Distance Learning and Professional Education is accepting proposals for funding the development of educational outreach programs for the 2009 fiscal year. Proposals must be submitted by Friday, March 14.

Eligible educational outreach programs include creating distance-delivered credit programs at the graduate level or transforming existing degree programs into distance-delivered or blended programs, said Terrye Schaetzel, director of program development for DLPE.

Noncredit programs with a distance-delivery, face-to-face, or blended approach also are eligible. Examples include creating a certificate program to fill a need, enhancing existing courses or transforming an existing program into a distance-delivered format, Schaetzel said.

The development funds are possible through the Educational Broadband Services lease with Clearwire Spectrum Holdings II LLC for commercial development, said Nelson Baker, interim vice provost for DLPE. The FCC allows schools and universities to lease up to 95 percent of their licensed bandwidth. The remaining 5 percent must be used for educational services for faculty and students.

"Our hope is that some of the additional funds will invigorate the campus for more outreach and partnerships with our corporate and government partners," Baker said.

DLPE awarded more than $400,000 for eight programs in 2008, including:

-A four-semester sequence of Interactive, Multimedia Online Chinese (Modern Languages);

-Converting Advanced Thermal Power Systems into a distance offering (Mechanical Engineering); and

-Creating certificate courses in Assistive Technology and Universal Design (College of Architecture/CATEA).

A faculty committee will evaluate submitted proposals by April 15 to select the most promising ideas for market research, Schaetzel said. Once the market research is completed by June 15, the provost and vice provost for DLPE determine which programs receive funding. The funding becomes available on July 1.

Proposals must include a program description, how it fits with Georgia Tech's strategic plan, program content, target audience, structure, delivery mode, faculty, budget, funding request, timeline, and an endorsement by the program's unit.