Professional Support Funds

Professional support funds provided by the Chief Academic Officer to funded Chairs and to full-time, continuing, members of the Faculty are meant to be discretionary funds, supporting the scholarship of the faculty member.

The following guidelines describe the approved uses of and accounting for these funds.

1. The funds are expected to be expended within the time frame established when awarded. Any remaining funds must be used within two additional calendar years.  Reports (detailing how funds were expended and describing the work achieved) must be submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs by 1 October following the year during which the funds were made available.
2. Funds may not be taken as stipend or compensation, nor may they be used for personal expenses.
3. Funds may be used for materials – e.g. books, journal subscriptions, professional memberships, equipment in support of scholarship – and for services – e.g. student assistants, consultants. Materials and services should be in direct support of research or creative activity projects of the faculty member. The employment of student assistants should be administered through the Human Resources Department of the College; provisions must be made to cover the necessary social security and withholding deductions.
4. Funds awarded will be used for professional travel in support of relevant research and creative activity. Examples of such needs include travel to professional conferences; travel to libraries, archives, laboratories, or performances (for purposes of information collection and study); and travel for purposes of professional collaboration or conducting interviews. Expenses to be covered may include reimbursement for transportation costs, registration and admission fees, and lodging costs.
5. Professional support funds may be used to purchase computers and peripheral devices subject to the following criteria: 
   • Proposed purchases must be reviewed with the Director for Information Technology Services to determine that the equipment will perform adequately in its desired function.
   • Proposed purchases for computers and peripheral devices must conform to institutional standards for such equipment, posted on the Information Technology Services web site. Appeals for nonstandard equipment must be made in writing and addressed to the Chief Information Officer and, such equipment may be purchased only after approval from the Chief Information Officer.
   • Computers and peripherals purchased with professional support funds are not considered as part of the College’s operational inventory; as such, support and maintenance, including upgrades and replacement when necessary, are the responsibility of the faculty member unless other accommodations are made in advance of the purchase.
   • Computers and peripherals remain the property of Rhodes College.
6. Professional support funds may be used to purchase scientific equipment subject to the following criteria:
   • The purchases must be approved by the Chair of the department of the faculty member. Orders for equipment are processed following standard College procedures for the purchase of scientific equipment and laboratory supplies.
   • A plan for the maintenance and upgrade of the equipment is agreed to in advance by the faculty member and the Chair of the department.
   • The equipment remains the property of Rhodes College should the faculty member leave Rhodes.