Budget
The 2019-2020 budget and finances, including detailed spendings up to date for both allocated funds and our unrestricted account can be found here. Note that the spendings are updated regularly, but not always immediately. For questions about the finances dating before the summer of 2019, contact the current treasurer of the organisation.
Funding Opportunities Overview
The PGSO is an organisation recognized by the Associated Student Activities (ASA). Through the ASA, we have an allocated account and an unrestricted account. The allocated account is where we receive funding restricted to specific events or travel. Applying to funding of any kind requires going through both the ASA and UPAC (University Park Allocation Committee).
Through UPAC, it is possible to receive funding for individual or group travel, either domestic or international, for conference or event planning, as well as for media, equipment, or operational expenses by our organisation. The PGSO has historically never made requests to UPAC for these last reasons, but turns instead to the philosophy department. All UPAC requests now have to be processed through orgcentral. As a member of the PGSO, you have access to this platform, which includes a list of all events and organisations recognized by the ASA. This is an important centralized ressource for events on campus.
Note that all requests take 40 business days to be processed. Do not start an application process prior to official PGSO approval.
Summer Allocation: UPAC separates summer allocations from fall or spring semesters allocations. This makes little difference for us except in how it appears in our records.
Travel Registration: If you have requested funding for travel, you will need to fill travel registration forms through orgcentral. If you travel internationally, you must fill an additional form through the Travel Safety Network prior to your departure.
As member of the ASA, the PGSO has a limited yearly budget of 20,000.00$ for conference and event planning.
See below for UPAC funding tips and best practices.
Language Scholarships
DAAD: Many grants are available through the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service). The University Summer Course program in particular funds language courses for foreign students and graduates. The deadline is December 1st of each year.
Max Kade Institute Summer Award: This opportunity is offered by the German department at Penn State, in conjunction with the Max Kade Institute. Contact Dr. Daniel Purdy (dlp14@psu.edu) for questions and details on how to apply. Deadlines for applications are in December or January of each year.
Chateaubriand Fellowship: This is not strictly speaking a French language fellowship, but funds students from American Universities who wish to conduct research in France. The deadline is in January.
Other Opportunities at Penn State
Humanities Institute : The HI provides a residency grant (distinct from the dissertation release) for individual graduate students, but also funds collaborative colloquia each year. The deadline is on March 30.
STAR: the Superior Teaching and Research Award works by nomination by the Director of Graduate Studies. Nominations can be made in November and April of each year. Contact Len Lawlor for details. This has historically funded students’ travels to the Collegium.
The Rock Ethics Institute: the Rock has both numerous fellowship opportunities and funding for speakers.
Philosophy Department: the department will usually help fund your travels if they are of a special nature (e.g. Collegium, foreign language courses, summer schools) without requiring you to use your conference travel funding, especially if you have also applied to external funding. Amounts and availability vary case-by-case. Contact executive members of the PGSO for details and support.
UPAC TIPS AND BEST PRACTICES
UPAC applications take 40 business days to be processed. Plan ahead and in close partnership with the PGSO treasurer or executive members.
Never spend money you want reimbursed by UPAC before you have had received their official allocation letter. You will not be reimbursed.
Any member of the PGSO can technically make an application request to UPAC through orgcentral, but you should never make a request prior to PGSO approval, i.e. a vote by the members.
Budgets of all events funded by UPAC through the PGSO will be made available to its members.