Improving Doctoral Experiences on External Awards (IDEEA)
Eligibility
IDEAA funds are approved when the grant and/or granting agency prohibits payment of one or more required components outlined as baseline support (e.g. prohibits payment of tuition, fees, health insurance, etc.). If a grant and/or granting agency does permit payment of the baseline support package, then students supported by that grant or agency are not eligible for supplementation by IDEEA. In this scenario, if the full university baseline support was not originally budgeted in the grant, the grant must be re-budgeted or any remaining baseline support must be identified from alternative sources.
See the IDEEA policy for the complete list of required components for the fellowship to meet the baseline support level.
Students who are enrolled in a KU Lawrence Campus (KULC) doctoral program and who are employed as a GRA on the KU Medical Center (KUMC) Campus are eligible for IDEEA supplementation, as long as the student and funding source meet the requirements. The student’s KULC academic department should submit the IDEEA request and include proof of the qualifying GRA appointment on the KUMC campus.
Finally, note that for awards administered as employment, IDEEA defines a "full semester" appointment as one that meets the eligibility requirements in the Employee & Dependent Rates policy.
Process
External award recipients are expected to review the IDEEA policy carefully to verify the grant/granting agency, baseline support, and student all meet eligibility requirements. They are also expected to talk to their grant or fund manager in Award Management Services (AMS) to verify:
- The terms of the grant or granting agency specifically prohibit payment of one of the components of baseline support.
- There are sufficient funds to cover the other required components of baseline support. See the IDEEA policy for baseline support details*. If there are insufficient funds, the grant must be re-budgeted or any remaining baseline support must be identified from alternative sources.
*Baseline minimum salary is determined by Executive Council of Graduate Faculty. The current baseline minimum salary is $19,594.16 for an academic year/9 month appointment, or an equivalent bi-weekly rate of $1008.522748 for 12 month or ongoing appointments.
The hiring or sponsoring unit must also contact the student's home academic unit (i.e. DGS or graduate program coordinator) to verify the student is in good academic standing and their post-comp enrollment status. This includes verifying whether the student is expected to complete their oral comp exam in one of the semesters that supplements are being requested.
All requests for IDEEA funding are submitted via the IDEEA pre-approval form, including requests for fellowships not administered as a GRA. The form is typically submitted by the staff member who supports the 3G or fellowship process, rather than the faculty or student award recipient.
The form requests detailed information about the external award (e.g. name, source or agency, salary, etc.). Information about the student's academic status and post-comp enrollment is also required. See Step 1 above for more information.
Pre-approval for IDEEA funds may be granted for multiple semesters with one form. If more than one semester is requested, student support (i.e., the GRA or fellowship) must meet the eligibility requirements for each semester. While multiple semesters of IDEEA support may be pre-approved via this form, disbursal of future funds will be contingent on budget availability at that time. Also, note that because KU does not require GRA/GTA/GAs to enroll in the summer, for requests for summer tuition & fees, priority consideration will be given to students graduating in the summer and/or when the program requires summer enrollment to advance degree progression.
While a 3G hiring form may be submitted at any time, IDEEA approval must be confirmed before a sponsorship form can be submitted.
When an IDEEA preapproval request is received, the Office of Graduate Studies will review the information to verify:
- the nature of the funding source is eligible
- the student meets all academic requirements for eligibility (e.g. good standing, admitted doctoral)
- the baseline support components will be met
- number of enrolled hours IDEEA will supplement based on student's pre- or post-comp enrollment status
Once reviewed, Graduate Studies will send a response within 7-10 business days.
If the request meets all eligibility requirements, a confirmation of pre-approval will be sent to the staff member that submitted the form. Note that the automated email sent immediately following submission of the form is to confirm receipt of your request only. It is not a confirmation of approval.
If the request does not meet eligibility requirements, Graduate Studies will communicate what requirements were not met.
While a 3G hiring form may be submitted at any time, IDEEA pre-approval must be confirmed before a sponsorship form can be submitted.
If IDEEA funds are pre-approved, a confirmation will be sent to the individual who submitted the request form. This confirmation email will outline the exact amount/percentage of IDEEA supplemental funds approved for each semester and provide detailed instructions for including the IDEEA funding information on the sponsorship only form.
Once pre-approved, the hiring/sponsoring unit will then use these instructions to submit a sponsorship only form and include the IDEEA funds information, as well as any other applicable sponsorship for the student.
A sponsorship form must be submitted by the hiring unit/sponsoring unit by the sponsorship form submission deadline in advance of each semester that was pre-approved for IDEEA.
Deadlines
The IDEEA pre-approval form opens in March for request for the upcoming summer, fall, and spring semesters. In order to receive priority consideration, the pre-approval form for the following semester will be due to the Office of Graduate Studies by:
Fall sponsorship - final Friday in June
Spring sponsorship - final Friday in October
Summer sponsorship - final Friday in March
Incomplete requests will not be considered. Late requests may be considered at the Associate Vice Provost for Graduate Studies’ discretion, as funding allows.
Pre-Approval Form
Sponsoring units should read the IDEEA policy carefully and consult with the grant or fund manager in the SSC or Award Management Services before submitting the pre-approval request form to verify that the fund explicitly prohibits the payment of tuition and/or fees. Hiring or sponsoring units must also contact student's home academic unit to verify that the student is in meets all eligibility requirements and the student's post-comp enrollment status.