Message-ID: Date: Fri, 22 Dec 1995 10:52:54 -0500 (EST) From: Jessie Barbour Ramey X-Andrew-Message-Size: 5191+0 Content-Type: X-BE2; 12 If-Type-Unsupported: alter To: RBBs Subject: SURG Funding Guidelines If you are a Spring '96 SURG recipient, please stop by the Undergraduate Research Initiative (Warner Hall 429) to pick up your check and sign a Funding Agreement. The text of that agreement follows: ------------------------------------------------------------- Small Undergraduate Research Grant (SURG): Funding Guidelines ------------------------------------------------------------- Congratulations on your Small Undergraduate Research Grant [SURG] award. Please read the following guidelines on tracking your expenses, acknowledging your award, and returning unused grant money. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Jessie Ramey, Director of the Undergraduate Research Initiative, via email (jr3L@andrew) or at x8-5702. Please sign this sheet indicating that you have read and agree to these guidelines and retain a copy for your files. How should I keep track of my SURG money? ----------------------------------------- You should work out a system with your advisor for tracking the SURG funds. Some students deposit the award check directly into their advisor's departmental account which can then be used to purchase supplies and materials. This is also an easy way to keep track of expenses since a monthly accounting statement is generated by the university. You may also wish to deposit the funds into a personal account and develop your own tracking method. In any case, you should keep all of your receipts and submit a final accounting report to your advisor. Do I need to submit a final report to the Undergraduate Research Initiative? ---------------------------------- Yes. At the end of your project, you should complete a Final Report Form and submit with a copy of your abstract to the Undergraduate Research Initiative. You must also include a final budget and detail the use of funds for the project. This form must be signed by your advisor to notify us of your successful completion. You are also expected to present your project: this could be an oral presentation on campus, a poster presentation at a conference, a gallery exhibit of your work, or other appropriate presentation. How do I acknowledge this grant? -------------------------------- Please acknowledege your award in any printed materials related to your project including any final reports or formal publications. Please use the following statement: "This project was funded [in part] by Carnegie Mellon's Undergraduate Research Initiative through the Small Undergraduate Research Grant program. This paper represents the views of the author[s] and not those of Carnegie Mellon University." Will my award affect my financial aid package? ---------------------------------------------- SURG grants are awarded as cash scholarships and will not affect any financial aid package you may have. What happens if I don't finish my project? ------------------------------------------ If you do not complete your project, all unused SURG funds must be returned to the Undergraduate Research Initiative. It is important to stay in frequent communication with your advisor so that if problems arise, the two of you can develop a strategy for completing the project. If you and your advisor decide you can not finish, you should make an appointment with Jessie Ramey to promptly return the balance of the grant. Outstanding SURG balances will be treated like other university debts (i.e. withholding of grades or diploma). Should I report my SURG grant on my taxes? ------------------------------------------ Different states handle educational scholarships differently so you should check with your tax consultant. In general, you need only report awards listed on your 1090 (provided by Carnegie Mellon) to the federal government. If you do not receive a 1090 you probably do not need to report the award as income. If you have any questions about your award and its tax status, please contact the appropriate government agency. The Undergraduate Research Initiative can not provide tax advice. Do I need to obtain Human Subjects approval? --------------------------------------------- Whether you are funded by SURG or not, if you will be working with human subjects during the course of your research, you must meet certain guidelines. This applies to students as well as faculty in all departments and may include surveys, data collection, interviews, and product trials on human subjects. Please consult Evelyn Brnilovich in the office of the Associate Provost for Research and Academic Administration at x8-8746 if your work will involve human subjects. Are there ethical guidelines that I need to follow? --------------------------------------------------- No matter what the subject, research must be honest, in full communication to peers and the public, cautious when stating results, accurate when reporting methods, and certain that no harm comes to individuals. You are expected to conduct your project in an ethical manner following all applicable guidelines for research in your discipline. Please also refer to the handout, "Integrity in Your Undergraduate Research Experience," available from the Undergraduate Research Initiative.