be used to attend training workshops, short courses, field schools, or other types of events. Travel to local or state meetings will not be supported from these funds. Travel for research purposes will not be supported from these funds. Post-doctoral scholars are not eligible for these funds. Updated: June 2017 SP 3
APPLICATION FORM (Please TYPE the required information) Incomplete or incorrect applications will not be considered. Place this form on the front of the application packet. Last name First name Middle Initial OU ID Number Phone Number OU E-mail Address Amount Requested Grad. Department Major Professor or Advisor Name of Conference/Exhibition Start/End Date of Conference/Exhibition Title of Presentation or Creative Exhibition Master s Student Ph.D. Student Author(s): List all authors in the order they are shown on presentation. # of Graduate Hours Currently Enrolled: (If less than full-time please explain) Authorship: How was the order of authorship determined? (briefly explain) Describe the format of your presentation Poster Paper Fine Art Performance Other creative activity Have you ever received a Robberson Travel or Research Grant? Yes No If Yes: Travel Research; Date received: Month,Year Level of degree sought at time of award: Masters Ph.D. Are you a graduate fellow receiving professional development funds from the Graduate College? Yes No Verification The undersigned have read and fully understand the specifications of the Graduate College Robberson Grant Policy. In addition, the undersigned represent that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements as stated herein and understand that if the application fails to meet the specifications on this form and the Application Guide in any way, then it will be ineligible for consideration. Furthermore, the undersigned represent that the student is in good academic standing with the department. Notice of Compliance It is a violation of Oklahoma State Law and the University of Oklahoma Student Code to knowingly omit other sources of funding. If an applicant receives or learns that he or she will receive funding for this conference, research, or creative activity, the applicant must immediately notify the Graduate College of the source and amount of the funding. Failure to do so will result in the revocation of the award and the applicant may be charged with a violation of the Student Code. Your signature below also verifies that you will not accept reimbursement (from all funding sources combined) in an amount greater than your total expenses. Student s Signature Date Department Chair or Liaison (Please Print) Department Chair or Liaison Signature Date Direct completed application packets to: Attn: Suzanne Peters Graduate College Updated: June 2017 SP Robertson Hall Room 213 4 Norman, OK 73019
BUDGET JUSTIFICATION FORM (Please TYPE the required information) Instructions and eligible budget expenses can be found on page 2 of this application packet. Name: OU ID # Conference Name & Location: Estimated Travel Expenses Airfare: Lodging: Per Diem: Other (must provide justification below): Total: Funding requested from the Graduate College: Other sources of funding: Justification: Updated: June 2017 SP 5