Funded by the Synergy Fund, the Bates Museum Faculty Scholar Course Release Grant Program creates opportunities for Bates faculty to bring new and interdisciplinary perspectives to the understanding and use of the museum’s permanent collection, and to integrate the collection into their scholarship and teaching. The program accomplishes this by providing a course release for one semester so that a faculty member can devote a concentrated period of time to research the museum’s permanent collection, and a $750 stipend for grant-related expenses (travel, publications, etc).

Tenured or tenure-track faculty, and ongoing lecturers are eligible to apply.

The Museum Faculty Scholar’s work culminates in a public lecture/presentation, publication, and/or exhibition that contributes to the intellectual life of the college.

Funds are available to award one faculty member a course release every other year. Contact the director for the schedule.

Applications are submitted one year in advance, i.e. the Fall of the year preceding the academic year during which the project will occur.

Prior to applying (in early September of the preceding academic year at the latest)

Confer with Dan Mills, director of the Museum of Art, about your plan. This may lead to making appointment(s) with staff to view collections or facilities. Learning more about the collection, database, and supporting records may be useful for the development of a proposal.

Prior to applying, discuss your plan with your department or program chair AND any chairs of departments or programs to which you contribute courses or which depend on your courses for major requirements. These chairs should discuss the course to be replaced as a result of the course reduction. Include in your application email confirmations from chairs of all affected departments and programs to underscore the departments’ and program’s endorsement of the plan.

1 October of the academic year preceding the grant: Application deadline for Fall or Winter course release occurring during the following academic year.

To apply. Please click on this link. The application form, an abstract, a brief narrative, a current CV, and a letter or email confirmation from the department or program chair(s) should be combined as a single PDF, and uploaded per the instructions. AAAs can assist faculty who need help converting documents to PDF format.

Abstract. A project title and an abstract of 150 words or less describing the scholarly context or pedagogy of the project.

Narrative. A three-page (maximum) narrative must include a statement describing the project and its importance to the applicant’s ongoing scholarship or teaching. If applicable, please include information about recent research or scholarship as it relates to the current proposal, such as a list of selected publications, performances, or projects that might assist in understanding your scholarly trajectory. The narrative should include a timetable of activities and information about projected outcomes.

Note: Applicants may wish to pursue additional grants, such as those offered by the Faculty Development Fund, to secure funding for project-related travel, supplies, books, etc.

Proposal Review
Proposals are submitted to members of the Synergy Fund Advisory Committee, which reviews proposals and makes a selection, which is forwarded to the Academic Affairs Council (AAC). The AAC grants final approval based on course selection and replacement and alignment with leave policies.

Interested faculty or those with questions should contact Dan Mills, director of the Bates College Museum of Art.

The Synergy Fund
The Bates Museum of Art Faculty Curator/Researcher Program is one of seven programs of the Synergy Fund, an endowment activated in 2015. Established in 2002 by the generous long-time Museum of Art and Bates supporter, Leander W. Smith (1932 – 2014), the Synergy Fund supports transformative synergies between the Museum and disciplines across the liberal arts at Bates. With this fund, the Museum has become a center for interdisciplinary projects and programs that expand and enrich the academic experience at Bates and in the community.

Bates College Museum of Art