Academic Excellence Fund Awards $1.5 million in grants

Twenty-three academic initiatives have been selected to receive Academic Excellence Fund awards totaling $1.5 million. The initiatives, representing all three campuses and a broad array of academic disciplines, were chosen from among 120 proposals.

Projects funded this year leaned toward those that promote interdisciplinary collaborative research, particularly among different schools, or establish new centers or academic programs that hold promise for becoming self-sustaining, said Michael Pazzani, vice president for research and graduate and professional education. Multidisciplinary initiatives that require people to “cross the river” were funded to encourage faculty to reach out to other units.

The number of initiatives funded is fewer than in previous years. Pazzani, whose office took over the program this year from the Office of Academic Affairs, said that this year’s budget shortfall resulted in a 50 percent funding cut to the program, which is in its fourth year.