Seidman Undergraduate Research Assistant (S-URA)
The purpose of the Seidman Undergraduate Research Assistant (S-URA) grant is to provide undergraduate students with majors and/ or minors in the Seidman College of Business the experience of engaging in active research and assisting Seidman faculty on research projects. By engaging in mentored research and scholarship, students have the potential to experience the transformative nature of research, as well as develop academic and professional skills. Faculty members are expected to mentor their URA on research methodology and the traditions of original research in the discipline. A goal of the program is to encourage Seidman students to pursue additional opportunities in independent, original research.
Like the OURS Undergraduate Research Program, the S-URA is designed for the needs of Seidman faculty and students. The S-URA award provides a research assistant with a paid wage of up to 10 hours per week. The grant does not provide faculty compensation, rather faculty research is benefited by the research support provided by the URA. Projects that support Seidman initiatives or GVSU Reach Higher 2025 initiatives (e.g., societal impact, family and small business issues, inclusion and equity, etc.) are highly encouraged.
About the Award
The award provides research assistants with a paid wage for up to 10 hours of work for one to two semesters. The wage is determined by OURS and Seidman in consultation with Financial Aid Office and the faculty supervisor. URA positions generally fall within Classification 5, Steps A-D, according to the Student Employment guidelines.
Eligibility
The Seidman URA award is available to all Seidman tenure, tenure-track, visiting, and affiliate faculty. Preference is given to faculty who have been at GVSU for at least one year and have an interest in building their research in a way that engages undergraduate students.
All undergraduate students are eligible to apply for these positions. URA selection is done primarily by the faculty with approval from OURS. Please note that the URA grant cannot be awarded to support an independent study (499), or an Honors Thesis.
Proposals for Fall positions are due end of July. Winter proposals are due mid-November.
S-URA Examples
Students supported by the S-URA can perform various research tasks such as:
- assembling databases
- writing annotations and literature reviews
- collecting data from primary and secondary sources
- transcribing interviews
- coding data
- performing data analyses
How to Apply
Faculty applying for a Seidman URA Position will submit a proposal including the following:
The proposal must include the following sections:
- Project Description: (Limited to 2 pages, 12-point font, double spaced, 1 inch margins). This should include the following:
- Description of the project – Describe the project the student will be supporting. Consider your proposal will be read by those not always in your field and should be understandable across disciplines.
- Significance of the work – Explain the significance of student support in this project. What are the goals for the student’s work? What is the ideal outcome of the student’s work? Please be specific in what the student will accomplish in the 10 hours/week.
- Timeline – Include a timeline of the project detailing the responsibilities of the student during the project. What are the significant research tasks for the student?
- Quality of the Student Learning Experience: (Limited to 2 pages, 12-point font, double spaced, 1 inch margins)
- Student focus – What are the faculty member’s student-centered goals for this project? What pedagogical techniques will the faculty member use to help the student achieve those goals? What specific techniques will be used to supervise the student’s work?
- Independence – Describe the steps to be taken to allow the student to become a more independent researcher/scholar during the project.
- Environment – Describe the workspace the student will have, if any. Also, note any supplies and resources needed for the student.
- Position Description - Provide a draft job description for the position, including: required skills, preferred skills, and a brief description of tasks and responsibilities.
- Letter/ email of Support from Department Chair:
- Administrative support from the department is required to hire the student within the faculty department. As such, support from the Department Chair is required.
Award Requirements
Learning Contract. The faculty member/s receiving the grant and the URA will meet to discuss the full scope of the research project, the specific goals in which the assistant will assist the faculty member, and the URA’s learning goals for the project. After the meeting, the faculty member will submit a copy of the Learning Contract to OURS.
Final Report. The faculty supervisor will be asked to complete a brief report describing the completed tasks, how the URA contributed to the research project, and how the project contributed to the URA’s learning and development. Faculty supervisors will need to include a summary of money spent and amount of wages.
Assessment. The URA and faculty supervisor will be expected to participate in program assessment as requested by OURS and the Seidman College of Business.