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Undergraduate Assistantship Program

 

2010-2011 Guidelines

[Download Guidelines]

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We are pleased to announce the Undergraduate Assistantship Program for the 2010-2011 academic year.*  Students generally will begin work in awarded assistantships in the fall semester of 2010.

• Proposals are due to your Dean’s or Director’s Office on February 19, 2010.
• Deans and directors will forward to the Provost’s Office by Friday, February 26, 2010. 
• Awards will be announced by March 31, 2009. 

While there is no guarantee that previous assistantships automatically will be renewed, please note that there is a two-year limit for funding of any one assistantship.

* Funding for 2010-11 Drake University Research Grants may be contingent upon meeting enrollment goals.

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Program Purpose and Goals

Undergraduate Assistantships create opportunities for students to be directly involved in a significant learning process.  Undergraduates are to be members of the team although under the supervision of a faculty member or administrator.  The experience provides professional preparation related to the student’s career goals or further educational goals.

Program Goals: The following goals will serve as criteria in evaluation of the proposals.

1. Create meaningful experiential education opportunities for students.  The experience is to be student-focused.
2. Foster connections among academic study and work experiences.
3. Increase mentorship experiences for students.

Award Guidelines

1. Any department may receive funding for a maximum of two assistantships. If more than one proposal is submitted, the department chair or director must prioritize the proposals. The Dean or Director will prioritize multiple proposals submitted from one college, school or administrative unit.
2. Any one position may be funded only for one year, and may be funded no more than two years.  On-going experiences (more than one or two years) that benefit from student assistants should be built into unit budgets.  Thus, if a unit has a position funded for one or two years and then takes a year off before reapplying for the same assistantship, that application will not be considered.
3. Funding
4. 1. The maximum award is $1650.  The University funds two-thirds of the award up to $1100.  The department funds one-third of the award. The department funds any expenses exceeding the granted award amount. Dollars set aside for student employment must be used to fund the department portion of the award.  Please consult with the individual who oversees your department budget to assure funds can be available.
   2. Undergraduate Assistants are paid $9 per hr.  The award assumes one student, working approximately 6 hours per week for 30 weeks at $9 per hour, would earn the maximum award of $1650.  Two or more students may share an award.
5. Student Qualifications
   1. To qualify to be an Undergraduate Assistant, a student must: (a) be of junior or senior standing in the 2010-2011 academic year, and (b) have a 3.00 GPA by the end of the summer 2010.
   2. Students holding Undergraduate Assistantships must submit a statement at the end of fall semester explaining what they have done and how they have benefited from the assistantship.  Faculty/staff sponsors are responsible for ensuring that the statements are submitted.  Failure to submit such statements will be a factor in considering future proposals from units.
6. Student Recruitment
   1. Students may be recruited or may apply for positions by contacting the participating departments.
   2. Faculty/staff who receive funding for undergraduate assistantships may contact Debra Wiley <debra.wiley@drake.edu>, Human Resources, to post an undergraduate assistantship on the web page or may contact qualified students directly to request that they apply for their particular assistantship.

PROPOSAL GUIDELINES AND PROCEDURES

Individual faculty members and administrators are invited to submit proposals for an undergraduate assistant.  Proposals should describe the position, carefully noting how the goals identified above are encompassed in the plan.  Especially note that proposals must describe experiences that will enhance students' academic programs and allow for significant professional growth.  Full Guidelines can be downloaded from the link at the top of this page.

Departmental funding must accompany the acceptance of an award.  Brandy Eganhouse, Student Financial Planning, will communicate directly with departmental budget personnel to provide administrative procedures for the program.

Please feel free to contact Art Sanders or Sue Wright in the Provost’s Office for proposal related information or Susan Ladd in Student Financial Planning for funding related questions. 

1. Proposals are due to your Dean's or Director's Office on February 19, 2010.
2. Deans and Directors will forward to the Provost's Office by Friday, February 26, 2010.
3. Awards will be announced by March 31, 2010.