RFP for Interdisciplinary Programs

Introduction

The Office of Academic Affairs and the Council on Teaching, Learning and Research as Scholarship are jointly funding proposals that will develop and explore interdisciplinary curricula, programs and initiatives.  We are encouraging UML faculty and staff to think in innovative, idealistic, visionary and unconventional ways and to connect such thinking to realistic plans for experimenting with new programs. 

As knowledge and occupations become increasingly multidisciplinary in scope and action, so learning and teaching must reflect these changing intellectual and vocational modes.  A major perspective of this initiative is the potential value of interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary program designs, whether majors, minors, “concentrations”, certificates, or some other to-be-designed formats.  Research into successful innovations at other universities as well as the complex history here at UML will help generate new ideas to adapt to the specific conditions on this campus. 

Another related concern is the “first year experience”, that important transition to university life and demands.  An interdisciplinary approach to this challenging issue is a key part of the initiative’s agenda.  There are certainly no perfect methods or formats that will neatly solve the myriad problems that UML faces, but the encouragement of bold thinking will move the campus toward an active and spreading culture of innovation and creativity, self-examination and experimentation.  This can mean a more effective institution for students, staff, and faculty, and a more attractive image for the world. 

Program Guidelines

Faculty (including adjunct faculty) and staff are invited to submit proposals under this program.  The kinds of projects appropriate to this effort include (but are not limited to):

• Organizing and participating in a “design team” that develops models for multidisciplinary programs in areas such as (but not limited to) environmental studies, communications and media studies, education and human development, science-technology-society, integrated problem-directed social science;
• Preparing model courses for “core” and electives for such programs;
• Researching effective and popular interdisciplinary programs at other campuses to find models of successful strategies for establishing such programs;
• Involving traditional departments in innovative reform while preserving the virtues of past ways of providing academic programs;
• Organizing forums and discussions that bring faculty from other campuses to share their successful experiences with UML faculty and staff;
• Develop innovative proposals for interdisciplinary general education courses or course clusters.

To support such projects the Office of Academic Affairs will provide funding and other resources for:

• Course reductions to provide time for faculty to work on these activities;
• Travel funds for planned visits to campuses and programs that provide successful model programs;
• Administrative and associated costs;
• Support for the writing of planning documents and presentation of such work in forums and “brown bag” “design team” meetings.

Faculty and staff who wish to be engaged in this initiative and have proposals for projects that require resource support should submit a two-page proposal with a detailed description of the project, a time line for completion of the project, and a brief budget. 

Applicants should also provide an evaluation section that provides a mechanism for evaluating the success of the project.

Submission of Proposals

There is no deadline for this program.  Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis and a response will be given within three weeks of receipt of the proposal.  Applications should be sent to Ann Bratton, ann_bratton@uml.edu, at the Office of the Provost.  Applications must be in digital form and sent as an email attachment.  Paper submissions will not be accepted.