University News for May 16, 2012

The University of Manitoba says projects funded under the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences 2012 endowment fund competition will directly benefit students.

Approximately $96,000 have been allocated through the University of Manitoba's Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences 2012 Endowment Fund Competition to support 34 projects proposed by academic and support staff, students and alumni of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences.

Acting associate dean research Dr. Martin Scanlon says in reviewing funding applications, the selection committee looks for proposals that will improve the faculty's ability to recruit students or enhance the learning experience of students.

Clip-Dr. Martin Scanlon-University of Manitoba:
It tends to be very student-focused so I think the primary one is, is this project going to be of great benefit to the majority of students in the faculty.

It's very much focused on enhancing the student experience.

Even though most of the applicants to the competition would be faculty members our primary criterion is, is this serving a large number of students so teaching tools like upgrades in software might be something that would be deemed useful.

Typically academics, if they're upgrading equipment for laboratory sections they will apply to the endowment fund to get funds for that.

There will also be, for students, a lot of funds will go to travel for competitions or field trips.

I'd say the vast majority of funds are dispersed that way to initiatives that will support the education of our students either in the classroom or outside of the classroom.

Dr. Scanlon notes a number of proposals that didn't meet funding criteria were denied and, as a result, a portion of this year's funding pool has been returned for allocation next year.

For UniversityNews.Org, I'm Bruce Cochrane.

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