SUBJECT:	Instructional Improvement Program - Call for Proposals,
	2006-07 Funds

I am pleased to announce the availability of funding to support faculty efforts to improve undergraduate instruction. The Instructional Improvement Committee will review proposals, and the Senior Vice Chancellor - Academic Affairs will make the final allocation decisions.

The committee looks for proposals that can improve the quality of undergraduate education, impact many students, and enhance the interactions between faculty and students, particularly at the lower-division level. Faculty are encouraged to work within their units to develop comprehensive strategies that might improve undergraduate instruction. Interdisciplinary proposals are also welcome.

The committee encourages any improvement in existing instructional programs, including courses, curricula, and instructional processes, as well as the development of interdisciplinary courses and programs. Faculty experiments with new technologies or new teaching approaches are welcome, including proposals involving on-line or web-based learning.

In addition to the usual individual proposals that are funded at the $1K-$3K level, the committee hopes to be able to fund one or two large proposals (up to $10K) that may have a more significant impact at the program, department, or divisional levels. Awards will be made in the form of grants for development expenses, including, but not limited to, materials costs, summer graduate student support, and support for technical assistance.

The application deadline is Friday, April 7, 2006. Awards will be announced in spring quarter, with funding available July 1, 2006. The application form is available at: http://academicaffairs.ucsd.edu/ under the heading Undergraduate Education and Program Planning.

General criteria and program guidelines are also provided on the Academic Affairs web site. Please feel free to contact Marie Sidney (x4-0097; sidney@ucsd.edu or Carmen Rodriguez (x2-0226; carodriguez@ucsd.edu) with any questions.

Mark Appelbaum Associate Vice Chancellor - Undergraduate Education