News
Submission deadline: November 12, 2018
Overview
ONCAT's Faculty Fellows Program will be inviting applications from full-time college and university faculty for the upcoming 2018-19 academic year. The fellowships were piloted in 2017-18 to support faculty members interested in advancing a culture of transfer in their institutions, while also helping ONCAT to understand faculty members' perspectives. A Faculty Fellows program approach has been used in other jurisdictions to increase recognition and participation in areas such as teaching and learning.
ONCAT will work with Faculty Fellows in three main areas: increasing institutional knowledge about transfer-related data and transfer student experience in their Faculty/department/ institution; improving academic processes related to evaluating transfer credits and working with transfer students; and sharing emerging models of successful student mobility initiatives.
Faculty Fellows could engage in a number of activities, including working collaboratively with administrators/academic colleagues/student groups to improve transfer processes; exploring innovative approaches to academic governance or curriculum development as it relates to transfer; and/or developing tools/resources that support faculty roles in the transfer process.
Faculty Fellows will be selected in fall 2018. At the start of the program, ONCAT will hold a kickoff meeting with the Fellows and work with them to help refine their individual projects and plans. Initiatives should be carried out in January–April 2019, with an expectation that the Fellows will each submit a final report and present their work on a panel at the ONCAT Student Pathways Conference, April 15-16, 2019, where possible.
About ONCAT
Established in 2011, the Ontario Council on Articulation and Transfer (ONCAT) is a government-funded organization that works with all of Ontario's 45 public colleges and universities to enhance academic pathways and reduce barriers for students looking to transfer. ONCAT's student website, ONTransfer.ca, is a resource for anyone who is looking for information on how to obtain both a diploma and a degree, or is hoping to transfer their courses and programs among the postsecondary institutions in the province.
Collaboration is at the core of ONCAT's work, enabling us to leverage and build expertise and resources.
Projects in pathway development, research, and innovative transfer, are an integral part of creating a system of mobility in Ontario. Through an annual RFP process, we provide funding to our publicly-funded colleges and universities, and other postsecondary partners, to develop and create pathways and agreements, examine student and institutional experiences of transfer, and improve transfer student success.
Submission Criteria
Proposals should outline a clear plan with project goals and intended process for increasing institutional knowledge, improving academic processes, and/or sharing emerging models, as outlined above. As mentioned, initiatives should be planned for January–April 2019, with an expectation that the Fellows will each submit a final report and jointly present their work at the ONCAT Student Pathways Conference, April 15–16, 2019, where possible. While ONCAT will accept and review applications from institutions that participated in the Faculty Fellows Program in 2017-18, new applicants are encouraged.
Funding Available and Timelines
The institution for each successful Faculty Fellow candidate will receive $10,000, to be paid in two installments. This funding is intended as a contribution towards a course release for a full-time faculty member (exclusive of benefits) as well as incidental costs related to the planned events. The Fellow will be employed by their institution and will not be an employee of ONCAT. A contract will be signed between the institution and ONCAT.
The work of the Faculty Fellows should be carried out in January–April 2019 and should be scheduled for completion, including submission of a final report to ONCAT, by May 31, 2019. Final reports not received by/on the deadline will not receive the final installment.
Deliverables
Proponents should be prepared to submit the following to ONCAT as part of their project deliverables:
- A final report detailing the initiatives undertaken, due May 31, 2019, to include:
- An executive summary;
- A description of the activities conducted with faculty colleagues/academic administrators and/or student groups;
- A section discussing key accomplishments/outcomes, challenges encountered (and addressed where possible), recommendations, and lessons learned;
- A financial statement.
- A presentation to be prepared and delivered jointly with the other Faculty Fellows at the ONCAT conference, April 15–16, 2019.
Proposal submission process
Submission deadline: November 12, 2018
Submissions should include the following components:
- A 1–2 page proposal using the Proposal Submission Form
- A completed institutional sign-off page, including signatures from the faculty member, their department head, and the institution's Vice-President Academic.
Please submit the above documents by email to: sfuchs@oncat.ca. Hard copies are not required.
Proposal Evaluation Process
Your proposal will be reviewed by ONCAT staff and past Faculty Fellows. In general, proposals will be evaluated according to their:
- Clarity and comprehensiveness;
- Demonstrated alignment with the goals of the Faculty Fellows Program;
- Rationale for impact of proposed activities; and
- Achievability/applicability of the proposed work plan to achieve tangible outcomes.
After the initial review, we may follow-up with proponents to address any questions that have arisen during our review. Your prompt response is appreciated to expedite the review process. Once any questions are addressed and a decision has been made, you will be notified via email. We aim to arrive at final decisions on most proposals by December 7, 2018.
Successful Proponents
Successful proponents will be expected to enter into a formal agreement with ONCAT, which will outline the terms and conditions of funding, specifying the project goals, timelines, and expected outcomes.
Contact
If you have questions about the Faculty Fellows Program or require additional details, please contact Sarah Fuchs, Senior Policy Analyst, at 416-640-6951 ext. 306 (or sfuchs@oncat.ca).