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Student Academic Success Initiative

The Student Academic Success Initiative (SASI) is a Faculty Senate–administered grant program that encourages faculty-student engagement outside the classroom. Established in 2008, SASI funds projects that bring students and faculty together in meaningful academic and co-curricular experiences. Each year, between 30 and 40 proposals are selected for funding, with approximately $60,000 awarded across all projects.

How to Apply

Proposals are accepted each spring semester. The Faculty Senate issues the call for proposals in February, and successful applicants are notified before the end of the spring semester. Awarded funds become available after July 1 and must be spent within that fiscal year (July 1–June 30).

To submit a proposal, complete the online SASI Proposal Form. Applications for the current cycle open in February. Attendance numbers in your proposal may be approximate.

For Funded Recipients

If your proposal is selected, you have two required reporting deliverables:

Mid-Year Progress Report

Submit a brief report (3–5 sentences, 50–250 words) to Matt Hampton, SASI Chair, at hamptonm@apsu.edu by April 15, 2026. Your report must include:

  1. A sentence or two describing the project

  2. The number of students and faculty who participated

Final Report

Complete and submit the 2025–2026 SASI Final Report Form by April 15, 2026.

If your plans change and you are unable to use your funds as specified in your grant proposal, notify the current SASI Committee Chair and the Faculty Senate President as soon as possible so funds can be redistributed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Purchasing & Payments

A SASI grant recipient should submit approvals for SASI projects to the Academic Affairs Executive Assistant.

Please direct any questions about purchasing items to the Academic Affairs Executive Assistant.

If the estimated total amount of any purchase is less than $10,000, the purchase may be negotiated by the SASI grant recipient, who will work with the Academic Affairs Executive Assistant to obtain any required prior approvals, place the order with the vendor, and secure any necessary signatures for audit purposes. Prior approvals may be obtained via email to the appropriate approving authority or their designee.

 

After receipt of goods, submit a payment authorization through Govs Suite for payment and attach any invoices.

 

Note: Austin Peay is tax exempt — sales tax cannot be paid or reimbursed. Personal Amazon account purchases will not be reimbursed; contact the Academic Affairs Executive Assistant for SASI-related Amazon purchases, which must be processed through a university Amazon account to remain tax-exempt.

Yes, a department purchasing card may be used if available. Contact the Academic Affairs Executive Assistant for access. The following purchases are restricted:

  • Sales tax

  • Hotels and motels

  • Banking services

  • Cash

  • Guest meals

  • Entertainment expenses

  • Fuel

  • PayPal transactions

  • Maintenance or service agreements requiring a contract

Yes. Prizes and awards given to students in recognition of academic achievement or participation are typically gift cards or tangible personal property. All gifts, prizes, and awards are considered taxable income by the IRS and must be reported as income to the recipient.

 

The SASI grant recipient should document each recipient's name, student number, and the amount or fair market value of each gift using the "Record of Gifts, Prizes, and Awards for Items Valued at $5.00 or More" form.

If you are not able to use your funds as specified in your grant proposal, notify the current SASI Committee Chair and the Faculty Senate President as soon as possible so that funds can be redistributed.

Events & Catering

An honorarium may be paid when the amount is $500 or less and the speaker is not an employee of any state agency, university, community college, or technical center. Contact Kristi Moore in Accounts Payable at 931-221-7692 for more information. For Personal Services Agreements, contact Pat Walton directly at 931-221-7573.

If the event is held in the UC Ballroom or the Iris Room, catering must be provided by Sodexo. Contact Catering Services at 931-221-7016 to discuss menus and pricing.

 

For snacks and beverages that do not require catering:

  • Coca-Cola Bottling Works of Tullahoma, Inc. holds an exclusive contract on the APSU campus. Only Coke products may be purchased with university funds — including beverages bundled with meals from outside vendors. View the full list of approved Coca-Cola products.

  • Food and drink items for an official university event may be purchased via corporate card or processed as a business meal expense through a payment authorization in Govs Suite.

Room requests are submitted online through University Facilities. For issues or reservation questions, contact University Facilities at 931-221-6617.

Travel & Student Workers

Review Travel Policy 4:015 for policies and procedures on traveling with students. Student travel reimbursements are processed by the Academic Affairs Executive Assistant via payment authorization. Faculty SASI travel is handled by the department's administrative assistant as the faculty proxy.

