Conference Travel Support

The College of Arts and Sciences Conference Travel Fund can provide up to $2,000 for international travel and $750 for domestic travel within the US and Canada in order to participate in scholarly conferences. Criteria for consideration for funding include: (1) the purpose of the travel should be participation in a prestigious scholarly conference to deliver a paper; and (2) the faculty member has no other source of support through research grants, professional accounts, or departmental sources to cover the expenses. These funds may be applied to any reasonable expense associated with conference participation, including airfare, transportation costs, lodging, meals (not alcohol), and conferences fees. Due to limited funds, faculty may only apply for funding for one conference per fiscal year (fiscal year in which reimbursement is made). Non-tenure track professors can apply for funding under exceptional circumstances. Decisions will be made based on the proposal and the availability of funding.

To apply for funding, faculty should send a brief electronic memo to Assistant Dean Richard Wright (rwright@bu.edu) at least three weeks before the start of travel with a copy of the invitation, details about the conference (identify the conference, location, and the title of the paper or presentation), a brief abstract, a budget, and a statement about other possible sources of funding. Faculty will be required to supply receipts as well as a copy of the part of the program that cites the grantee’s participation in order to receive reimbursement.

The College of Arts and Sciences Conference Travel Fund can provide CAS Lecturers up to $2,000 for international travel and $750 for domestic travel within the US and Canada in order to participate in scholarly conferences.  Criteria for consideration for funding include: (1) the purpose of the travel should be participation in a prestigious scholarly conference to deliver a paper; and (2) the lecturer has no other source of support through research grants, or departmental sources to cover the expenses.  Because the primary employment obligation of Lecturers is teaching and mentoring, preference will be given to individuals who are participating in conferences or delivering papers that focus on curricular and pedagogical matters. These funds may be applied to any reasonable expenses associated with conference participation, including airfare, transportation costs, lodging, meals (not alcohol), and conferences fees. Due to limited funds, lecturers may only apply for one conference to be funded per fiscal year (fiscal year in which reimbursement is made). To apply for funding, the chair of the lecturer’s department should send a brief electronic memo to Assistant Dean Richard Wright (rwright@bu.edu) at least three weeks before the start of travel with details about the conference (identify the conference, location, and the title and abstract of the paper or presentation), a budget, and a statement about other possible sources of funding. Lecturers will be required to supply receipts as well as a copy of the part of the program that cites the grantee’s participation in order to receive reimbursement. Language lecturers requesting conference travel funds should have their Chairs submit the above-mentioned materials to Assistant Dean Gisela Hoecherl-Alden (galden@bu.edu).

In rare circumstances, the College of Arts and Sciences may provide funds to support an academic conference. Given the large number of conferences in which our faculty are involved, and the fact that so many seek funding from the Dean, proposals must pass over a high bar and clearly advance the strategic aims of CAS to merit the use of funds that would otherwise be used to support the core missions of faculty support, education, and research within the College. Requests for College funding for conference support must adhere to the following guidelines.

A proposal requesting conference support should be submitted to the appropriate Associate Dean of the Faculty at least 6 months before the conference. The proposal should be brief – no more than 3 pages in general – but be clearly laid out with the information necessary to judge its merits: the title and purpose of the conference; who is organizing it and whether it is organized by a standing organization; the venue and dates of the conference; a description and anticipated number of participants. Please include a brief description of the scholarly content and any anticipated outcome or impact of the conference. (If you say that there will be an anthology of the papers, please indicate the name(s) of the editor(s), whether commitments will be secured from the speakers in advance, and list the press(es) where an editor has expressed a commitment to review the volume.)  The proposal must also contain a complete budget, including the sources of funds already secured and the sources of funding that will be sought. The purpose of requested College funds should be clearly spelled out (e.g., travel support, receptions, catering, etc.).  Conferences of professional organizations must include a significant financial contribution from that organization.  The proposal should address the question of what impact this conference will have on the College of Arts and Sciences or its programs and must indicate who will be responsible for appropriate use of BU funds.

Funding is especially unlikely if the conference is not held on the Boston University campus, if the request is for a conference that is narrowly conceived and will have little impact beyond a small group of specialists, if it is sponsored by an organization that is providing relatively little support, or if it does not look well organized.