Eu centers proposal submission guidelines

Purpose:

The purpose for the evaluation will be to assess the quality of CES programs based on the attainment of their stated project objectives with continuous reporting and feedback from partners and participants. CTL will create a table in which each objective is accompanied by the inputs/outputs, outcomes, performance measures, indicators, and data sources that will be used to assess it.

Data Collection Methods:

For each objective, CES will collect both quantitative and qualitative data over the three-year period, beginning in Fall 2011. All data collections will be incorporated into regular program procedures. Sources for data include tracking, program databases, and program surveys,

Analysis:

For each reporting period, CTL will obtain the evaluation data, analyze it according to the performance measures, and write up a report of the results. Findings will be expressed in narrative, tables, and graphs as appropriate.

Reporting of Results:

CTL will develop yearly evaluation reports that (a) summarize data and feedback collected for each objective; (b) indicate the extent to which performance measures are on target; and (c) document any changes to inputs/outputs, indicators, and/or data sources that were made during the reporting period.

EU CENTERS 2011-14

Proposal Narrative Form

SUPPLEMENTAL ACTIVITIES²
4.A.8. Network/Outreach Coordinator (optional) Centers may apply to serve as the Network/Outreach Coordinator for EU Centers of Excellence operating in the United States, receiving up to €125,000 total towards approved costs for the 2008-9, 2009-10, and 2010-11 academic years, beyond the €300,000 maximum for core Center activities.
Network Coordinator responsibilities will include hosting the annual meeting of EU Center of Excellence directors, and hosting and maintaining the EU Centers Network web site. For planning purposes, as many as 30 individuals may participate in the annual EUCE Directors meeting, with the Network/Outreach Coordinator financially responsible for all meeting room, staffing, and catering costs. The Coordinator will also identify a suitable hotel for individual accommodations. Meeting participants will be required to pay for their own travel and accommodations.
On the outreach side, responsibilities will include liaising with all EU Centers of Excellence regarding their outreach activities, identifying and encouraging the sharing of best practices among Centers in reaching specific outreach constituencies, and creating a database for potential sharing of visiting speakers. Applicants are also free to suggest other activities which will promote more effective outreach activities among the EU Centers of Excellence, and should provide measurable criteria for evaluating the Network/Outreach Coordinator’s performance.
Interested applicants should describe their planning for the hosting, maintenance and expansion of the Network web site (see www.euce.org), and arrangements for hosting the annual meeting of Center Directors. Applicants are also free to suggest other activities to promote networking among the EU Centers of Excellence, and should provide measurable criteria for evaluating the Network/Outreach Coordinator’s performance. Attach additional page(s) if necessary.


EU CENTERS 2011-14

Proposal Narrative Form

4.B. Staff Assigned to the Operation. Explain the duties and indicate the effort required (hours worked per week) of all staff devoted to the project for each academic year during the period of the grant (2011-2014).
The College of Liberal Arts is absolutely committed to ensuring that CES is sufficiently staffed to meet all the challenges that it will face during the grant cycle.

To this end, the direct critical staff of the Center will include:

1. Director of the EU Center of Excellence, Gary Freeman. Professor Freeman will be devoting 20% of his effort to the EU Center of Excellence.

Professor Freeman is currently the Chair of the Government Department and has extensive experience in administration at UT.

His main duties with regard to the EU Center of Excellence grant would include: increasing the awareness of the university community (and administration) of the Center’s activities and needs; attending yearly EU Center of Excellence meetings; fundraising with the College of Liberal Arts and Central Administration; serving as liaison with directors of EU Centers of Excellence in the US; serving as liaison with business community leaders and deans and faculty of partner institutions of higher learning; and serving as liaison with UT deans, center directors, chairs, and faculty.
2. Director of CES, Douglas Biow. Professor Biow, who will be the Principal Investigator of the grant, will be devoting 20% of his effort to the EU Center of Excellence.

Professor Biow is currently the Principal Investigator of CES’s NRC and FLAS program awarded by the Department of Education, and has extensive experience in administration at UT.

His main duties with regard to the EU Center of Excellence grant would include: Principal Investigator of grant; Chair of EU Center for Excellence Executive Board; fundraising with the College of Liberal Arts and Central Administration; serving as liaison with UT deans, center directors, chairs, and faculty; serving as liaison with visiting speakers, lecturers, and adjunct professors; serving as liaison with business community leaders and deans and faculty of partner institutions of higher learning; serving as liaison with directors of EU Centers of Excellence in the US; developing exchange programs; developing and implementing the MA in European Studies with LBJ; developing new classes; overseeing staff work and management; developing and assisting in the funding of library acquisitions in EU materials.
3. Associate Director of CES, Mary Neuburger. Professor Neuburger will be devoting 5% of her effort to the EU Center of Excellence.

