GSA TRAVEL & RESEARCH GRANT POLICY CHANGES

 

GSA has recently updated the travel and research grant policies to reflect changes to grant user obligations and to better clarify items eligible or not eligible for reimbursement.  The biggest changes to this policy are:

1.      GSA is entitled to use your name, the title of your paper/subject of your research, and the conference you attended for advertisement purposes; and

2.      For every grant a person receives, the recipient owes 1 hour of service to either GSA or the university.

 

These changes were discussed with the GSA Senate, which consists of representatives from most departments/disciplines on campus, and were approved by an overwhelming majority.  The current policy will go into effect on November 1. 

 

Examples of service opportunities:

Note: many of these opportunities are easily completed during non-business hours

·        Serve as a GSA Senator

·        Serve as a Grad Org board member

·        Present research at GSA’s GRC

·        Volunteer at a GSA event

·        Highlight yourself and your research in GSA’s Showcase

·        Serve as a GSA Peer Mentor

·        Write an article for the Retriever’s Grad Gab

·        Volunteer for a departmental event (recruiting efforts, visiting lecturers)

·        Volunteer for a Grad School event (Orientation, Candidacy, recruitment)

·        Participate in a departmental symposium

 

Service is intended to help build community at UMBC. New forms of service are welcomed and GSA will work with you to help develop these ideas. We welcome any comments or suggestions; just email GSA at gsa@umbc.edu and someone will get back to you.

 

Documentation: If you do service for GSA, just let the contact person know that this is in fulfillment of your service requirement. If you do service outside of GSA, just have the contact person send an e-mail to GSA (gsa@umbc.edu). If you have questions on whether something will be considered ‘service’ feel free to ask beforehand.

 

Appeals: Service fulfillment decisions are at the discretion of the grants administrator. Written appeals, within one week of decision, can be made to the GSA Executive Board. Appeals of the board decision can be made to the GSA Senate. You must notify the board within one week of decision of appeal.  Decisions of the GSA Senate are final and binding.