Faculty Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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1. What is the role of a UCARE Faculty Sponsor?

Your role is to academically engage students in your research activities while gaining assistance with your research. Specific responsibilities are to:

  • Interview and select students
  • Co-sign student agreement forms provided by the UCARE office
  • Train the students (or oversee their training) and provide them with background information about your research in order to contextualize their work
  • Meet with your students on a regular basis (the frequency will vary from project to project but we recommend you meet with them at least every other week)
  • Monitor work hours and sign timesheets on a weekly basis
  • Talk to your students about Responsible conduct in Research and support our efforts to train them to be responsible researchers.

2. What kind of research assistance is available for my students? 

The Reference Librarians in Love Library can work with students one-on-one on a specific research project to teach them how to locate both text materials and web-based materials. Many UCARE students are relatively new to the University, and they often do not have the library skills necessary to start their projects. If your students need assistance with the library, please contact the subject specialist in your disciplines.  A list can be found at: Libraries Subject Specialists website.

3. Will I have to keep track of my students' work hours and sign timesheets?

You will have to sign timesheets for students weekly. While students should keep track of their own hours, you should keep track of whether students are meeting their time obligation by showing up for work when and for the time they agreed to. If you need to know how many hours your student has worked, contact the staff member in your department who is handling the UCARE student time-sheets.

4. Can I apply with more than one student in a given year?

You can supervise both a first year student and a second year student during the same academic year.  If, however, you apply with more than one first year student, the UCARE office will ask you to either
a. choose between them, or
b. split the funding between students.

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5. Can I apply for UCARE funding after the application deadline?

We do not encourage faculty and students to apply for funding at any other time than the once/year application deadline.  However, both at the beginnings of the fall semester and the spring semester, we will consider a new application if there are funds available, that is, if other students have left the program. Please contact the Director of Undergraduate Research for more information.

6. Can I replace my original UCARE student with another student?

If you selected to work with a student, and that student is not working out, you may “replace” that student.  Please note, this student substitution can only take place in the fall semester (before the end of October).

You should contact the UCARE Office if:

  • you can't get in touch with one of your students
  • your student is not showing up for work on a regular basis
  • your student's performance is not up to your expectations
  • your student is difficult to communicate with about concerns, has a problematic attitude, poor work performance.

* For more specific information, please see the UCARE Faculty handbook

 

The UCARE Program is sponsored by the Pepsi Endowment, created by contract between the University and the Pepsi-Cola Company. UCARE supports UNL students to do research or creative activities with UNL faculty members.