Conference Policy

 

 

Seattle University Graduate Student Council Request for Funds Guidelines

2022-2023 Academic Year

Funding Request Policy 2022-2023

Please carefully review the policies and guidelines as things may have changed. 

 

MISSION

The Graduate Student Council represents all the graduate and professional students at Seattle University. The GSC works with all members of the University to advance services and policies to create a supportive community that better meets the needs and improves the experience of the graduate and professional students of Seattle University.

PURPOSE

The purpose of the GSC Research and Conference Reimbursement (RCR) Grant is to support and facilitate graduate student research initiatives and professional formation through the attendance of professional conferences. The program is designed to help offset the costs associated with scholarly research and conference attendance that are not directly funded by other agencies, schools/departments within the university, or grants to advising faculty members and/or co-researchers. 

Grant Award: 

Reimbursements are awarded to applicants for the following, within their field of study: 

  1. Conference/training attendance (approval from school/college dean required) 
  2. Research/Conference presentations (approval from school/college dean required) 
  3. University-based research projects 
  4. Professional Organization Membership Fees 

For this academic year, applicants may be awarded an amount of up to $800 per student. Students may apply only for the RCR grant once per academic year. Applicants for the RCR grant may not apply for other GSC grants/scholarships (i.e GSC Textbook scholarship). 

 

Eligibility Requirements: 

All students are required to meet the following criteria to be eligible for RCR Grant: 

  • Currently enrolled full-time or part-time Seattle University graduate student in good academic standing at both the time of application and the research/conference presentation.  
  • Graduate students demonstrate financial need after seeking external funding sources. (school/department funding, financial aid office, etc.). Documentation and proof are required.  
  • All applicants are required to uphold the mission and values of Seattle University and represent the university during the conference/event.  

As a reimbursement grant, students are responsible for seeking funds from their college or department before applying for RCR funding. Please contact your college/department to request for available funding resources. If external funding sources do not cover the total cost of the conference/research, please submit proof of funding or the need for additional funding in your application.  

College of Law graduate students are not eligible for GSC-RCR funding, please see Seattle University's Student Bar Association (SBA) for College of Law funding. 

 

Note: All applications are dependent on the approval of the GSC Finance Committee, ProcureSU and all other associated approving parties. Applicants are not guaranteed to be awarded with the RCR grant. The GSC Executive Board may request additional documentation for all applications, when necessary.  

 

Guidelines for RCR Funding: 

  • Students may apply for the RCR grant after the scheduled conference/event. 
  • RCR grants will only be disbursed to awarded applicants and are not transferrable. GSC will only reimburse for actual expenses incurred by that student and will only be sent to the applicant’s student account. All purchases must be made by the applicant with proper receipts.  
  • Policy with ProcureSU: “Reimbursement expenses must be submitted to [GSC] within 60 days of incurring the expense. If turned in after 60 days, the University reserves the right to not reimburse the expense. The exception to the 60-day rule is when an expense occurs between May 15th and June 30th. In this situation, the reimbursement must be submitted before July 15th. This policy allows the University to recognize the expense in the appropriate fiscal year in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles”. ProcureSU has the right to ask for additional documentation and reject applications as deemed necessary. 
  • GSC will not reimburse for the following: 
  • Food expenses
  • Technology (i.e. computers, laptops, hard drives, etc)
  • Registration late fees and missed deadline fees
  • Upgrade costs (upgraded business/first class airfare tickets, upgraded lodging, etc.)
  • The GSC Finance committee, with a majority vote, will have the discretion to approve or deny applications based on the criteria set forth by this operating policy. Please submit all applications completely to prevent rejection or delays.  

 

Permitted Expenses: 

Students may request reimbursements for costs associated with the following: 

  1. Professional conference registration costs 
  2. University-based research project registration costs 
  3. External Training costs (event approval from school/college dean required) 
  4. Airfare, Transportation, or Lodging for Conference Events 
  5. Professional organization membership fees (i.e.: Washington State Nursing Association) 
  6. SU Club membership/registration fees 

Note: Students are required to utilize discounts or rates available to graduate students. GSC will reimburse costs with respect to student rates or discounts as noted at the base price. All expenses must be priced at a standard rate. Itemized receipts are required.  

Application Process: 

  1. Prospective applicants must complete the RCR application on GSC’s ConnectSU homepage.  
  2. To receive reimbursement, the student must include the following documents in the application:  
    1. Letter of intent  
    2. One (1) letter of recommendation from a Seattle University dean, faculty, or instructor 
    3. RCR Grant line-item budget 
    4. Proof of application of external funding  
    5. Receipts, boarding passes, and bills (only itemized receipts with timestamps will be accepted) 
    6. Photos of the event are also encouraged and welcomed. Please submit all reports to both GSCChair@seattleu.edu and GSCFinance@seattleu.edu 
  3. The GSC Finance committee shall review all applications and approve all requests based on the criteria written in this operating policy.   

Academic/Educational Opportunities

This fund provides monetary support to collaborative events/activities planned by and for SU graduate students. Programs should reflect a commitment to a cause or promote a sense of community at Seattle University. One of the objectives of this fund is to support programming that fosters a greater sense of campus community through events that -- are conducive to free intellectual exchange; advance knowledge, such as visiting speakers, forums on topics of general interest; provide opportunities to advance students' networks both within the University and in the greater Seattle community, etc. Additionally, this fund is designed to encourage increased interaction outside of the classroom. Students are encouraged to craft proposals that will provide opportunities for SU graduate students to gain valuable experience and knowledge

Funding Requests for co-curricular events/activities are encouraged to demonstrate:

  • Collaboration among multiple student groups
  • Unique opportunity or experience for its participants
  • Promotion of an issue/cause relevant to SU graduate students
  • Significant contribution to the graduate student body
  • A broad view of cultural experiences and knowledge

Please note: GSC will not accept requests for funding for events which promote specific political efforts (ballot measures, promotion of candidates seeking office). GSC holds to the guidelines specified in the Code of Conduct; please see Section 4.8: Freedom of Expression, pages 32-34 in the Code for detailed descriptions of University policy regarding political events and involvement on campus.

This fund provides monetary support to encourage independent graduate and professional student run activities with an academic/educational orientation. In the past, the GSC has funded graduate and professional student conferences and workshops held at Seattle University. The GSC would also like to help foster interdisciplinary work and contact. This fund provides support for student access to educational experiences "beyond the classroom," such as academic competitions.

Educational Experience Requests are encouraged to demonstrate:

  • Potential for the advancement of research or the promotion of academic success
  • Orientation toward academic or professional development
  • Direct relationship to the individual's declared major or field of study.

If you have any questions regarding the RCR grant funding applications, please contact the GSC Vice President of Finance at GSCFinance@seattleu.edu.