Sprints application information
Eligibility
Eligibility includes all KU faculty and academic staff as defined in the Handbook for Faculty and Other Unclassified Staff. Student assistants may participate in teams if the primary researcher or instructor is a faculty member. For teaching projects, courses must be a 3-credit course offered in the 2024-2025 academic year. We will also consider applications addressing course sequences.
Application checklist
The project narrative should be no more than three pages (supporting documents excluded from page count), double spaced. It should address the following components:
1. Description: A clear and concise explanation of the overall proposed research project or teaching project. Some projects may include a blend of research and teaching elements. Please address the questions that make the most sense for your project.
What is the history of this project? What is your research or instruction "problem" you're hoping to work on during this Sprints week? What has been your progress toward your goal, and what barriers to moving forward exist? For teaching projects, what are the goals of the assignment and/or course?
Rationale: How might working with the library help solve this problem? What areas of expertise would librarians contribute to advance your project?
Impact: What is the impact of this project on your research or teaching agenda? For teaching projects, what is a learning outcome you hope to integrate into your course based on engagement with information literacy? What are the tangible outcomes of your project?
Feasibility: Consider the sample timeline for your own project. What do you reasonably expect to accomplish during the week? What is your proposed path to completion?
2. Anticipated needs: Include a brief list of anticipated resources and/or expertise needed to complete the project. This information will help shape the formation of the library team that we will create for your project (Ex: instructional design; digital humanities; content expertise; open access principles, etc.)
3. Supporting documents: For research projects include any additional information that is necessary for us to understand your project. For teaching projects, please include the syllabus and assignment prompt(s).
The Sprints Committee uses the following rubric to evaluate applications:
Sprints Week – Application Evaluation Rubric
| 2 = Excellent | 1 = Satisfactory | 0 = Weak | Total |
Description | The description very clearly and concisely communicates the project, the impact on students and/or research, and is interesting and exciting to read. | The description is mostly clear and concise and communicates the project, the impact on students and/or research, and is interesting to read. | The description does not clearly or concisely communicate the project and/or does not address the impact on students and/or research. |
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Significance | The applicant significantly demonstrates the importance of the project to their research and/or teaching. | The applicant mostly demonstrates the importance of the project to their research and/or teaching. | The applicant does not demonstrate the importance of the project to their research and/or teaching. |
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Outcomes | The tangible outcomes of the project are clearly defined. | The tangible outcomes of the project are somewhat defined. | The tangible outcomes of this project are not defined. |
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Partnership | The rationale for partnering with librarians on the project is highly logical, well thought out, and makes a highly convincing case for selection. | The rationale for partnering with librarians on this project mostly logical, thought out, and makes a mostly convincing case for selection. | The rationale for partnering with librarians on this project is lacking and does not make a case for selection. |
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Scale | The scale of the project perfectly fits into a week’s timeline. | The scale of the project mostly fits into a week’s timeline. | The scale of the project will not fit into a week’s timeline. |
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Feasibility | The path to completing the proposed project and outcomes is very clear, concise, well thought out, and attainable. | The path to completing the proposed project and outcomes is mostly clear, concise, well thought out, and attainable. | The path to completing the proposed project and outcomes is unclear and/or unattainable. |
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University of Kansas Libraries commit to:
provide selected faculty and academic staff with $1,000 stipend upon completion of Sprints Week project
project team members being available for the entirety of Sprints Week
Collaboratively partnering with selected faculty members to complete the proposed Sprints Week project
provide a project manager to organize and coordinate the project throughout Sprints Week
provide relevant expertise to complete the stated outcomes of the Sprints Week project
provide space and materials needs within its means to support the Sprints Week project
foster open access and open educational efforts, as appropriate
integrate critical information and other literacies, as appropriate
maintain an environment of collegial respect
promote fundamental values of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility
Successful applicants commit to:
being available for the entirety of Sprints Week
focus exclusively on their project during Sprints Week
attend a pre-Sprints Week workshop during the spring semester
participate in the assessment of the Sprints Week program
participate in the Sprints Week public showcase
participate in a post-Sprints Week interview
deposit in KU ScholarWorks any research or instructional materials produced or initiated during Sprints Week, as appropriate
embrace open access and open educational efforts, as appropriate
integrate critical information and other literacies, as appropriate
maintain an environment of collegial respect
embrace fundamental values of inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Call for proposals | Open through March 3 |
| Information session | 3-4 p.m. Feb. 14, Watson 455 |
| Applications due | 11:59 p.m. March 3 |
| Notifications sent to applicants | March 25 |
| Pre-Sprints workshop | May (to be determined) |
| Sprints | May 13-17 |