The Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs (UAA) plans to reinstate the Undergraduate Research Program (URP) in the Spring 2007 semester, after it was suspended this fall due to a lack of funding, according to Michele Rosenthal, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Academic Affairs and First Year Services. The UAA also plans to hire a full-time Assistant Dean for Scholarships and Fellowships.

The URP, which funded both summer and academic year research, was supported by the Mazer Fund, said Rosenthal, adding that the fund was depleted before the start of the Fall 06 semester. However, she added that new funding has been secured and that there is a new URP program forthcoming. She could not reveal the exact source of the new funding.

In addition to the resumption of the URP, Academic Affairs recently received approval for [the hiring of] an Assistant Dean for Scholarships and Fellowships, said Rosenthal, to work with students on internal research programs such as those done through the URP.

The new Assistant Dean will also guide students through the application process for Post-Graduate study and help students search for Ph.D. opportunities. Students applying for grants such as those offered by the Fulbright Program, Marshall Scholarships, and The Rhodes Trust will have someone to coach and mentor them, said Rosenthal. The Assistant Dean will be fully devoted to students with the application process and will also notify students [of impending deadlines] in a timely manner.

Most of the work that the Asst. Dean will undertake was formerly done by Deborah Hahn, Coordinator of Scholarships and Fellowships, who was a part-time employee of the university. Rosenthal praised Hahns work, saying that she did a great job, especially with only ten hours a week, but it was decided that a full-time position would be beneficial to the student body.