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Undergraduate Summer Scholars (USS)
2012 Program Guidelines

Program of Individual Faculty Mentorship for Miami University Sophomores and Juniors

Started in 1995 by Dr. John Czaja, Miami's nationally-recognized summer undergraduate research program encourages students to develop their capacity to construct knowledge through immersion in Miami faculty mentored summer research projects and embodies President Hodge’s call for “active, engaged educational experiences for our undergraduates through the fusion of scholarship and teaching”. The USS program heightens the intellectual level of the learning environment at Miami University by enabling Miami undergraduates to do research or other creative activities in the summer under the supervision of an individual faculty mentor. Either a student or faculty member may initiate an application, but both the student and faculty member must sign the application.

Only Submission Deadline is December 2, 2011

Download the USS 2012 Guidelines and Application Form Read the guidelines below.

USS 2012 Program Guidelines
Table of Contents
I. USS Program Overview
A. PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION BY ELIGIBLE DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS
B. PROGRAM FEATURES
C. PROGRAM BENEFITS
D. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
E. AWARD NOTIFICATION AND REQUIRED COURSE REGISTRATION DEADLINES

II. Eligibility
A. DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY
B. FACULTY ELIGIBILITY
C. STUDENT ELIGIBILITY

III. Application Procedures
A. STUDENT/ FACULTY MENTOR APPLICATION DUE DATE - December 2, 2011
B. DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM PACKET DUE DATE TO OARS
C. DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM INTERNAL REVIEW AND AWARDEE SELECTION

IV. Roles and Responsibilities
A. DEPARTMENT CHAIR/PROGRAM DIRECTOR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• General Oversight and Administration of USS award
  

B. FACULTY MENTOR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Faculty Project Participation Required During Specified Period
• Grade Assignment
• Compliance with University and Federal Research Regulations
• Compliance with Miami Independent Travel Policy administered by the Office of Lifelong Learning
• Oversight of $400 Project Allowance (for supplies, services, and travel)
• Oversight of $600 Faculty Development Allowance

C. STUDENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Finding Your Own Mentor
• Project Participation Required During Specified Period
• Course Registration Requirements
• Grading - some departments/programs may only allow credit/ no credit participation
• Limits on Employment
• Limits on Other Course Enrollments
• Student Research Presentation Opportunities
• Electronic Communication

V. FINANCIAL MATTERS
A. USS FELLOWSHIP AWARD PAYMENT TO STUDENT
B. TUITION ONLY WAIVER FOR THE CREDIT HOURS
C. STUDENT COSTS

• Financial Aid Considerations
• General Fee Payment Requirement
• Enrollment Fees Charged by Department
• Housing Costs
• Tax Considerations

VI . USS 2012 CALENDAR
Important Dates and Deadlines

2012 PROGRAM GUIDELINES Updated September 19, 2011

I. USS Program Overview

A.  PROGRAM ADMINISTRATION BY ELIGIBLE DEPARTMENTS AND PROGRAMS
The USS program focuses on the individual student/faculty mentor relationship. Faculty participation is voluntary. Students are responsible for finding their own mentor and co-creating the research project. The Office for the Advancement of Research and Scholarship (OARS) sponsors and facilitates the USS program, decides how many of the 100 available USS awards are allocated to departments and eligible programs that submit application packets.

Departments/programs are responsible for: selecting student/faculty projects, approving those projects for a the required 6 hours of academic credit, assuring the educational value of the student experience and monitoring the student/faculty mentor collaboration.

