Peer Funding Eligibility

ULAs or UPMs may be used only to support courses that show evidence of rethinking pedagogy in an environment where few/no TAs are available. The application must provide a detailed explanation of how the implementation of UPMs and/or ULAs contributes to pedagogical innovation and addresses departmental needs connected to supporting students in courses with large enrollments. Only courses with enrollments of 120 or above will be eligible to apply for ULA funding.

Each application is to be submitted on behalf of the department. As such, the application must include a clear description of why ULA support is needed in proposed courses with enrollments of 120 students or above and how ULA support will provide students with a greater chance of successfully completing their intended academic plans.

To be eligible for funding, department applications must meet the the following conditions: 

1. ULA programs must align with one of the following models or provide support to a large number of students through a combination of two of the models.
   • Model 1. ULAs and/or UPMs are incorporated into discussion sections in large courses that have developed new pedagogical models to teach based on reallocations of teaching/staffing resources.
   • Model 2. ULAs and/or UPMs are part of a centralized group that provides support for several required courses in the pre-major series or GE courses. 
   • Model 3. ULAs provide support outside of class.
2. Departments that received PEER funding during the Fall 2025 quarter must provide evidence of effective assessment of the ULA/UPM program, with emphasis on the program’s impact on student learning outcomes.
3. The application materials must clearly state how the ULAs or UPMs contribute to student learning within the department. Please note that applications that do not prioritize student learning outcome gains will not qualify for funding.
4. Department applications must provide proof of projected enrollment, number of sections, number of TAs, and the size of sections, if applicable, for all supported courses.  

NOTE: Applications that do not clearly meet each of the four requirements listed above will not be eligible for funding review.

Application for Funding

Departments seeking funding for Spring 2026 are encouraged to submit an application by the deadline: January 23, 2026. Funding is limited.

Applications will be reviewed to determine eligibility for funding prior to being advanced for funding consideration. Applicants will be notified of their eligibility status by January 30, 2026. Please note: being deemed eligible for funding does not guarantee that funding will be awarded.

*Note that applications must be endorsed by the department chair. Funding requests will be reviewed by the Office of Teaching and Learning.

Please direct questions to Maggie Safronova, Associate Director, Center for Innovative Teaching, Research, and Learning (m_safronova@ucsb.edu)