The GITA Collection at the Auraria Library
Feminist and queer histories of Colorado from the 1970s until today.
Get to know the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Connection Points and Innovation
We educate our students in specific disciplinary fields with an interdisciplinary viewpoint. Bridging connection points between disciplines sparks the kind of discovery, creation, and innovation that is the hallmark of our college. We build our students’ capacity to experience and understand humanity and the world in ways that are different from other institutions. This enables our students to pursue meaningful careers and a life of substance.
The Dean’s Innovation Fund provides essential resources to support faculty and student projects, equipment, travel, and cross-departmental events. These resources are the seeds from which great ideas, experiences, and solutions grow in support of our Roadrunner commitment to “changemakers.”
Dean’s Innovation Fund Grants
Spring of 2022 saw the formalization of an Interdisciplinary Alliances structure, connecting programs and initiatives within CLAS. The Dean’s Innovation Grant funding provides financial support and incentives up to $5,000 for impactful interdisciplinary efforts in CLAS, either between faculty members and students, or faculty members themselves.
In alignment with our vision, mission, and principles, this work should involve a demonstration of intersectional qualities of humanity and learning; connection points across disciplinary practice; and exhibit the vital need for a broad, liberal arts and sciences education.
Projects supported by the Dean’s Innovation Fund may include, but are not limited to:
- Interdisciplinary research, scholarship, and creative work that raises the profile and reputation of the faculty member, department, and institution
- Interdisciplinary pedagogical initiatives, including robust co-teaching and team-teaching models, with special attention on introductory and general education courses
- Support for placing specific High Impact Practices within courses, with the express purpose of increasing retention and completion rates for our students
- Undergraduate student mentorship in areas of research, scholarship, creative work, and service learning resulting in impactful student experiences and outcomes
- Interdisciplinary efforts for grant submissions
Proposals Due: September 25, 2023
Faculty should submit the application after consultation with any involved partners and their Department Chair. Submissions that are submitted on behalf of a faculty member will not be accepted.
The proposal will address:
- Description of project, including the scope of impact and the ways in which the interdisciplinary approach connects explicitly to student success, disciplinary advancement, and/or the enhancement of MSU Denver’s reputation. Limit: 1,000 words
- Proposed budget and justification, including any additional supporting funds (e.g. grants, scholarships, research materials, equipment, etc.). Limit: 250 words
- Expected or anticipated measurable outcomes. Limit: 150 words
Proposals will be ranked and recommended by the CLAS Professional Development Committee. The Dean will make final selection and funding decisions. Send complete proposals to Associate Dean Izurieta.
Final Report on Accomplishments and Impact Due: June 1, 2024
This will be filed with the Dean’s Office and include:
- Summary of your realized goals and outcomes of the project;
- Contribution to the Department, College, University and/or community;
- Plans for dissemination or showcasing work, either by faculty member or students involved (if applicable); and
- Copies of invoices, check requests, purchase orders to document your expenditures.
If you received a Dean’s Innovation Grant and would like to submit your Accomplishments and Impact Report
- Visit the CLAS Faculty and Staff Resources Internal page or
- Use this link to be taken to the form directly.
Highlights from Grant Recipients
2022-2023
Arkansas River Valley Field Experience
Explore the rich diverse history and cultural heritage of southeast Colorado.
The Pyla-Koutsopetria Archaeological Project
Archaeological dig in Cyprus to discover the history of a 2,300-year-old military fort.
2021-2022
Carbon Storage in a Changing Climate
Focused on the role alpine tundra soil plays in the global carbon cycle.
Design for the Common Good
Championed DEI through community-based approaches to public interest design.
The Ch’orti’ Language Project
A language-revitalization project for the Ch’orti’ community in Guatemala.
Current Innovation Grants
- Dr. Arijana Barun | Department of Biology
Innovative and Inclusive Teaching Techniques in Biology. - Dr. April Hill | Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Dr. Alexis Bachik | Department of Psychological Sciences
Investigating Physiological and Psychological Effects of Cupping Massage. - Dr. Robert Hancock | Department of Biology
The Mosquito Genus Sabethes and their Roles as Secondary Vectors of Diseases. - Dr. Anahi Russo | The Gender Institute for Teaching and Advocacy
Archiving the Gender Institute for Teaching Advocacy (GITA) Collection at the Auraria Library. - Dr. Michala Stock and Dr. Todd Yokley | Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Faculty and Student Participation at the 2023 Annual Conference for the Rocky Mountain Biological Anthropology Association. - Dr. Brandon R. Olson | Department of History and Dr. Justin Stephens | Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Faculty and Student Participation in the Plya-Koutsopetria Archaeological Project in Cyprus. - Dr. Ting Jiang and Dr. Rebecca Forgash | Department of Sociology and Anthropology
Cultivating Asian Studies for Students at MSU Denver. - Kevin Rucker | Department of History
Internship Opportunities for MSU Denver Students at the National Park Service in Southern Colorado – Las Animas and La Junta. - Matt Jenkins | Department of Art
International Artist Residency with the Arquetopia Foundation. - Dr. Andrew Pantos | Department of English
Experiential Learning for Students: Assisting Faculty on a Textbook Involving the Structure of the English Language, Under Contract to be Published by Cognella Publishing. - Dr. Gabrielle Katz | Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and Lincoln Davie | Department of Recreation, and Tourism Management
Creating a Student-Faculty Learning Community Involving Sustainable Outdoor Recreation and Tourism.