B.   PROGRAM FEATURES

• a student fellowship award of $2,600
• a student allowance of $400 for supplies, services and travel,
• a faculty allowance of $600 to support the faculty mentor's scholarly activities
• provides students two participation options:
• a tuition only waiver to conduct a 6 credit hour research project

C.  PROGRAM BENEFITS

• offers a faculty-supervised focus on learning the processes of research and scholarship
• adds a distinctive educational experience for a significant number of Miami undergraduates
• engages students as active research agents
• increases interaction between faculty and students
• enhances faculty research programs by the participation of talented undergraduates
• clearly links scholarship and teaching at the university
• provides an educational opportunity shown to increase student intellectual maturity
• improves Miami's ability to attract talented students

D.  PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
The USS program requires summer enrollment for 6 hours of extended independent study credit under the designated course number 340U. For departments that permit students to enroll in senior research capstone independent study credit in conjunction with the USS project, the USS student must register for a minimum of 3 hours under 340U and combine that with the appropriate number of hours under the capstone independent study for a combined total of 6 hours.

In each instance, the USS program covers cost of tuition only for the required 6 credit hours in which the student enrolls, while the student pays for related general fees of approximately $50.00 per credit hour for the 6 hours. For summer 2012, the USS tuition waiver only applies to courses on Miami's Oxford, Hamilton, or Middletown campuses. Study abroad coursework cannot be part of the USS project and will NOT be waived.

E.  AWARD NOTIFICATION AND REQUIRED COURSE REGISTRATION DEADLINES
USS awards are granted by the department/program through which the student submits an application. The department chair/program director will select and notify students and ensure they accept the award. By February 17, 2012 departments/ programs will notify ALL applicants as to whether they have been selected for a USS award or not and the department chair/program director will send names of the selected students and mentors to OARS.

On March 1, 2012 OARS will send award letters (including instructions on course enrollment and financial matters) to selected students. Summer Session I registration for USS coursework is mandatory for USS awardees, regardless of when the summer research project will be conducted.

II. Eligibility

A.  DEPARTMENT/ PROGRAM ELIGIBILITY
All academic departments plus certain programs (American Studies, Black World Studies, Page Center for Entrepreneurial Studies, Interactive Media Studies, International Studies, Journalism, Latin American Latino/a and Caribbean Studies, Western Program, and Women's Studies) are eligible for participation in the USS program. By choosing to participate, these units agree to undertake the administrative burden required of them by the USS program.

Students may create a USS project with any Miami tenured or tenure track faculty mentor in any department or eligible program listed above. Faculty may submit the USS application through their primary academic department, or through one of the above eligible programs if the faculty member is an affiliate of that program. However, if selected for a USS award, the student must enroll for the USS required 6 credit hours under the department or program through which the application was submitted.

B.   FACULTY ELIGIBILITY
The USS program is open to all Miami full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty. Each student/ faculty pair should complete an application (as described under Section III. Applications Procedures) and submit the application to the chair of the faculty member's academic department or to the

director of the eligible program. To participate in the USS program, a faculty member must be willing and able to supervise and mentor the student with whom he/she has elected to be paired.

C. STUDENT ELIGIBILITY
Students may only receive one USS award during their time at Miami and the award must be used for the summer in which it is awarded.

Application is open to any Miami undergraduate student who:

• is in good standing (minimum 2.0 G.P.A., not on probation, etc.),
• will have completed his/her sophomore year (defined as having a minimum of 60 credit hours) or junior year prior to the beginning of the year 2012 Summer Session I,
• will enroll for at least one semester at Miami University as an undergraduate student after the completion of the USS project,
• agrees to full-time participation* in the USS program (*as defined by the department or program)
• and who, during the selected 9-week period of USS participation:
  agrees NOT to enroll, without permission of the mentor and the USS program director, in other courses NOR accept any fellowships, internships, volunteer positions, or employment that would interfere with the student's full-time educational commitment (See Student Roles and Responsibilities section IV, part C for details.)

III. Application Procedures

A.  STUDENT/ FACULTY MENTOR APPLICATION DUE DATE
December 2, 2011 Student Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. to Department/Program chair.

