For Faculty Members in Divisions I & II, proposing collaborative research on campus with a full-time student research assistant in the summer of 2023.
Objective: This program is funded in large part by a generous gift from the Class of 1957, with the intent to encourage and enhance in-person faculty-student research collaboration on our faculty members’ research projects, as well as fostering a climate of summer research here on the Williams College campus. Therefore, the program provides Division I & II faculty members with the funds to employ an eligible student as a full-time research assistant on campus throughout the summer months.
Summer 2023 Application Deadline: Friday, February 24, 2023
Program Dates: Funding is available for nine-week-long programs, and student summer housing will be available from June 13 – August 20.
Summer 2023 pay rates: Funding for the Summer research assistants in 2023 is budgeted to provide a rate of $583.15/week/student. $535 of this, minus any applicable taxes, is paid to the student, while the remaining amount covers the cost of benefits. The 2023 fellowship is an increase from last year’s weekly rate and reflects increases in Massachusetts minimum wage requirements. Further questions regarding these rates can be directed to the Office of Student Employment.
COVID-19-related policies: As we look ahead to the summer, the college will continue to monitor CDC guidance for institutions of higher education and may, at times, need to adjust our on-campus policies in light of changing circumstances. Any necessary restrictions and mandatory procedures related to living and working on campus this summer will be announced closer to the summer months.
Eligibility: In order to qualify for this funding, a student research assistant’s participation in your research project must be significant enough to provide authentic involvement in your research. Projects comprised largely of clerical or background work performed by students will not be funded.
There is also an expectation that students will spend a substantial amount of regularly scheduled, in-person time on campus along with the faculty member they are supporting. There are no half or part-time working arrangements. This program only offers full-time summer employment for a student, an important detail that is reflected in the weekly stipend amount.
Faculty members can propose to work with current first-years, sophomores, and juniors. Current seniors are not eligible for these positions. Additionally, students cannot plan to combine this opportunity with another campus job or fellowship opportunity. Please clarify this requirement with the student you propose to work with.
Online Application: The 2023 Class of 1957 Div I & II Summer RA Application Cycle has Closed.
Please click on the link above to submit an application for a Sabbatical Salary Grant.
The application will require some brief summary information and the attachment of a one-page project description.
The following information will be required:
- A project title and short summary.
- The name and class year of the student you hope to hire.
- The start date, end date, and the total number of weeks for the research project (The maximum number of weeks will be 9 weeks, but shorter periods are fine).
- The provision of a stipend assumes a full-time 35-hour workweek. Therefore, please be mindful of establishing a start and end date that begins on a Monday and ends on a Friday. Also, please remember that student vacation weeks do not count as paid time.
- A brief overview of your work plan and planned oversight of the student’s work on campus.
- A one-page proposal that includes a summary of your research project, and also touches on the qualifications of the student.
Additional information to keep in mind:
- Once again, this program is funded in large part by a generous gift from the Class of 1957, and most student participants are designated as Class of ’57 Summer Research Fellows. We, therefore, require participating students to submit a one-page report at the end of the summer, of suitable quality to be included in an annual report to the class.
- Will the student require housing? On-campus accommodations will be provided free of charge within certain dates established by the Office of Campus Life. Please schedule work with students within this timeframe as housing during the early and late summer “transitional” periods will not be available for research students. The Dean of the Faculty’s office cannot broker special housing arrangements outside of these dates. Further questions regarding summer housing can be directed to the Office of Campus Life and you can reach their housing team at [email protected].
- All students who live on campus are required to participate in one of the meal plans, which are offered to them at economical rates. Meal plan charges are deducted from student paychecks. The summer research program does not pay for student meals even if they decline the free housing.
This program is not to be confused with the Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship Program (MMUFP) or the Allison Davis Research Fellowship (ADRF), both of which also support student summer research and are organized by the Pathways for Inclusive Excellence (PIE) team.
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