Overview
The Supplemental Fund Application allows undergraduate students in the School of Arts & Sciences and the Hajim School of Engineering & Applied Sciences to request supplemental funding to participate in academic, professional, or experiential programs. Undergraduate students may apply individually or on behalf of a group. Funding is available on a rolling basis.
Graduate students seeking funding should contact their academic department for more information about graduate funding sources.
Eligibility
The following activities are eligible to receive funding:
- Attendance at academic conferences*
- On-campus programming and events
- Off-campus programming and events that directly connect to a group or department in the School of Arts & Sciences or the Hajim School
- Student competitions
*Students presenting research or other original work at a conference are not eligible for this award, and should instead apply for a Research Presentation Award through the Office Undergraduate Research.
The following are NOT eligible to receive funding:
- Fee-based or for-profit tuition programs
- Undergraduate SA-affiliated activities that have not received approval from the appropriate advisor(s)
- Repeat applications from any student(s) who already received funding for an activity during the same academic year (students may submit additional applications in the same year only if the later request is on behalf of a different organization and for a different activity)
Application Guidelines
Timeline to Apply
All applications must be submitted at least three weeks prior to the date of the activity. Applications submitted after this date will not be considered.
Students are encouraged to submit applications at least one month in advance to accommodate for potential follow-up or delays. Departments may take up to two weeks to respond to the application from the date of submission (this will vary if the application is submitted on a weekend or holiday).
Applications for international activities must be submitted at least three months in advance of the activity date. This allows for appropriate review by campus departments and the Travel Review Subcommittee.
For questions about international travel policies or pre-departure recommendations see the travel and security page, or contact Jeff Russin in the Office for Global Engagement at travelsecurity@rochester.edu.
Undergraduate SA Organizations
Student Association (SA) organizations must meet with their SA advisor prior to submitting a supplemental funding application. All applications will be reviewed and approved by the advisor prior to circulating the application to College departments.
Teams interested in applying for funding for post-season competitions should contact their SA advisor to discuss the next steps as this is considered through a separate process.
The AS&E Supplemental Fund Application is not intended to replace existing funding opportunities, such as the funding available from the Student Association Appropriations Committee. Groups that would like to request funding from the Student Association are required to complete a separate application through the Campus Community Connection.
Post-Activity Requirement
As a stipulation of receiving funding, departments often require students to complete a brief report or presentation summarizing the activity, key takeaways, and opportunities for ongoing learning or work.
Students are also encouraged to propose their own post-activity plan and describe this in their application. Applications are more likely to receive funding if a concrete post-activity plan is identified that will positively impact the campus community.
Suggestions of post-activity projects include:
- Speak about the activity at an upcoming event on campus.
- Serve as a liaison to help connect other students to the activity (this is typically a formal role assigned to students by an external organization or scholarship).
- Create or contribute to a University-affiliated communication, blog, or website summarizing key ideas and takeaways.
- Write a post-activity report and share with the sponsoring department(s).
- Draft an academic paper or project based on the activity.
Departmental Review and Decision Criteria
Departments that offer AS&E Supplemental Funding:
- Ain Center for Entrepreneurship
- Burgett Intercultural Center
- Center for Community Engagement
- College Dean’s Office
- Interfaith Chapel
- The Kearns Center
- The Language Center
- Office of Global Engagement
- Office of Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs
- Office of Minority Student Affairs
- Office of Undergraduate Research
- Hajim School of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Students should review each department’s missions and identify those which they believe are most connected to the goals or outcomes of their activity.
Departments consider multiple factors when reviewing applications, including:
- Fit: How well does the activity align with the spirit or mission of the department?
- Impact and follow-up: Does the activity contribute to the campus community in some way? If not, how does the student propose to bring back what they learn through the activity?
- Partnerships: Does the activity offer an opportunity to connect with new organizations or resources? How can the student help to facilitate some of these connections?
- Engagement on campus: Has the student been involved on campus in the past? Has the student demonstrated a commitment to improving the campus in some way?
- Good standing: Some departments may take academic standing into consideration, though this is not a requirement.*
- Application record: Has the student applied for funding in the past? If so, did he/she complete the necessary post-activity requirement(s)?
*Departments who want to consider student records must adhere to policies on release of information outlined by the Board on Academic Honesty and the Center for Conflict Management.
Amount of Funding and Disbursement
Awards are made at the discretion of each department. Many departments have pre-established award limits ranging from $100-$500 per application.
All funding is distributed in the form of reimbursement. If funding is awarded, students will receive instructions on how to submit receipts and complete a reimbursement form following the activity.
College Funding Travel Guidelines
It is the responsibility of all travelers to be aware of the risks and liabilities for travel of any distance, and to know how best to ensure participant safety. Individual student travelers and department or organization sponsors of student group travel should plan ahead and connect with the College Dean’s Office if they have questions prior to departure.
Departments or organizations arranging group travel are encouraged to host a pre-travel orientation/education for student travelers.
Email college.funding@rochester.edu with any questions regarding college-funded travel guidelines.
Travel Process for Domestic Travel over 50 Miles from Campus
Please note that if the process and timeline are not met, you will not be authorized to travel.
Individual student traveler or organizing department/group should submit the following at least one week prior to departure to collegefunding@rochester.edu:
- Completed Individual Travel Waiver and Release Form (this will be emailed to you if your request is approved)
- List of participant name(s), phone number(s), and emergency contact information
- Itinerary, including departure and return dates, addresses of sites being visited
- Lodging/Hotel Information (if multiple locations, please include all)
We also recommend that student travelers inform an emergency contact, parent, or guardian about their travel.
Travel Process for International Travel
Please note that if the process and timeline are not met, you will not be authorized to travel.
Applications for international activities must be submitted at least three months in advance of the activity date. All students traveling abroad on University-sponsored or supported travel are required to register their travel well in advance of departure with the Office of Global Engagement. This includes travel that is supported by college funding.
Registration and guidelines can be found on Global Engagement’s student travel website. It is the student’s responsibility to review and follow this process.
Accident or Injury: If an accident, injury, or incident occurs during the trip, the Traveler Abroad Incident Report must be completed within 24 hours.
Helpful Contacts
For questions about this process or to check the status of your application, email the fund administrator at college.funding@rochester.edu.
For questions regarding travel to high-risk destinations, contact the manager for international travel and security in the Office for Global Engagement at (585) 857-1168, or travelsecurity@rochester.edu.