Academic Innovation Accelerator

Project EDGE: Empowering Development in General Education

Encourage innovation and excellent teaching

Expand access to SBC courses to reduce students' time to degree

Support for faculty who want to enhance the quality and relevance of the Stony Brook Curriculum, Stony Brook's general education program.

Open to faculty members and academic departments seeking to:

Design and implement new courses with funding and in-kind support, or
Elevate an existing SBC course experience with a micro grant.

Award to Propose and Design a New Course

We seek proposals for courses that will meet at least one of the following SBC categories:
- Evaluate and Synthesize Researched Information (ESI)
- Speak Effectively before an Audience (SPK)
- Understand Technology (TECH)
- Understand the Political, Economic, Social, and Cultural History of the United States (USA)
Explore SBC student learning outcomes

We encourage proposals that will focus on AI literacy or civic discourse.

Enrollment Targets:
- In-person courses: at least 45 students.
- Asynchronous, online courses: least 100 students.
Individual recipients can receive up to $5,000.

Projects that will be developed by teams of faculty can receive up to $3,000 for each co-instructor.

Faculty will receive the state funds directly when the course has been approved by the appropriate curriculum committee.
Submissions must include:
- A letter of support from chair(s) that recognizes a tentative commitment to offer the course soon after it’s approved by the curriculum committee(s)
- A course proposal, no more than three pages double spaced, that includes a course description and student learning outcomes and considers the following questions:
  - How does this course align with the associated SBC learning outcomes
  - How does it achieve the overarching objectives of the EDGE Fund and Stony Brook curriculum?
  - What is the proposed curriculum design and content?
Optional Materials

You may choose to include supplemental materials such as:
- Draft syllabus
- Assessment plan
An instructional designer will be available for consultation .

With guidance from the Office of Educational Effectiveness, recipients will participate in assessment activities to track outcome effectiveness.

Faculty developing online course must also:
- Build course shells,
- Complete CELT's Online Teaching Course,
- Participate in the SUNY Online Course Quality Review Rubric process after course development.

Micro Grants to Elevate an existing course

Any SBC-certified course is eligible for this micro grant opportunity, as long as the course will be taught during the 2026-2027 academic year.

Micro grants are one-time awards and cannot be used for recurring expenses.

They should be used to:
- Expand classroom resources, or
- Pursue opportunities that will promote general education pedagogy.
Acceptable expenses could include:
- Class supplies,
- Small equipment,
- Conference registration fees,
- One-year license to purchase university-approved software like Adobe Pro or Gemini Pro,
- Student support for a special project.
Submissions must include:
1. A letter of support from department chair(s) confirming the SBC course will be taught during the 2026-2027 academic year.
2. A proposal, no more than two pages double-spaced, describing how the funds will support the course experience.
3. A budget detailing the requested expense.

Proposals are due Friday, April 24.

Submit your Proposal

Have questions? Get in touch.

EMAIL US

AI Technology Champions Network and Award

Community of AI innovators in the CAA Academic Alliance

The Champions Award and Network represents the 13 Coastal Athletic Association universities’ collective commitment to shape the future of responsible AI technologies in higher education through innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity across the Alliance campuses.

Congratulations to our AI Champions

Samita Heslin, clinical assistant professor of emergency medicine in the Renaissance School of Medicine
Margaret Schedel, professor of music in the College of Arts and Sciences, chair of journalism in the School of Communication and Journalism, and core faculty member of the Institute for Advanced Computational Science.

Read the Story

AI Technology Champions Network

Membership benefits:

Attend virtual convenings with inter-institutional community of practice.
Access a peer-based community of learning.
Build your network among CAA faculty and staff.
Find connections for future collaborations.
Apply for future funding opportunities.

Award Opportunity

The AI Technologies Award is not currently accepting applications. However, if/when it reopens, eligibility and award criteria are established by the Coastal Athletic Alliance.

Explore the CAA Academic Alliance

Additional Resources in Support of Curricular Innovation

Faculty Fellows Program

Excellence in Teaching Cohorts

Our Moment, Stony Brook's Strategic Plan

Curriculum Innovation Accelerator Consulting Board

The consulting board provides feedback on projects and ideas related to the Provost's Office Curriculum Innovation Accelerator. The board works with representatives from across Academic Affairs and the deans to develop and discuss ideas.

Name	Title	Unit
Diane Bello	University Registrar	Enrollment Management
Jennifer Dellaposta-Bracero	Senior Assistant Dean Director of Student Services	College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
Erica Hackley	Assistant Dean for Academic Planning	College of Arts and Sciences
Amy Milligan	Senior Assistant Dean for Curriculum, Accreditation, and Student Services	College of Business
David Rubenstein	Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs	Graduate School
Catherine Scott	Director	Office of Educational Effectiveness
Rose Tirotta-Esposito	Director	Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching
Richard Tomczak	Director of Faculty Engagement	Division of Undergraduate Education

Supporting creative approaches to academic programming