CLAS Event Funding
Inviting and hosting various experts to our campus to interact with our students as lecturers, visual artists, moderators, performers, inventors, and motivators is an essential component of a meaningful education. The Dean’s Office is happy to supply up to $3,000 for cross- and interdisciplinary events that enhance curriculum, make connection points across disciplinary practice, and demonstrate the vital need for broad, liberal arts and sciences education.
Proposals Due: September 25, 2023
Faculty should submit the application after consultation with any involved partners and their Department Chair(s). Additional proposals may be considered beyond this date if the opportunity presents itself later in the academic year.
The proposal will address:
• Description of event, including the scope of impact and the ways in which the interdisciplinary approach connects explicitly to the student educational experience and/or the enhancement of MSU Denver’s reputation. This should also come with a plan for publicity and initial goal for attendance and/or student interaction. Limit: 1,000 words
• Proposed budget and justification, including any additional supporting funds (e.g. grants, scholarships, research materials, equipment, etc.). Limit: 250 words
Send complete proposals to Associate Dean Izurieta. Proposals will be ranked and recommended by a CLAS ad-hoc committee. Rankings and recommendations will be sent to the Dean, who make final funding decisions.
Depending on the scope of the event and resources in individual departments, the CLAS Communications and Marketing team may work with your department to send communications to current students, and work with external partners to publicize and attract attendees to your event.
Team and Co-Teaching
While team and co-teaching models exist in select areas of higher education, the practice has not been utilized to a great extent outside of teacher-preparation and health-related programs. A major component of our mission emphasizes an education for our students to “understand the intersectional qualities of humanity and thought.” With that in mind, it is imperative that we approach new models of content delivery for today’s students. Through the operationalization of team and co-teaching, we can provide a vibrant, multi-beneficial learning environment.
Team Teaching
Team teaching is a model where faculty are collectively planning the course, collaborating on assignments and projects, and splitting up most, if not all, days of instruction (each instructor takes individual days in the classroom). The amount of credit awarded to a faculty member’s load for team-taught classes is an even split of the course’s credits between the instructors. Team teaching will not allow for more than 3 instructors for any class. Classes that are team-taught must be a minimum of 3 credit hours.
Co-teaching
Co-teaching, on the other hand, requires course planning, collaboration on assignments and projects, but faculty are both in the classroom most, if not all, days of instruction. Co-teaching is a highly integrated, interactive, and vibrant learning environment. Both instructors are contributing in equal amounts to the entire course in the planning, instruction, engagement, and assessment. The amount of credit awarded to a faculty member’s load for co-taught classes is the amount of the course’s credits for each instructor. Co-teaching will not allow for more than 2 instructors for any class. Classes that are team-taught must be a minimum of 3 credit hours.
• Exposure to a multi-disciplinary lens and faculty expertise
• Concrete model of inter- and cross-disciplinary thought, context, and application
• Demonstrates informed and respectful dialogue within a collaborative space
• Enhances the richness and experience within the learning environment
• Exposure to other pedagogical approaches and teaching philosophies
• Engage in new ways of thought, analysis, and content
• Re-energize the teaching experience and passion for student learning
Faculty should discuss Team and Co-Teaching opportunities with Department Chair and/or Director in advance to the Registrar’s call of schedule. The Chair and/or Director will work with Associate Dean Janke to assess scheduling impacts, course load, and other matters of concern. Once the possibility of offering the class is secured, a formal request will be sent via email to the Associate Dean with the following information:
Course #:
Course Name:
Credits:
Instructors:
Instructors’ Responsibility Percentage:
Rationale (Include whether this is co-teaching or team teaching):
Once approval is received, the Chair/Director then adds the course to Banner. The Associate Dean will ensure the approval email contains the amount of teaching credit awarded for each instructor. It is each faculty member’s responsibility to ensure the approval email is uploaded into Watermark. Any discrepancy between the auto-generated credit hours and the awarded credit hours for co-teaching must be addressed in the teaching narrative.
In Banner, one instructor must be entered as a primary instructor. The percent of responsibility and percent of session must add up to 100%. For Cross-Listed courses, individual faculty may be entered for discipline specific prefixes using the override indicator. We recognize these Banner limitations and acknowledge that these variables do not necessarily reflect teaching responsibilities for the course. The amount of credit each faculty member is assigned towards their teaching load will be determined on a case-by-case basis for now, while the Dean’s Office works with Department Chairs in developing a formula and set of guiding principles for credit distribution.
When addressing SRI comments, students should be reminded to start with instructor’s name before entering comments. Faculty are encouraged to address any SRI concerns in their narrative as well as add annotations and supporting documentation to Watermark.
College of Letters, Arts and Sciences
Campus Location:
Central Classroom 315
Mailing Address:
Campus Box 37
P. O. Box 173362
Denver, CO 80217-3362
Phone:
303-615-0600
Email:
