Undergraduate research programs may be facing fiscal constraints under current budget cuts, but thanks to the Council of Arts and Sciences, the blow has been softened.
In an effort to help supplement current reductions, the Council plans on donating its surplus money to support these undergraduate research endeavors.
Following a vote Wednesday night, the Council decided to allocate $10,000 to an endowment for undergraduate research. The endowment will provide funds for a quarterly research publication and spring symposium.
Daniel Haspel, a Council representative for the Mathematics Department, was one of the initiative's proponents.
The donation "shows student support" for undergraduate research, Haspel said.
The $10,000 "is enough to do something, but not everything ... we see it as a challenge to others to give support," he added.
Haspel said the Council hopes that other groups will contribute to the endowment. Such funding could benefit a wide cross-section of students.
"There's no forum to share research across disciplines," said Lauren Purnell, president of the College Arts and Science Council.
As competition increases among those seeking scholarships and graduate programs, publication is more important than ever in gaining experience and exposure. For such students, state budget cuts have struck at an especially inopportune time, Purnell added.
The decision to donate the Council's surplus to a research initiative followed careful deliberation. The gift comes from a ten year accumulation of money not used by the College.
Janis Millete, vice-president of the College, said that while other beneficiaries also were considered, the research initiative was most favored and enjoys "great support" among the Council.
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