1. School of Advanced Studies - Research Presentation Award Program Guidelines Applicant Guidelines The following outlines the eligibility criteria and application process for learners, faculty and alumni of the School of Advanced Studies at the University of Phoenix to apply for the Research Presentation Award Program (“Program”). The Program may be used to cover airfare, mileage, hotel costs, registration fees and other associated expenses (such as meals, hotel parking and shuttle costs) with attending and presenting at a conference. The maximum award is $1,000 per recipient per year. Eligibility 1.Learners, faculty, and alumni of the School of Advanced Studies at the University of Phoenix are eligible. 2.Proposals must be accepted by the sponsoring organization for a poster, round table, panel, or presentation as a named author/presenter. 3.If the applicant is a learner, he/she must have successfully completed at least one course (i.e., COM705) and must be currently enrolled as a School of Advanced Studies (SAS) learner. If the applicant is a faculty member, he/she must have at least six (6) months teaching experience with University of Phoenix in the SAS. 4.Applicants may apply only for one award within one fiscal year (September 1st through August 31st). Required Materials 1.Applicants must fill out the Participant Application Form. 2.Official notice of the conference (e.g., the URL of the conference website) and official evidence that the applicant has been invited to participate, such as a letter of invitation or a page from a website that includes the applicant’s name as a participant, must be presented with the Participant Application Form. 3.A brief statement, no longer than one page, explaining the applicant’s academic interest in attending the conference. 4.A completed budget set forth on the Conference Budget Form. Applicants can receive additional funding for the same conference from other institutions/organization but must disclose the other source(s) on the Conference Budget Form; provided, however, that the additional funding is only supplementing the Program award and applicants are not being reimbursed more than one time for the same expenses. The award may cover only the following expenses: airfare, mileage, hotel costs, registration fees and other associated expenses (such as meals, hotel parking and shuttle costs). Any additional expenses are the applicant’s responsibility. 5.If the applicant is a learner, a letter of recommendation from a faculty member, preferably the learner’s dissertation mentor, is required on a Faculty Endorsement Form. The letter should be attached to the form and should be no longer than one page and should explain the academic relevance of the conference to the learner’s degree and professional objective. No letter of recommendation is needed for faculty or alumni applicants. 1

2. School of Advanced Studies - Research Presentation Award Program Guidelines (continued) Selection Criteria 1.Conference/Paper Relevance/prominence of the conference Type of conference participation the learner/alumni/faculty is eligible for (individual presentation given preference to panel or poster) Project significance: The potential impact of the study the applicant is presenting at a conference Methodology and rigor of proposal/paper 2. Academic Background Prior academic success, including GPA Recommendation from faculty/mentor (if a learner) 3.Individual Profile First-time conference attendees will be given special consideration (meaning first time ever attending a conference) Location is taken into account when determining funding (i.e., conferences abroad will be allocated more funds than regional conferences) The program will attempt to select a group of attendees from a range of academic disciplines and backgrounds whose work will focus on a variety of topics Synergy with other projects (i.e., multiple mentees going to a conference with the same mentor) Award Notification of the acceptance will be sent within 45 days of application. Payment The Program award will be paid by check issued from University of Phoenix to the recipient upon approval from the Program Committee. Recipient must provide all receipts to be eligible for reimbursement. Failure to provide receipts will result in non-payment of the expense. 2