URiCA Apprenticeship Program (Procedure #737.B)

This procedure outlines the call for proposals (CFP) for the Undergraduate Research, Innovative, and Creative Activities (URiCA) Apprenticeship Program.

Director, URiCA

Apprentice: A position where one is learning through practical experience under a skilled mentor.

IACUC: The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee is a federally mandated committee responsible for overseeing an institution’s animal care program, procedures, and facilities to ensure the ethical and humane treatment of laboratory animals.

IRB: The Institutional Review Board is an administrative body responsible for protecting the rights, safety, and welfare of human subjects involved in research.

Mentor: A faculty or staff member hired by the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater with expertise in the area of a student's project.

Project: Any research, innovative, or creative endeavor undertaken by a student and their mentor and funded by URiCA.

URiCA: The Undergraduate Research, Innovative, and Creative Activities Program funds projects for students across all disciplines at UW-Whitewater.

A) Eligibility

1. Students and mentors from any discipline on campus are eligible to apply. Applications from faculty should include as much detail as possible about their project. URiCA sets no research priorities; therefore, we will consider applications from all disciplines.
2. The Undergraduate Research, Innovative, and Creative Activities Program will allocate up to $250 per project for research supplies and provide students with a minimum of 50 hours of work at a rate of $15 per hour. The research supply funds can be used for research or project supplies, travel expenses, and other related costs. All Universities of Wisconsin and UW-Whitewater spending policies will be followed, and no exceptions to these rules will be allowed.
    

B) Timeline

1. Application Deadline: The student deadline for applying to the program is September 15th. Mentors will have two opportunities to apply: 1) by May 15th each academic year (these spots will be advertised at freshmen and transfer student SOAR events over the summer), and 2) September 15th each year.
2. Notification: Students will be informed when their application is received, and an interview time will be scheduled before September 30th. Mentors will be notified within one week of their research proposal's acceptance.
3. Award Period: The grant and expenditure periods will be during the Academic Year (October 1, to April 30), with the start date adjusted based on when the application is received. The Universities of Wisconsin and UW-Whitewater have set cutoff dates for specific purchases; these dates are strict and cannot be changed. Expenditures are only permitted for the proposed project and cannot support other projects or future mentor initiatives.
    

C) Application Materials

1. Mentor applications should be formatted with single spacing, a 12-point font, and one-inch margins. They must include the following:
   • Summary: A one-page, single-spaced overview describing the project and its significance, including any special skills the student might need to be hired as a student research assistant.
      

D) Apply

1. Students: Submit your application through the online interest form posted each year with the announcement. Priority is given to students who apply by the deadline.
2. Mentor(s): Send the completed proposal as a Word Document or PDF to URP@uww.edu with the subject line (Mentor Last Name) RAP Application
3. URiCA staff will review the application within 48 hours and send an acknowledgment of submission. If any components are missing, you will be notified and have 48 hours (roughly 2 days) to respond by submitting a new application with the missing elements.
    

E) Review

1. At least one member of the URiCA and ORSP staff will review faculty proposals and student applications, evaluate them, and match faculty proposals with student applications.
    

F) Award Notifications

1. Awarded proposals will be notified to students and faculty mentors listed in the proposal within one week of accepting their research proposal.
    

G) Award Responsibilities

1. All personnel involved in awarded projects must agree to the following:
   1. Before beginning work on the grant, the students and mentor must:
      1. Attend or watch an orientation video, available with URiCA.
      2. Complete a Responsible Conduct of Research course.
      3. If working with human subjects, complete a training in Social, Behavioral, and Educational (SBE) Sciences.
      4. If working with human subjects, ensure an approved protocol is on file with the Institutional Review Board (IRB).
      5. If you’re working in the biomedical field, take a Biomedical Sciences Research course.
      6. Complete the obligation form, agree to the Seed Grant responsibilities, and supply the requested demographic data for URiCA records.
   2. Documents and Presentations
      1. If any changes are made to the project's scope or expenditure, these changes must be submitted to URiCA in writing before the scope or budget is altered. URiCA has the right to deny any of these requests.
      2. Personnel should notify URiCA in writing if any student enrolls in research hours (e.g., 498, 498R, 499 courses) for credit related to this project.
      3. Respond promptly to any communications from URiCA (i.e., within two business days).
      4. Finish an end-of-year review of your experience with URiCA.
      5. RAP students are required to present at UWW’s Spring Undergraduate Research Day in April. A mini-poster option will be offered.

 
H) URiCA AI Usage Policy
 
See UWW Policy 736: URiCA AI Usage with respect to the URiCA Apprenticeship Program.

First approved: May 14, 2026

May 2031

Questions regarding the interpretation of this procedure should be directed to:

John Frye

Director, URiCA Program

fryej@uww.edu

262-472-1268