Support For Student Travel to the Regional Sociology Meetings

Applications must be completed BEFORE travel.

Alpha Kappa Delta will assist students who attend regional sociology meetings. 
Regional meetings include the following (taken from ASA website):

• Association for Applied and Clinical Sociology
  
• Eastern Sociological Society
• Hawaii Sociological Association
  
• Mid-South Sociological Association
  
• Midwest Sociological Society
• North Central Sociological Association
• Pacific Sociological Association
• Sociologists for Women in Society
  
• Southern Sociological Society
• Southwestern Social Sciences Association

*NEW*! AMOUNT ELIGIBLE FOR FUNDING

At the August 2011 meeting, Council approved an increase in student travel funding to regional sociology conferences to $400/student, but no more than $1,200 per chapter!

There will be no prepayment of funds.  Funds are limited.


ELIGIBILITY FOR FUNDING

• Chapters must be active in order to receive funding.
• Only Chapter Representatives who are active members of AKD are eligible to apply for student travel support. 
  
• Active membership runs by calendar year (January through December). A renewal form is attached below.  Only sociology faculty members may serve as Chapter Representatives.  
• Current undergraduate and graduate students are eligible to receive funding. The student does not need to be an AKD member to receive funding.
  
• Students do not have to be presenting at a session or a poster to receive funding.
  
• No more than $400.00 will be paid for each student traveling, but no more than $1,200 total per chapter.
• Only students who have completed travel release forms are eligible for support.  *NEW!* The travel release form(s) is due with the application.
  
• Applications must be reasonable.  Funding levels depend on the plausibility of applications.  Payment amounts depend on the accuracy and completeness of reports.

PROCEDURES
*NEW* Travel release forms are now due WITH the student travel application and certification form. If the AKD Executive Office does not receive these forms BEFORE travel, AKD funding will not be provided.

An eligible Chapter Representative and the Department Chair complete an application form and a certification form.  Students wishing to travel must complete a travel release form. These three completed forms must be received in the AKD Office by the appropriate deadline and before travel. 


SUBMISSION
Send completed application form, certification form, and travel release form(s) to AKD@lemoyne.edu with an appropriate subject heading (ex. Student Travel to ESS). Requests are reviewed in the order received. Please submit your travel application BEFORE travel.

*We prefer the travel release form(s) be scanned and emailed to AKD@lemoyne.edu; however, you may fax or snail mail them to our office.


CURRENT DEADLINE
Fall deadline: October 1, 2011
Spring deadline: February 1, 2012

Remember that funds are limited and during the 2011-2012 year. Funds may not be available after the spring deadline.


ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The AKD Office will acknowledge requests in two ways:
1. The office staff will reply to the emailed request indicating receipt. 
2. The Executive Director will send an email to the Chapter Representative approving or denying an award of student travel support no later than one week after the deadline. 

If the request is approved, an AKD Student Travel Payment Voucher will be attached.


FINAL SUBMISSION
After the trip, the Chapter Representative must submit:

• A completed payment request voucher (sent by AKD Office with approval letter)
• A typed report detailing student activities at the regional meeting. 
  
• The report should be brief, but must justify the amount of the payment.
  
• Reports may include documents submitted by students.
• Receipts for travel expenses.  
• Examples: Airfare, hotel, food
• If traveling by auto transport, please provide a map (Google maps) with the mileage to and from the conference
  

No funds will be paid until reports are complete.  When all documentation is received in the AKD Office, a check will be cut.  Please allow up to 4 weeks for the check to be cut and arrive.  No funds will be paid without complete documentation.  Completed vouchers must be received in the AKD Office no more than 30 days after travel. No funding will be paid out after May 15, 2012.