Students submit the USS Application to Department/Program of the faculty mentor. 
We encourage both faculty and students to initiate these research collaborations. Students can submit only one application. A single faculty member can be listed as a prospective mentor on up to four applications. Other than these restrictions, there is no limit on how many applications departments/ programs may submit to the Office for the Advancement of Research and Scholarship.

The USS program emphasizes the individual student/faculty mentor relationships.  Each individual student/faculty pair should jointly prepare the application following instructions on the application form and submit the completed application to the faculty member’s department chair/program director.

The application process is designed to:

• provide opportunities for students to learn through mentored student/faculty interactions,
• allow for broad participation across the University,
• provide a means by which the initial student/faculty interactions occur,
• lead to discussions about the meaning and implementation of scholarly activity, and
• emphasize the fundamental role of departments/programs in:
• establishing the form of student/faculty interactions,
• determining necessary supervision to help achieve the student's objectives, and
• monitoring the quality of the student's experience.

B.   DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM APPLICATION PACKET DUE DATE
December 9, 2011 Department/program application packet due by 5 p.m. to Martha Weber in the Office for the Advancement of Research and Scholarship (OARS), 102 Roudebush Hall.

After students submit their application, the department chair/program director has one week to review the applications for: student eligibility, mentor eligibility, and the eligibility of the proposed research project.
The department chair/program director should then compile and submit to OARS an application packet that includes:

• a cover memo signed by the department chair or program director which specifies the total number of applications from that department/program and an unranked list of the individual student/faculty applicant pair names, and
• the original of each student/faculty application that has been judged by the department/program to meet the criteria as described above.

C.  DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM INTERNAL REVIEW AND PARTICIPANT SELECTION
Each department/ program will make final decisions concerning the delegation of awards within the department/ program. The awards must be consistent with USS guidelines. The number of awards allocated to each department/program may affect the type of internal review and selection procedure a department/ program chooses to use. Therefore, we suggest departments/ programs postpone their internal ranking or other selection procedure for applications submitted until after OARS announces the number of awards allocated to each unit on Tuesday, January 17, 2012.

Departments/ programs will have at least four weeks after notification from OARS to make final selections. Departments/ programs will then:

• notify all applicants of their decision by February 17, 2012,
• verify that selected students who accept will abide by the conditions of the award, and then
• provide OARS the names of selected students by February 17, 2012 so that OARS can send the selected students the official USS Award Letter in early March 2012

IV. Roles and Responsibilities
Responsibility for a successful program will rest with the student scholar, his/her faculty mentor and the faculty member's department or program. Although others may participate in a student project, each award will be to one specific student and one specific faculty mentor as identified by the department/program.

A.  DEPARTMENT CHAIR/PROGRAM DIRECTOR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1.   General Oversight and Administration of USS awards
While the Office for the Advancement of Research and Scholarship (OARS) sponsors and facilitates the USS program, the department/program handles the administration.

Individual departments/programs are responsible for:

• collecting applications,
• assuring faculty and student eligibility for the program,
• approving specific student research projects
• submitting an original department/program application packet to OARS by the 12/09/11 deadline,
• assigning allocated awards and notifying awardees and non-selected applicants within the department/program,
• working with the Registrar's Office to reconcile any differences between the USS program and department/program course and credit requirements,
• assuring the educational value of the student experience, and
• monitoring the student/faculty mentor collaboration.

B.   FACULTY MENTOR ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1.   Faculty Project Participation Required During Specified Period
Faculty members who agree to participate will collaborate with specific students in developing and submitting applications for the USS program. The faculty mentor is then expected to be generally available to the student during the selected 9-week period of mentorship and will be responsible for facilitating a meaningful and appropriate student experience.

2.   Grade Assignment
The faculty mentor will also determine, in consultation with the student participant and with approval of the department chair/program director, whether student participation in this program will be evaluated with a letter grade or on the basis of credit/no credit. Note: some departments or programs only allow participation in this USS program on a credit/no credit basis.

