C.R.I.S.P. | Course Release for Increased Scholarly Productivity

What is CRISP?

The CRISP program is designed to provide faculty with additional time to focus on their work in order to expand research efforts. Faculty have consistently highlighted that with increased time, they can elevate their research contributions and drive our collective goals. CRISP was developed in response to this need, offering course releases for faculty engaged in high-impact institutional research that goes beyond typical disciplinary expectations and demands significant time investment. While the program is primarily focused on projects tied to external funding, CRISP also supports impactful research initiatives with broad institutional benefits, such as those involving community engagement, even if they do not culminate in external funding.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

The faculty member must be tenured or tenure-track in any College department or program.

A CRISP award provides a one-course teaching release during either the fall or spring semester, along with up to $6,500 to support the department in securing course replacement, if necessary.

At the end of the award semester, the awardee is required to prepare and submit a brief report detailing their activities and progress to the College.

  • The award is designed to support research initiatives with significant institutional impact that exceed typical disciplinary expectations and demand additional time equivalent to the granted course release.
  • While the program is primarily focused on projects tied to external funding, CRISP also supports other impactful research initiatives with broad institutional benefits.
  • Collaborative and interdisciplinary research is encouraged but not required.
  • In some cases, joint submissions from two faculty members who plan to collaborate on a large externally funded research project will be considered. Separate applications are required, and each must identify the other’s submission as related and part of the same effort.
  • The award provides a one-course teaching release during either the fall or spring semester. It does not allow for an annual teaching load of zero courses within the College.
  • Application Statement: (no more than two single-spaced pages, 11-point font or larger) outlining the proposed activity for the semester. The statement should clearly
    • identify the external funding opportunity or the project being pursued,
    • explain why there is a reasonable chance of securing the funding or success,
    • articulate how the proposed work is beyond the faculty member's normal disciplinary expectations,
    • and explain how this work demands additional time equivalent to the granted course release.
  • Deliverable and Timeline: The final deliverable must be clearly identified, typically a grant submission to an external funding agency with a specific date.
  • Commitment: The deliverable will be considered a contract between the faculty member, the teaching unit, and the College. If the deliverable is not met, except in exceptional circumstances such as the removal of the grant opportunity by the funding agency, the faculty member may be required to make up their teaching in a future semester. Additionally, the department may be asked to return the funding to the CRISP program to support other faculty in the College.
  • CV: A copy of the applicant's CV.
  • Statement of Support: A statement, less than one page, from the unit chair/director supporting the application, including any request for funds to cover the teaching workload of the applicant during the award semester. They must confirm the grant submission is beyond the faculty member's normal disciplinary expectations and the work demands additional time equivalent to the granted course release.
    • The statement must include:

      “I understand the deliverable will be considered a contract between the faculty member, the teaching unit, and the College. If the deliverable is not met, except in exceptional circumstances such as the removal of the grant opportunity by the funding agency, the faculty member may be required to make up their teaching in a future semester. Additionally, the department may be asked to return the funding to the CRISP program to support other faculty in the College.”
  • NSF Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program, supporting cutting-edge research infrastructure that benefits multiple researchers and departments across a university.
  • NEH Challenge Grants, helping institutions secure long-term infrastructure improvements and enhance humanities programs.
  • DOD Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI), supporting multidisciplinary research efforts addressing key DoD priorities.
  • NIH Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE), establishing and strengthening biomedical research infrastructure and faculty research capabilities at institutions.
  • DOE Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs), supporting collaborative, multi-disciplinary research centers focused on breakthrough energy research.
  • Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Higher Learning Grants, supporting initiatives that strengthen the humanities and arts within higher education, including curricular innovation, faculty development, and cross-institutional collaboration.

DEADLINE: For Spring 2025 course releases, we will have a deadline of October 15, 2024. Submit your Application Statement, CV, and Statement of Support as three separate pdf file attachments to crisp@ku.edu.

Up to ten CRISP awards will be granted for Spring 2025. We plan to continue this program in future semesters.

Questions? Email crisp@ku.edu for more information.

Dean's Office Liaisons: Your contact Associate Dean