Southeastern Conference (SEC) Visiting Faculty Travel Grant Program

The Southeastern Conference (SEC) Visiting Faculty Travel Grant Program is intended to enhance faculty collaboration that stimulates scholarly initiatives between SEC universities. It gives faculty members from UT the opportunity to travel to another SEC campus to exchange ideas, develop grant proposals, conduct research, consult with faculty and/or students, offer lectures or symposia, present a recital, or engage in whatever activities are agreeable to the visitor and host unit. The UT selection committee will give preference to proposals intended to develop new or continue recent collaborations between faculty members. Proximity to the Knoxville campus will not be a factor. Travel dates for these visits are between August 1, 2019 and July 15, 2020.

The University of Tennessee will receive funding from the SEC, which may be supplemented by additional funding from the UT Office of Research & Engagement. Requests of up to $1,500 will be considered. Grants are not necessarily meant to cover ALL the travel costs but to lessen the financial burden of the faculty member’s travel. Other sources of funds, including the faculty member’s department and college, may be used to offset any additional costs. Funds may be used for transportation, room, board, etc., for travel to another SEC campus. Travel grant funds may not be used for non-travel-related expenses (e.g., books, supplies, computer software, etc.). It is not permissible to use funds for support/research staff, graduate students, or postdoctoral fellows. Any use of the funds should be only by the faculty member, and only with the intent of lessening the financial burden of personal accommodations in travel.
SEC member universities are listed below.

UT faculty members must contact a department head or dean at a host SEC university to request a letter of invitation. The selected faculty members will be responsible for arranging coverage of their duties during their absence. After the visit, faculty members must submit a brief report describing the outcomes of the visit.

Faculty should submit applications individually (no multiple faculty or team/group applications.) The following information must be provided:

1. UT faculty member information

• Name
• Title
• UT Unit
• Research Discipline
• Email
• Campus Address
• Phone
• Brief scholarly biography (maximum 250 words)
• Current CV

2. Visit Information

• Name of host institution, department, and individual or group
• Visit dates
• Brief budget outline

3. Supporting Letters

• Letter of invitation from a host unit official (dean or department head) specifying the dates of the visit and any specific expectations of the faculty member
• Letter of support from UT unit which includes the arrangement of duty coverage

4. Project Statement (maximum one page single-spaced)

• Anticipated activities while visiting
• Statement of visit’s benefits for UT and host institution

Southeastern Conference member universities:

University of Alabama – Tuscaloosa, Alabama

University of Arkansas – Fayetteville, Arkansas

Auburn University – Auburn, Alabama

University of Florida – Gainesville, Florida

University of Georgia – Athens, Georgia

University of Kentucky – Lexington, Kentucky

Louisiana State University – Baton Rouge, Louisiana

University of Mississippi – Oxford, Mississippi

Mississippi State University – Starkville, Mississippi

University of Missouri – Columbia, Missouri

University of South Carolina – Columbia, South Carolina

University of Tennessee – Knoxville, Tennessee

Texas A&M University – College Station, Texas

Vanderbilt University – Nashville, Tennessee