3.   Compliance with University and Federal Research Regulations
The faculty mentor must assure that all required regulatory committee approvals [Institutional Review Board (IRB) - human subjects, Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) - vertebrate animals, radioisotopes or recombinant DNA] are obtained prior to the start of the student project.

4.  4. Compliance with Miami Independent Travel Policy administered by the Office of Lifelong Learning -- Students who travel outside the State of Ohio MUST register their travel plans
Any Miami student travelling independently for academic or service opportunities must register their travel plans with the Office of Lifelong Learning. Use the Miami University Independent Travel tool to register your travel plans online. Follow the link http://muohio.edu/study-abroad/independent-travel and scroll down. Contact Office of International Education or Lifelong Learning with any questions about this Miami policy.

5.   Oversight of $400 Student Project Allowance (for supplies, services, and travel)
Each USS selected student will receive a $400 allowance for supplies, services and travel to be used in direct support of the student’s project. The faculty mentor will supervise spending from this department/program account using standard University ordering and accounting procedures. All charges must be made against this allowance by February 1, 2013. This allowance account will be cleared and closed by the University Accounting Office on February 14, 2013. The faculty mentor is responsible for any charges made to that account above the $400 allotted or after February 1, 2013.

6.   Oversight of $600 Faculty Development Allowance
As part of each USS program, a faculty member receives a $600 allowance (for supplies, services and travel) for each award on which he/she is a mentor. A faculty member may mentor up to four USS program students during the summer. The allowance will be available for use in supporting the faculty mentor's own scholarship and professional development and/or, at the discretion of the faculty mentor, for use in supporting the student project.

This allowance will be subject to standard University ordering and accounting procedures, and the faculty member is responsible for the appropriate use of these funds. The project and faculty allowances are not considered income for tax purposes and cannot be used as supplemental pay for either the student participant or the faculty mentor. All charges must be made against this allowance by February 1, 2013. The faculty mentor is responsible for any charges made to that account above the $600 allotted or after February 1, 2013.

C.   STUDENT ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1.   Finding Your Own Mentor
Faculty participation is voluntary; students are responsible for finding their own mentor and co-creating the research project.  The USS program focuses on individual student/faculty mentor relationships for Miami University sophomores and juniors. Students may only receive one USS award during their time at Miami and the award must be used for the summer in which it is awarded. The program provides an opportunity for full-time*, intensive interaction between a student and his/her faculty mentor.

* full-time as determined by the department or program. Typically, students are expected dedicate a minimum of 30-35 hours a week to the USS project.

2.   Project Participation Required During Specified Period
The supervising faculty mentor in consultation with the student and department chair/program director will determine the specific 9 weeks of a student's participation during the summer.  Participation time can be divided into two different periods if necessary. Both of these times must be within the 15-week interval from Spring Commencement (May 7, 2012) through the last day of Summer Sessions (August 17, 2012).

The OARS office may ask USS student awardees to complete several questionnaires relating to their educational experiences and activities. At the end of the summer, they may also be requested to provide additional feedback about the USS program.

3.   Course Registration Requirements
The 9 week period of appointment can vary within the interval from May 7 until August 17, 2012. Summer I has been designated as the term of enrollment for the USS program. Students must, therefore, enroll for the required credit hours during the Summer I enrollment period, which, for 2012, is from the end of March until May 7, 2012.  The course number will include the acronym of the mentor's department or program, e.g., BOT 340U, PSY 340U, ENG 340U.

Each student who receives a USS appointment must either enroll in a total 6 credit hours of 340U, unless the department permits the student to combine the USS research project with enrollment in a senior capstone independent study course. In that instance, then the student must combine a USS research project of a minimum of 3 credit hours under 340U with a senior research independent study capstone course for a total of 6 hours.

NOTE: Capstone enrollment requires department permission. Many departments do NOT permit participants to combine USS hours with capstone hours.

