To: Bill Knowles, Chair, Faculty Senate

From: Chris Palmer, Chair, Faculty Development Committee

Re: Year End Report, 2003-2004

The charge of the faculty development committee is to review applications for faculty development funds in three categories: Mini-Sabbatical, Visiting Scholar, and Instructional Development. Proposals are submitted to the Provost’s office by faculty in the fall and spring semesters.

The committee also reviews the application guidelines and procedures in an effort to make the application process as uncomplicated and fair as possible.

During the 2003-2004 academic year, the committee met four times to discuss the application and review process and to make recommendations to the Provost regarding funding.

As a result of the first meeting in the fall and some discussion about eligibility requirements, the calls for proposals were rewritten by James Staub to make it clear that all tenure-track faculty are eligible, as are adjunct or visiting faculty who have been on contract at The University of Montana for three years or more. The revised text can be viewed at http://www.umt.edu/provost/minisabbatical.htm

During the course of the year, the committee reviewed 55 proposals, of which 27 were recommended for funding. The types of proposals and recommendations are shown in the table below.

	Fall, 2003		Spring, 2004
Proposal Type	# Proposals	Rec. for Funding	# Proposals	Rec. for Funding
Instr. Dev.	8	3	6	3
Mini Sabbatical	10	5	5	3
Visiting Scholar	15	8	11	5