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February 2007
Proposed 2008 Federal Budget’s Affect on Higher Education
The proposed 2008 fiscal year federal budget of $2.9-trillion for the 2008 fiscal year, according to the Chronicle of Higher Education Newsletter, would affect higher education in several areas:
STUDENT AID: To pay for a proposed increase in the maximum Pell Grant, the plan would cut lender subsidies and eliminate the Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant program, which augments Pell Grants for low-income students.
SCIENCE PROGRAMS: Proposed spending for scientific research in 2008 would continue a drive to double federal funds for agencies supporting physical-sciences research over a decade and give other agencies small increases or cuts, compared with 2006.
VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS: The plan would spare The Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education program but subject it to a sharp cut.
NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION: The agency would receive $6.43-billion, a 13.9 percent increase, with most of the gains going to bolster physical-sciences, engineering, and other research to help the US remain a global leader in innovation.
NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH: The agency would receive less than the amount proposed for 2007 but allow an increase in the number of new research grants.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE: Research dollars would shift away from individual colleges and toward cooperative, multi-institutional projects. Overall, spending on agricultural research would decline by 14.4 percent.
NATIONAL ENDOWMENTS: The humanities endowment would see a
gain of 0.3 percent, while the arts endowment would receive a 3-percent increase.
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IGERT Proposals Solicited
The National Science Foundation is soliciting proposals for the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT) Program; preliminary proposals are due April 5, 2007. The program expects to award 20 new and renewal awards of up to $3 million each over 5 years. Institutions that do not grant PhDs may serve as collaborating organizations in a partnership proposal with PhD-granting universities. More information is available at www.nsf.gov/pubs/2007/nsf07540/nsf07540.htm
UALR Undergraduate Research EXPO 2007 Announced
The second UALR Undergraduate Research Expo will take place on April 16, 2007. Last year’s Expo featured poster presentations by 58 students. The format for the Expo is poster presentations (not oral delivery). To obtain further information or an application for submission, visit the ORSP website at http://www.ualr.edu/orsp.
This year, top projects from the EXPO will be nominated for presentation in Washington, DC, at the annual “Posters on the Hill” event organized by the Council on Undergraduate Research. Please announce the event to your students.
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2007 Seed Grant Applications Submitted
Ten applicants from four colleges submitted applications for ORGS Seed Grants to aid in beginning research projects. Colleges with applicants include the Donaghey College of Information Science and Systems Engineering, College of Professional Studies, College of Science and Mathematics, and College of Education. Awards will be announced in mid-March.
IRB Certifications Set to Expire
IRB certifications are valid for three years. If you do not know when your certification expires, please contact Angela Willis at aewillis@ualr.edu or call 569-8656. Having a valid certificate will insure that your projects and your students’ projects are not delayed in the review process.
Internal Coversheet Prerequisite to Proposal Submissions
ORSP must receive an internal coversheet, approved and signed by department chair and college dean, before submitting any project to an external sponsor or agency. (See http://www.ualr.edu/orsp/forms/internal_coversheet.xls) If you have questions concerning the internal coversheet, please contact Bart Angel at bjangel@ualr.edu or Angela Willis at aewillis@ualr.edu.
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Graduate School Posts Record Enrollment for Spring 2007
Enrollment for graduate students topped 2,100 for the first time in UALR history in Spring 2007! The total headcount for the semester was 2,132, which is 44 more students than last year’s enrollment at this time.
Submit Applications for Graduate Student Research Forum
The 17th annual Graduate Student Research Forum will be held April 20, 2007, in the Donaghey Student Center. Students will present research at the all-day event in the following areas: administration, education, humanities, sciences (biological and physical), and social sciences. The winner of each category receives a $100 award and special recognition on the graduate school website and in ORSP publications. Applications to participate in the forum are available in the Graduate School (Administration North Building, 3rd floor) and are due by March 9, 2007. Please announce the event to your students, who may contact Shannon Clowney, Assistant Dean of the Graduate School (smclowney@ualr.edu), for more information.
Graduate Prospects Abound at Opportunity Day Career Event
On February 26, 2007, the UALR Graduate School will be recruiting at Opportunity Day, a career fair for seniors of independent colleges and universities in Arkansas to be held at the Holiday Inn West on Shackleford Rd in Little Rock. If you are interested in attending this all-day event or need more information, contact Shannon Clowney, Assistant Dean of the Graduate School, (smclowney@ualr.edu).
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New Orleans Recruitment Trip Success
Representatives from the Graduate School just returned from a successful week of recruiting in the New Orleans area. While in the area, recruiters attended the 2007 Mardi Gras Career Fair Invitational, which is a joint career fair between Dillard University, Loyola University of New Orleans, Southern University at New Orleans, Tulane University Career Services, A.B. Freeman School of Business Career Services (Tulane University), Xavier University of Louisiana, and the University of New Orleans. There were over 1,000 students in attendance, and many expressed interest in graduate programs at UALR. While in the area, recruiters also made campus visits to the local colleges.
Spring Recruiting Schedule
February 26 – UALR Opportunity Day
March 7 – University of Central Arkansas, Conway
March 9 – University of Arkansas at Monticello
March 14 – Henderson State University, Arkadelphia
March 16 – University of Missouri, St. Louis
March 22 – Harding College
March 27 – Lyon College, Batesville
April 4 – UA at Pine Bluff
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