4.   Grading - some departments/programs may only allow credit/no credit participation
May 7, 2012 is the last day the Office of the Registrar will allow grading status changes. The selected student is responsible for discussing with his/her mentor and department/program how the project will be graded. The credits under 340U can either be for a grade or taken credit/no credit if permitted by the department or program.

5.   Limits on Employment
The USS program will allow Miami students to accept employment at Miami or elsewhere during the selected 9 weeks of their USS participation, provided the student and faculty mentor agree on a plan to ensure that the employment will not interfere with the student’s full-time program participation.

However, participating students are prohibited from incorporating any internships or volunteer positions into their USS research project.

6.   Limits on Other Course Enrollments
Due to the nature, duration and intensity of the program, students accepting USS awards MUST seek WRITTEN PERMISSION from both the USS Mentor and from Mrs. Martha Weber, USS Program Director to register for any additional course work during the summer of 2012. If permission is granted, the USS participant is then responsible for all other costs associated with taking additional summer credit hours. Contact Martha Weber weberme@muohio.edu to obtain the permission form.

All USS project activity must occur between May 7 and August 17, 2012. During this time frame, USS students are required to dedicate full time* effort for a minimum of 9 weeks to the USS research project.
* Departments and programs determine the level of effort to be devoted to the project.

7.   Student Research Presentation Opportunities
Although NOT required as part of the USS program, students may produce a product (paper, oral presentation, poster, artwork, portfolio, model, etc.) as a result of their USS project. In these cases, the student and faculty mentor should agree on the purpose and form of this product at the beginning of the student's participation. Students will be given the opportunity to present a poster about the results of their research at the annual spring Undergraduate Research Forum.

8.   Electronic Communication
During the USS program, most communications from the USS program director with student awardees and their faculty mentors will be done electronically via e-mail. 

V. Financial Matters

A.  USS FELLOWSHIP AWARD PAYMENT TO STUDENT
In June 2012, the Office of the Bursar will make a single fellowship payment of $2,600 to the USS participant through the student’s bursar account. The Office of the Bursar will use the USS fellowship funds against any charges on the student bursar bill. The Office of the Bursar will then deposit any remaining funds into a bank account of the student’s choosing (via Banner Web) approximately two weeks later..

The USS fellowship stipend amount may be subject to required Student Financial Aid considerations as explained under paragraph C. Student Costs. As required by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) the Office of the tBursarhe Office of the and Registrar handle student records. USS awardees are encouraged to contact the Bursar’s office staff at 529-8744 with any questions about the E-bill or bursar account and the Office of the Registrar for course registration questions.

B.   TUITION ONLY WAIVER FOR THE CREDIT HOURS

For the 2012 program, the USS tuition waiver applies to courses on Miami's Oxford, Hamilton, or Middletown campuses. Study abroad coursework will NOT be waived and cannot be included as part of the USS program. The USS tuition waiver covers ONLY the instructional fees and tuition for enrollment in the USS required 6 hours of extended independent study credit under course number 340.U. Or, a combined total of 6 hours for departments that permit students to enroll in senior research capstone independent study credit in conjunction with the USS project. In this instance the USS student must register for a minimum of 3 hours under 340U and combine that with the appropriate number of hours under the capstone independent study.

In each instance, the USS program covers cost of tuition only for the required 6 credit hours in which the student enrolls, while the student pays for related general fees of approximately $50.00 per credit hour.

In addition, the student pays for any tuition and fees for all course credits exceeding 6 hours taken during the summer terms. Note: the student must seek written permission as described under (Section IV Student Responsibilities 6. Limits on Other Course Enrollment.)

C.  STUDENT COSTS
1.    Financial Aid Considerations
Students are responsible for contacting Miami’s Office of Student Financial Aid to review the affect the USS program participation will have on their financial aid eligibility. Miami is required to report the amounts of USS fellowship amount and the tuition scholarship (described above) to the Internal Revenue Service on Form 1098T. All financial assistance that students are eligible to receive must be taken into consideration when calculating need-based financial aid. Consequently, as soon as the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSF) is notified that a student has received these USS program amounts, the OSF is required to recalculate the student’s eligibility for aid.

