UCA Inform

Main navigation

Archives for May 2023

Government Default and Grants: What PIs Need to Know

Submitted by: Sara Bailey, sbailey7@uca.edu on 05/25/2023

If negotiations about raising the debt ceiling fail to yield legislation that Congress and the White House both agree to, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has forecasted that the United States could default on its debts as early as June 1. As such, UCA PIs with federally-funded awards may be wondering what to expect in the event that the issue is not resolved in time to prevent default. Unfortunately, because this is an unprecedented situation, there is no simple answer to that question. We have compiled a few actions we recommend for those PIs:

If you are unsure if your award is paid out yearly or is drawn down monthly, contact orsp@uca.edu to find out. How your grant is paid may be a key factor in how your award will be affected.

While the U.S. government has never defaulted on its debt, policies and procedures are in place in the event of a government shutdown; the policies and procedures vary by agency. It is a good idea to review your funding agency’s contingency plans, which can be found here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/information-for-agencies/agency-contingency-plans/

Be aware that, although most of the submission portals for federal agencies are at least partially automated, panel reviews and federal awards will likely be delayed until the federal government has reached a resolution.

Do not wait to call or email your Program Officer. Program Officers may be temporarily instructed to work without pay, or they could be furloughed if a default occurs, so PIs are advised to reach out now. If you have a federally-funded subaward, call or email the PI at the pass-through entity. A few questions to consider asking:

If your grant is a draw-down grant: Can UCA continue to pay salaries (including those of student workers and GAs) and expect reimbursement? Or should I discontinue work until the debt ceiling issue is resolved?

If your grant is awarded yearly and the award date is soon: How should I proceed with my grant activities if next year’s award cannot be made?

If your grant pays student tuition costs: My grant budget includes a stipend to pay or partially pay for the tuition of student researchers. Can the university cover this cost until the debt ceiling issue is resolved?

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs is here to support our PIs. If there is a shutdown, we will work together with you to manage your projects correctly. Any additional information will be sent out as it becomes available. Please contact ORSP with any questions.

 

Heart Health Seminar

Submitted by: Teilena Keathley, tkeathley1@uca.edu on 05/25/2023

This is a 4 week seminar to be held in June and July. The first seminar will be held on Wednesday, June 14th from 12:00-12:30 pm at the Interprofessional Teaching Center. You must RSVP to 501-470-7457 no later than June 7th to reserve your spot.

 

Making Course Content Accessible – Tips for Using Links in Online Course Content

Submitted by: Jennifer Brewer, jbrewer1@uca.edu on 05/25/2023

Making Course Content Accessible—Tips for Using Links in Online Content

Including links in your online content allows students to navigate to resources that you, as the instructor, consider important to:

  • further increase students’ knowledge of a topic
  • help provide a greater understanding of course content
  • provide additional information and context to your subject matter

Effective links tell the student where they will go when clicking the link and should be easily distinguishable from other text. It’s also helpful for those users that rely on screen reader software to navigate content. Read through the following tips so you can include great links in your online content that will be helpful for all users.

  1. Use descriptive link text: Instead of using generic phrases like “click here” or “read more,” make your link text descriptive and specific. For example, instead of “Click here for more information,” use “Learn more about our accessibility guidelines.” This helps users understand where the link will take them.
  2. Make link text stand out: Ensure that the link text stands out visually. You can use techniques like underlining, bolding, or using a different color for links. Most software does this automatically — underlining and changing the color of link text to blue. (This isn’t a real link; I just changed the font color to illustrate.)Keep in mind, you will need to avoid relying solely on color to distinguish links, as some users may have color blindness or other visual impairments.
  3. Provide context: When using link text, it’s helpful to provide additional context or context clues around the link. This can be done by providing a brief sentence or phrase that describes what the link leads to or what users can expect when they click on it.
  4. Use meaningful file names: If you’re linking to downloadable files, such as PDFs or Word documents, ensure that the file names are meaningful and descriptive. Avoid generic names like “document1.pdf” and instead use names that accurately reflect the content of the file.
  5. Avoid using URLs as link text: While it may be tempting to use the full URL as the link text, it can be confusing for screen reader users. Instead, use descriptive text that conveys the purpose or destination of the link.
  6. Provide alternative text for linked images: If you have linked images, ensure they have appropriate alternative text (alt text) that describes the content or function of the image. This helps users who rely on screen readers or have images disabled to understand the purpose of the link.
  7. Test link accessibility: Use accessibility evaluation tools or assistive technologies to test the accessibility of your links and ensure they are accessible to all users. This can help identify any issues and make necessary adjustments to meet accessibility standards.

By following these tips, you can create online documents with links that are accessible and provide a better user experience for all individuals, including those with disabilities.

Take a look at some of the examples in the included image.

If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to the following resources we have on campus:

 

New Tutoring Services Director

Submitted by: Julia Winden Fey, juliawin@uca.edu on 05/24/2023

Student Success is pleased to announce that Mr. Jacob Christie has joined our staff as an Assistant Director for Student Success – Tutoring Services. Jacob is a proud two-time UCA alum with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Religious Studies and an MS in Mental Health Counseling. He most recently served as the Academic Director for the HPaW in Baridon Residential College, and teaches for the Psychology and Counseling Department. He encourages anyone to reach out if they have questions or recommendations about Tutoring Services, which is located in Torreyson 223. He can be reached at jchristie1@uca.edu or tutoring@uca.edu.

 

Griffin Planetarium Shows

Submitted by: SCOTT AUSTIN, saustin@uca.edu on 05/24/2023

Griffin Planetarium shows this Friday May 26 at 3:00pm and 7:00pm: The one-hour shows this week includes a tour of the current sky and the full-dome movie “Phantom of the Universe: The Hunt for Dark Matter”. The planetarium is located in the Conway Corporation Center for the Sciences. Seating starts 10 minutes before show time. Admission is free. Seating limited to the first 94. No admission after the shows begin. No food or drink allowed.

https://uca.edu/physics/planetarium/

Futhermore Grants in Publishing

Submitted by: Sara Bailey, sbailey7@uca.edu on 05/23/2023

Per the Futhermore website:

Furthermore grants assist nonfiction books having to do with art, architecture, and design; cultural history, the city, and related public issues; and conservation and preservation. We look for work that appeals to an informed general audience, gives evidence of high standards in editing, design, and production, and promises a reasonable shelf life.

The grants, ranging roughly from $1,500 to a maximum of $15,000, are awarded twice annually with application deadlines of March 1 and September 1. Funds apply to such specific publication components as writing, research, editing, indexing, design, illustration, photography, and printing and binding.

Book projects to which a university press, nonprofit or trade publisher is already committed and for which there is a feasible distribution plan are usually preferred.

You must apply at least three months before the anticipated press date (see question 8 below). Unless you are seeking prepublication assistance, you should not apply before you have a publication plan that enables you to provide every item of information requested.

For more information, please visit the link below.

https://furthermore.org/furthermore-grants/