Student Technology Fee Proposals

This is a formal call letter to request proposals for projects to be funded by Student Technology Fee funds for the coming 2015-2016 school year. 

How to apply:

Beginning this year, STF proposals can only be submitted via a new online tool.  To propose a project to be funded by the Student Technology Fees, visit the STF web site: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bctf/stfp/, where you can review the proposal guidelines and access the online application.  Please pay close attention to the submission deadline, and the accompanying guidelines, some of which are reproduced below.  All proposals will be routed to a designated executive area head and will require their approval to proceed to the committee for consideration (Dean of School for faculty, VP Morales for student affairs and clubs, AVP Gold for miscellaneous administrative submissions, and Chief Librarian for Library submissions).  Proposers will be informed of the committee's decisions in the spring semester.

WHAT CAN BE FUNDED BY STF FUNDS?

Almost all activity on campus is ultimately related to students.  However, only proposals that provide direct and immediate benefit to students in specific ways will be considered.

Examples if acceptable uses of STF funds:

• Acquiring or upgrading student accessible computers 
• Implementing or upgrading student-serving computer labs
• Acquiring or developing new tools to improve student services
• Acquiring equipment or software to support faculty development of new or improved courseware 
• Acquiring or upgrading instructional software 
• Upgrading instructional spaces to support technology-assisted learning
• Computer furniture and network/phone cabling 
• Acquiring technology tools to support college-sponsored student activities
• Requests for multiple years of funding will be entertained, but are less likely to be approved.

Examples of unacceptable uses of STF funds:

• Supplies, other than an initial small starter supply for a new piece of equipment 
• Construction or other infrastructure needs, such as HVAC, electrical work, painting, window shades etc.  
• Salaries or stipends - neither P/T nor F/T - for lab-tech, lab-support, or other implementation or support needs.  
• Equipment or software for faculty research or private faculty use
• Requests to utilize STF funds to replace or subsidize standard budgeted expenditures for college operations.

WHAT IS THE STF PROPOSAL, DECISION, AND PROCUREMENT PROCESS?

The STF committee, chaired by the provost, reviews each proposal in early Spring and assigns one of the following determinations to each:  Approved in whole or in part, Declined, Held in queue for possible funding later in the year.  The decision will be communicated in writing to each submitter, typically within one month after the STF decisions are made.

Approved proposals will be executed and funded in the upcoming fiscal year.  Those funds do not typically start becoming available until Fall of that year, and are collected throughout the year (fall and spring).  While every effort will be made to initiate purchases as quickly as possible, most purchases will not be completed in time for the fall term, and some may have to be deferred to spring. Please keep this in mind when planning your fall classes.

Proposals approved for funding still need to go through the standard CUNY procurement process, which can be time consuming and require adherence to many NYS and CUNY regulations.  This requires your cooperation now and during the procurement process in the following year.   CUNY requires that STF funds be expended in the year they are collected.  Therefore if ITS or College Purchasing determines that a purchase is not practically attainable in the necessary timeframes, that allocation may have to rescinded, and the funds reallocated to other queued projects.

Proposals are approved only for the items requested.  Any subsequent cost savings return to the general STF fund for reallocation.  Funding allocations are based on the proposal estimate and may not increase to cover any subsequent price increases.

PREPARING YOUR PROPOSAL

Proposals previously submitted, but not funded for any reason, do not automatically get considered in subsequent years.   A new proposal must be submitted.

Instructional software requests must be approved by the college's Software Coordination Committee, which verifies technical compatibility, and ensures that true campus-wide implementation costs are considered. The Software Request Form can be downloaded from: http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bctf/stfp/ (Deadline: 12/03/14)

If a proposal requires a new space on campus, it will not be considered unless the submitter FIRST obtains an appropriate location, approved by the administration for this use.

STF allocations are based on the proposal's good-faith estimates, which should preferably be based on actual price quotes where possible.

Proposals should include all related needs in one application.  Do not submit multiple applications for smaller amounts of equipment that will serve the same purpose. 

Please be sure to include copies of any quotations, estimates, suggested vendors, and sole vendor letters that may be required to facilitate the procurement, if approved.