2.   General Fee Payment Requirement
The student is responsible to pay general fee charges (around $50 per hour) for the required 6 credit hours associated with the USS research project. The Office of the Bursar will deduct the total charge (of approximately $300) from the single fellowship payment of $2,600 as described in Section A. Financial Matters above.

3.   Enrollment Fees Charged by Department or Division
Students are responsible to pay any additional department or divisional fees per credit hour for the USS course 340U enrollment or for permitted capstone courses.

4.   Housing and Meal Costs Are Student’s Responsibility
Students are solely responsible for making arrangements for and paying for their own housing and meals during USS participation. Students are recommended to decide with their faculty mentors whether the student needs to stay in the Oxford area while participating in the USS Program. If agreed to by the faculty mentor, student/faculty pairs may choose to communicate electronically while conducting the research project.

5.   Tax Considerations
Miami is required to report the USS student fellowship award ($2,600) on the student’s 1098T for tax considerations. Income taxes will not be withheld from USS student fellowship award unless the student is an international student whose country does not have a reciprocal tax agreement with the United States. Depending on how the fellowship award money is used by the student, portions of the fellowship payment may be considered taxable income by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). For additional information on Scholarship and Fellowship Grants, refer to IRS Tax Topic 421, and Publication 970, Tax Benefits for Education.

VI . USS 2012 Program Calendar  

Weekday	DATE(S)	INTERVAL	DEADLINE or SCHEDULED EVENT
Monday	September 19, 2011		Undergraduate Summer Scholars (USS) program Announcement and Guidelines are distributed
	September 19, 2011 to December 2, 2011	11 weeks	Students, faculty and departments/ programs arrange appropriate collaborations and complete individual student/faculty application forms
Friday	December 2, 2011		Students submit the application to the mentor's department chair or program director
	December 2, 2011 to December 9, 2011	1 week	Departments/ programs review individual USS applications for eligibility
Friday	December 9, 2011		Departments/ programs submit (to OARS) their application packet containing original of the individual student/faculty USS applications
	January 9, 2012   to January 13, 2012	1 week	OARS compiles data from department/program applications
Tuesday	January 17, 2012		OARS allocates USS positions to departments / programs
	January 17, 2011   to February 17, 2012	5 weeks	Departments/ programs choose which applicants will be offered USS awards, and by 2/17/2012 department chair / program director will notify all applicants whether they have been selected or not
Friday	February 17, 2012		Departments/ programs provide OARS with names of selected student/faculty pairs
Thursday	March 1, 2012		OARS sends award letters to selected students
Friday	March 23, 2012		Selected students submit Independent Study Form to Registrar's Office in Campus Avenue Building to register for the 6 required credit hours
Friday	March 23, 2012		Students return signed USS Acceptance Form to USS Program Director in OARS (102 Roudebush) Student makes sure they have a direct deposit account designated in Banner Web
Monday	May 7, 2012		All USS student awardees should have completed enrollment procedures and registered for the required 6 credit hours
	May 7, 2012   to August 17, 2012	15 weeks	Required interval for 9 week Undergraduate Summer Scholar research activities
	October, 2012		OARS evaluation of USS activities
Wednesday	February 1, 2013		All 2012 USS allowance funds must be spent, including student project allowance and faculty mentor development allowance
Tuesday	February 14, 2013		2012 USS accounts cleared

USS Program Contact:
USS Guidelines online at http://www.muohio.edu/oars/undergrad_research

For questions about the USS Program or guidelines contact:

Martha E. Weber, M.S.
OARS Undergraduate Research Director
USS Summer Scholars Program Director
102 Roudebush Hall
Phone: 513-529-3600
Fax: 513-529-3762
weberme@muohio.edu

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