Call for Proposals

We encourage you to develop a Davies Forum proposal, and are now accepting applications for the noted academic semester. The Davies professor will receive 4 units of release to compensate for preparation time involved in delivering the seminar and 4 units credits for instructing the Davies seminar. When there is a Davies professor team, the 4 units of release may be divided or used by one of the professors through mutual agreement, support of their respective chairs/directors, and approval of the dean. Furthermore, when a Davies seminar is team-taught, the 4 teaching units are equally divided among the instructors.

Typically, Davies faculty bring two to four speakers to campus during a semester, with a provided budget of up to $20,000. Outside speakers or complex co-curricular activities are not required, but if you do propose to bring speakers to campus please provide a focused list of outside speakers. Below is a series of guidelines to help you craft your proposal.

Proposal Guidelines

Proposals are typically no longer than ten double-spaced pages and describe as best as possible a potential list of outside speakers and co-curricular activities. A Davies Forum proposal should include the following:

  • State the proposed seminar title and the semester you would like to offer it. Please include your name, academic rank, and departmental affiliation.
  • State the general goals of and specific objectives of your course and its interdisciplinary aspects.
  • Give a rationale explaining the importance, significance, and timeliness of the specific topic to undergraduate students across various disciplines.
  • Explain how your course engages the overarching Davies Forum theme, "The Search for Values in Contemporary America," and "provides an opportunity for all participants to examine anew, and from different points of view, the turbulent state of American society."
  • If the Davies course proposed is built from a USF course you have taught before, explain how the Davies Forum course will be significantly different and novel.
  • Offer a brief overview of no more than a page of your qualifications to teach the seminar you are proposing, and suggest how you might professionally benefit from the Davies Forum.
  • Submit a sufficiently detailed course description or syllabus, including
    • the major topics to be covered on a weekly basis;
    • examples of major readings and other instructional materials;
    • specific course requirements and methods of student evaluation;
    • opportunities to raise and discuss issues of inequality and difference, including race/ethnicity, gender, social class and sexuality, and celebrate cultural diversity inside and outside the U.S.;
    • and opportunities to exercise critical thinking and writing skills
  • List probable speaker(s) and events.

More Info

If you would like more information or wish to view past proposals, please contact the Davies Forum Office at davies.forum@usfca.edu or the members of the Davies Advisory Board: