Overview

The CLASP FileMaker database collects departmental financial data about funds released to the college through faculty leaves and separations, and funds requested for temporary faculty and AIs/ TAs.  Although this data is constantly being updated throughout the year, it provides the opportunity to see a snapshot of future projections and needs of the department at a certain point in time so that funding decisions can be made.

The dean's current memo about soft money funding, and instructions for entering data into the CLASP database and for submitting additional soft money requests for the upcoming academic year, can be found in the database under the "Documents" tab once you login.

Soft Money Instructional Funds Allocation Guidelines 2025-26

Soft Money Instructional Funds are one-time funds that are allocated to units each year and funded via the Dean’s Office. Funds available to the Dean’s Office vary from year-to-year based on monies generated by faculty leaves and separations.

Guidelines

• Soft Money Instructional Funds are for instructional purposes only. These funds cannot be used for anything other than Professional Track Faculty (PTF) instruction and Assistant Instructor/Teaching Assistant (AI/TA) teaching assignments. Units cannot use Soft Money Instructional Funds to appoint Graduate Research Assistants (GRAs), to fund fellowships, or to appoint other non-instructional support positions.

• PTF and AI/TAs funded on grants, endowments, or other external resources are not included in a unit’s College of Liberal Arts (College)-funded allocations but will continue to be funded via those other resources if available.

• “Conditional Recurring” commitments such as spousal commitments are listed as separate line items from a unit’s base allocations. These commitments are funded per individual agreements approved by the Dean’s Office, subject to review.

• College funds actual expenditures up to a unit’s approved allocation. Any unspent funds are returned to the Dean’s Office at the end of the fiscal year.

• Units that spend above their allocation will need to use other internal or departmental resources, including Signature Course reserves, to fund the additional expenditures. Units should not expect to receive additional College funds to cover overspending. Future allocations may be reduced as needed if deficits occur.

• Units with a PhD graduate student program now receive a Graduate Cohort AI/TA allocation that includes funding for AI/TA instructional appointments as well as fellowships. This Cohort allocation replaces the unit’s previous Soft Money AI/TA allocation. Note: units are not allowed to transfer funds between Graduate Cohort AI/TA accounts and regular Soft Money AI/TA accounts or Soft Money NTT[1] Faculty accounts.

• Units that do not have a PhD graduate student program but do have a recurring AI/TA instructional allocation will continue to receive their regular Soft Money AI/TA allocation.

• Units may be allowed to use Soft Money AI/TA funds toward Undergraduate Graders. Chairs or Directors must request approval from the Associate Deans for Graduate Education and Academic Affairs prior to making any funding commitments.

Signature Courses

• Signature Course funds are intended for instructional use to support a unit’s PTF and AI/TA instructional needs. Units may also apply to use funds for graduate student support if needed. Chairs or Directors must submit a proposal to the Associate Dean for Academic & Faculty Affairs (and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies, as appropriate) for approval prior to making any funding commitments. Signature Course balances may accumulate, up to $150,000. Units may not request additional instructional funds as a result of transferring Signature Course balances. Transfer requests for other purposes will be denied.

• COLA Finance will transfer Signature Course funds each semester based on appointments and approved funding based on the following, for faculty: AY 2025-26 Signature Course faculty funding: $10,000 faculty replacement cost per course.

• Signature Course TA assignments are paid via Signature Course funds and/or Graduate Cohort AI/TA funds. Units will appoint TAs on their regular Soft Money AI/TA account. COLA Finance will transfer Signature Course funds held at the Dean’s Office level and/or Unit’s Graduate Cohort AI/TA funds each semester based on appointments and approved funding, noting that we will only transfer the following amounts:

  • AY 2025-26 based on one semester of TA funding (for large-format courses only; one TA for every 50 students)

AI/TA Assignment Requirements

• AIs and TAs must be appointed at a minimum of 20 hours (50%) per course. For any exceptions, this must be pre-approved by the Associate Dean for Graduate Education.

• Units should prioritize COLA graduate students for TA positions; however, if qualified COLA students are not available, units may employ qualified COLA undergraduate students or qualified non-COLA graduate students. Note: units may not use Graduate Cohort allocations to employ non-COLA students.

• Units should refer to Student Employment Guidelines provided by COLA HR for current details on AI and TA rates.

• Units should adhere to the following Closing Limit and Enrollment minimum requirements for TA assignments:

• Units that do not follow these guidelines may receive reduced funding in future years.

• Units must report all AI and TA assignments in FaSET each fall and spring semester. More on this process can be found here. 

• Reminder: The College of Liberal Arts policy prohibits funding beyond a student’s sixth year. AI/TA assignments for students in their seventh year or beyond must be pre-approved by the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies.

For questions, contact:

CLASP / Online SFR: David Macha

Graduate Appointments or Graduate Funding: Jessica Luhn

General: Jennifer Nailos

[1] The legacy name in CLASP for PTF is “NTT”.