Student employment procedures are outlined on the Student Employment page.

Technology & Software

New accessibility requirements apply to all software and technology purchases, including renewals. Before any purchase, the vendor must submit a VPAT (Voluntary Product Accessibility Template). If the product does not meet accessibility standards, the vendor must provide a remediation plan. If the vendor cannot comply, the department must acknowledge this and proactively plan alternative instructional options for students who request accommodation.

 

All software must go through the university's approval system. Personal purchases of unapproved software or technology will not be guaranteed for reimbursement.

Funded Proposals

2025-2026 SASI Projects

Project Title Principal Investigator Department Amount Funded
Fostering Academic Engagement and Retention through Educational Video Game Development Seminars Alice Lin Computer Science & IT $2,000
Inspire and Connect: A Networking Event for EdD Students, Alumni, and Faculty Andrea Lee Educational Specialties $3,546
Percussion Studio Off-Campus Performance(s) Andrew Richardson Music $2,610
Animation Y’All Expo Trip Angela Hernandez-Scoggins Art & Design $1,770
The Hidden Life of Spices: Chemistry in Every Thread (Celebrate National Chemistry Week 2025) Anuradha Liyana Pathiranage Chemistry $400
Mycorrhizal Fungi Collection and Preservation Initiative Anuradha Liyana Pathiranage & Niranga Wickramarathne Agriculture and Chemistry $1,000
Molecule of the Month Anuradha Liyana Pathiranage and Cody Covington Chemistry $500
Geological Society of America Connects 2025 Meeting in San Antonio, TX Dan Frederick and Phyllis Camilleri Earth and Environmental Sciences $8344
Pre-Semester Chemistry Boot Camp Dr. Cody Covington and Dr. Carrie Brennan Chemistry $1050
The Study of the History of Cherokee Culture & Medicinal Plants Dr. Donna Short Teaching and Learning $715
Student Travel to Tennessee Music Educators Association Professional Development Conference Dr. Michael Chandler, Coordinator of Music Education Dept. of Music $2000
Literature Comes Alive! Page to Stage: The Live Theater Experience Dr. Mickey Wadia, Professor of English, Dept. of Languages and Literature Languages and Literature $3200
Second Annual Zone 3 Writers Festival Dr. Raymond Deeren CECA/Languages & Literature $4925
Enhanced Scholar's Compass – Building Student Success through Collaborative Workshops Gina Nigro; Tim Winters Woodward Library and Honors $3000
Prologue: A Creative Writing Welcome/Epilogue: A Celebration of Creative Writing Joanna Grisham Languages & Literature $3000
Mindful Futures: Building Interdisciplinary Pathways to Mental Wellness and Career Success Kathryn Woods, Tyler Nolting, Marsha Lyle-Gonga, Amanda Patrick, and Shani Collins-Woods College of Behavioral & Health Sciences $4000
Mentorship Matters: SLP Students and Faculty in Scotland Kelly Kleinhans Health and Human Performance $2300
2025 Fall Chemistry Research Symposium Leslie Hiatt Chemistry $300
Career Field Trip for Juniors, Seniors, and Instrumental Students Leslie Ann Hiatt Chemistry $360
Collaboration with Clarksville Foundry, APSU Sculpture and Graphic Design Luke Warren Art + Design $2000
Manufacturing Excellence: Connecting Students with Industry Leaders and professionals Mahesh K. Pallikonda Engineering Technology $1920
Help: I Haven't Use a Computer in Years! Moniqueka Gold Teaching and Learning (COE) $2500
Unbannable Library Paul Collins Art + Design $4750
67th U.S. Air Force Academy and Columbia University’s Academic Assembly Simon Rotzer Institute for National Security and Military Studies; Department ofCriminal Justice $2322
Digital & Social Media Marketing: An Academic Tour with the Nashville Symphony Terry Damron Management & Marketing $1653
Healthy Heart Screenings and Presentations at TAHPERD 2025 Convention: APSU Public Health Students in Action Tyler Nolting, Hannah Luck, Madison Mixon-Rodriguez, and Shannon Slotwinski Health and Human Performance $2137

 

   Total Funded $62,302

 

Faculty Senate logo


Scott Shumate
Secretary, Faculty Senate 
931-221-6288
shumates@apsu.edu