The mission of the Eykamp Center for Teaching Excellence (ECTE) is to encourage effective innovative teaching in support of the University’s mission of “active learning and scholarship”.

Our goals are:

• To promote better understanding of teaching and learning
• To cultivate engaging conversation about effective teaching in a community of active learning
• To foster an understanding of teaching as a valued scholarly endeavor
• To support professors in the vocation of teaching 

The ECTE grant program exists to encourage and support faculty who seek professional growth in relation to these goals.

Description: The application should clearly reflect how the grant will be used to further ECTE’s goals of encouraging innovative teaching. Requests for funding can range from small equipment, books, or activity purchases (e.g, $50) to larger software or equipment purchases for a course (maximum $750). This grant cannot be used as a stipend to restructure an existing course, develop a new course, or host a speaker. The Director, Co-Director, and ECTE Advisory Council will make funding decisions. Though there may be many worthy applications that encourage effective and innovative teaching, ECTE funding is limited. Therefore, proposals may be funded depending on the number of applications received and funding amounts requested. 

Deadline: ECTE accepts applications throughout the academic year. Faculty members must submit proposals at least two months before using the funds they request. 

Requirements: ECTE grants may be awarded to faculty or instructors of any rank. In keeping with the goals listed above, grant recipients must identify questions/issues regarding teaching they wish to explore and, upon implementation, they will be required to present what they learned and/or achieved at an ECTE Lunch and Learn session. 

Procedure: Individuals wishing to be considered for a grant must complete the accompanying application, including all requested information. The application must be submitted at least two months prior to teaching implementation. Strong applications will consider the ECTE goals listed above as well as how the proposed innovation will enrich his/her/their individual teaching and the larger faculty community. 

Review: Please email your application to ecte@evansville.edu. The Director and Co-Director will review applications and make award decisions in consultation with the ECTE Advisory Council.

This grant program is possible through the generous support of Rita and Richard Eykamp.

Application Instructions

Please include the following information in a document and send it to ecte@evansville.edu.

1. Name, email address, campus phone number
2. Title and department
3. Description of the activity, program, or requested supplies that clearly shows promotion of teaching and learning and the specific course or set of course that this will benefit
4. A rationale for your funding request and how it will encourage effective and innovative teaching. It is important to draw on the scholarship of teaching and learning, either discipline specific or more broadly, to support the rationale of effective and/or innovative teaching. This section should identify the teaching questions/issues you intend to explore and include anticipated connections to your own teaching practice. It is important to have a clear connection to ECTE goals. Many initiatives that need funding at the University can relate, at some level, to teaching or providing a better educational experience; however, this grant is intended to fund projects that encourage effective and innovative teaching. The budget, including cost of implementation and any other expenses (e.g., tax) or anticipated or confirmed sources of funding, should be clearly outlined or itemized.
5. Specification of ways to assess activity/program/innovation effectiveness (e.g., metrics, results, and outcomes)
6. Plans for presentation to the faculty community including a time frame and format (e.g., seminar, lecture, or workshop). The ECTE Director and Co-Director will coordinate all presentations. If you do not complete the dissemination plan for the University community, you will not be eligible for ECTE funds in the future.
7. Signature/E-signature

After purchase of items/services:

1. Submit receipts within one month of payment/purchase. You must submit your receipts within the fiscal year of your expenses to be reimbursed. If possible, please provide evidence of UE tax exemption to the vendor at the time of purchase.
2. After implementation, please email ECTE at (ecte@evansville.edu) with a timeframe and suggested focus for your presentation for UE faculty, including potential application to faculty outside your discipline.