Instructions for funding from Academic Enrichment Programs (AEP)

Apply to Joan Wagner, Academic Enrichment Program Coordinator
Klein 116 – ext. 2844 – jwagner@smcvt.edu

Events for which funding is available

AEP Funding is available for a wide range of academic and cultural programming for undergraduate classes in all academic departments. Experiential learning—both on and off campus—is particularly important in the full residential learning experience of our liberal arts community. Some events that are sponsored by Academic Enrichment Programs include:

  • Faculty-student dinners in the home of the professor
  • In-class refreshments or pizza dinners
  • Refreshments in conjunction with an early evening, on-campus film screening or special presentation
  • Honoraria for visiting speakers
  • Field trips related to coursework
  • Local service trips for Service-Learning courses
  • Refreshments for special workshops, panel discussions, or student readings/presentations
  • Student research stipends

Note: Because of the high demand for limited funds, programming only includes events directly or indirectly connected to a classroom experience or a departmental event for majors. Restaurant meals are not included in this program.

Instructions for funding requests

  1. Fill out the AEP Funding Request Form
  2. Submit the form electronically to jwagner@smcvt.edu
  3. Watch for a response and approval information via e-mail.

Instructions for reimbursement of expenses

After your event, submit the following to Joan Wagner (Klein 116):

  • A hard copy of the previously submitted Request Form with your signature on it.
  • All applicable receipts. Attn: Receipts must be itemized.
  • The appropriate reimbursement form. See below for more details about which form to use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which reimbursement form do I use?

If you paid for your expenses with a credit card, check or cash, then you will need to submit an Employee Business Expense Form. If the total amount of reimbursement is greater than $50, then your paperwork will first go to the coordinator, then to Purchasing and you will receive a check by mail. If the reimbursement expense is below $50, then the coordinator will sign your forms and return them to you. You can then take the forms to the Cashier’s office for an immediate cash reimbursement!

Notes: Please do not charge to your department any expenses that you want the AEP Fund to cover. The AEP fund is set up to reimburse individuals directly rather than through transfers to department accounts. When you fill out the Expense Report, you can leave the account space empty and I will fill it in with the appropriate AEP account number.

How does an honorarium for a visiting speaker get processed?

To ensure payment for your speaker, fill out the Request for Payment form along with the Funding Request Form. If you submit the paperwork early enough (i.e. 2 weeks or more before the speaker’s arrival), then a check can be available in advance of your event. If the paperwork is submitted shortly before or after the event, then the honorarium is generally mailed to the home address your speaker provides on the W-9 form.

If your speaker is receiving a check from SMC for the first time, he/she will need to sign a W-9 tax form several weeks before your event.

It is essential that supporting documentation accompany the Request for Payment form. The best way to do this is through a “letter of invitation” from the faculty member to the speaker which will in turn be accepted as the agreement for the speaker’s services. So even if you’ve made an oral agreement over the phone or face-to-face with the speaker, please follow up with an email or letter and save a copy of it!

When will I receive my reimbursement?

A check is issued to you approximately 2 weeks after the coordinator submits your paperwork to the Purchasing office.