Professor Neuburger is currently the Director of the Center for Russian, East Europe, and Eurasian Studies, and the Chair of the Department of Slavic and Eurasian. She has extensive experience in administration at UT.

Her main duties with regard to the EU Center of Excellence grant would include: developing new institutional partnerships with universities in Europe, and expanding curricular development programs developed by effective use of video-conferencing and other technologies in partner universities in the US and abroad.
4. Program and Outreach Coordinator, Sally Dickson. Ms. Dickson is a full-time staff member of CES and will be devoting 20% of her effort to the EU Center of Excellence. She has worked for CES for 6 years and is the recipient in the past three years of two major UT awards: the College of Liberal Arts Staff Excellence Award and, most recently, the Presidential Staff Excellence Award.

Her main duties with regard to the EU Center of Excellence grant would include: all outreach events; conference, workshop, and lecture series organization, coordination, and implementation; all scheduling of events and activities; office staff oversight; oversight of office and student workers; and liaison with staff of other EU Centers of Excellence.

5. Administrative Associate, Charlotte Harris. Ms. Harris is a full-time staff member of CES and will be devoting 20% of her effort to the EU Center of Excellence. Ms. Harris has extensive experience working in administration at UT. Prior to joining CES, she worked for the College of Engineering.

Her main duties with regard to the EU Center of Excellence grant would include: all billing and processing of paperwork; assistance in conference, workshop, and lecture series organization, coordination, and implementation; data collection for measurement and evaluation; tracking; process all reports related to the EU Center of Excellence grant.

6. Communications specialist, who will be hired 12 hours a week by contract and devote his or her work entirely to EU Center of Excellence. We will be looking for someone with an MA in European and EU Studies.

His or her duties with regard to the EU Center of Excellence grant would include: writing and updating material for the website and newsletter; general publicity for all EU Center of Excellence events, managing and updating listservs; ensuring that the conferences, workshops, and lectures are video-taped and uploaded onto the website; and ensuring that the website functions as a window that opens onto the intellectual life of the Center.

In addition, of Liberal Arts Instructional and Technology Services (LAITS) and the College of Liberal Arts (COLA) will provide collaborative support for the Center in terms of: accounting, student advising, video and teleconferencing technology, event coordinating, and processing and organizing professor visits.

EU CENTERS 2011-14

Proposal Narrative Form

4.C. Staff Travel and Related Subsistence. Explain the planned date(s) and purpose(s) of all staff travel for each academic year during the period of the grant (2011-2014).
1. The Director of the Center will travel to the annual meeting of the US EU Centers of excellence.
2. The Principal Investigator will make a yearly trip to one EU Center of Excellence in the US in three different regions (Northwest, Midwest, and Northeast) to explore on site how: (1) to improve existing practices at UT; (2) to facilitate coordinating activities and sharing “best practices” among EU Centers of Excellence; and (3) to see how UT can learn from its partners in the Northwest, Midwest, and Northeast to best position itself as the regional EU Center of Excellence that serves not just Texas but also the entire Southwest.
3. Three representatives from the Center will participate in two worldwide meetings of EU Centers during the grant cycle.
4. The Associate Director will make one trip to Europe in the first year of the grant award to establish new partnerships with universities in Europe (see proposed Links with EU partner institutions above) and explore ways of institutionalizing and implementing curricular development programs (see section 4.A.5 above) developed by the effective use of video-conferencing and other technologies with our new partner universities in the Europe.
Fulfillment of Objectives:

All of these visits will ensure that we meet all goals of Objective 4: “Consolidate and enhance the effectiveness of the network of EU Centers of excellence.” In keeping with Objective 3, our aim will be to use video and web technology to link classes with partner institutions in Europe in Course Development projects over the next three years.

EU CENTERS 2011-14

Proposal Narrative Form

4.D. Cost/Rental of Equipment and Rental of facilities (e.g. conference facilities). Explain the timing and purpose of any expenses in this category for each academic year during the period of the grant (2011-2014). Rental expenses must involve external payments to third parties, and not inter-university transfers.
The cost/rental of equipment and rental of facilities (e.g. conference facilities) listed in the budget are our estimate of the annual needs of an academic unit the size of the proposed EU Center. EU CENTERS 2011-14

Proposal Narrative Form

4.E. Costs of Consumables and Supplies. Explain the timing and purpose of any expenses in this category for each academic year during the period of the grant (2011-2014). Note this category relates to e.g. office stationery and telephones not food or catering products.
The consumables and supplies listed in the budget are our estimate of the annual needs of an academic unit the size of the proposed EU Center.

1^ Add additional pages if necessary.

2^ Applicants are not required to submit bids for the role of Network/Outreach Coordinator. Those applicants choosing to do so should bid for both roles.