# Faculty Research Awards Committee (FRAC)

## New Policy Update, August 2026

[Standard Operating Procedure for Combined Fellowship and Off-Campus Duty Assignment Support](https://kb.astate.edu/books/research-development-handbooks-policies/page/standard-operating-procedures-for-combined-fellowship-and-off-campus-duty-assignment-support)

## Program Applications & Deadlines

  
**FRAC Applications will only be electronically administered through InfoReady**. InfoReady is found in the [ PackPortal](https://my.astate.edu/) and requires Duo sign-in. Login for InfoReady is through Single Sign On (SSO) Banner, which is your network ID and password.

<span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-parastyle="Normal (Web)">When a</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Strong">pplying to FRAC through</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="apple-converted-space" data-ccp-charstyle-defn="{"ObjectId":"2fd183b4-ad5c-5199-9fc7-89a6d0356079|1","ClassId":1073872969,"Properties":[201342446,"1",201342447,"5",201342448,"1",201342449,"1",469777841,"Aptos",469777842,"Vrinda",469777843,"Aptos",469777844,"Aptos",201341986,"1",469769226,"Aptos,Vrinda",268442635,"24",469775450,"apple-converted-space",201340122,"1",134233614,"true",469778129,"apple-converted-space",335572020,"1",469778324,"Default Paragraph Font"]}"> </span></span>[<span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">InfoReady</span></span>](https://astate.infoready4.com/)<span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Strong">, which is located within the Tools menu in the</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="apple-converted-space"> </span></span>[<span class="TextRun Underlined SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">PackPortal</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Hyperlink">,</span></span>](https://pack.astate.edu/dashboard)<span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-parastyle="Normal (Web)"> you have four options for </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-parastyle="Normal (Web)">applying:</span></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW260439685 BCX8">  
</span>

<div id="bkmrk-provost%E2%80%99s-challenge-"><div class="ListContainerWrapper SCXW260439685 BCX8">- <span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8">Provost’s Challenge Research Seed Fund </span></span>
- <span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8">Faculty Research Fund</span></span>
- <span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8">RTT Travel Fund</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8">s</span></span>
- <span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8">Off-Campus Duty Assignment (also known as Sabbatical or </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8">Compensated Leave</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8">)</span></span><span class="LineBreakBlob BlobObject DragDrop SCXW260439685 BCX8">  
    </span>

</div></div><span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8">Applications for </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Strong">all four FRAC funding programs</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8"> open annually on </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Strong">September 1</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8">. Completed proposals must be submitted by </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Strong">5:00 p.m. (Central Time)</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8"> on the </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-charstyle="Strong">third Friday of October</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW260439685 BCX8">.</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW260439685 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span>

<div id="bkmrk-compensated-leave-ap"></div>##### 2026-2027 Committee Members 

<div class="SCXW194140045 BCX8" id="bkmrk-beck-college-of-scie"><div class="ListContainerWrapper SCXW194140045 BCX8">- <span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">Beck College of Sciences and Mathematics: Pending </span></span>
- <span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">College of Agriculture: Dr. </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">Jianfeng "Jay" Xu</span></span>
- <span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">College of Education &amp; Behavioral Science: Dr. </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">Ibrahim Duyar</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8"> </span></span>
- <span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">College of Engineering &amp; Computer Science: Dr. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">Rober</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">t</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8"> “</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">Drew</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">”</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8"> Fleming</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8"> </span></span>
- <span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">College of Liberal Arts &amp; Communication: Pending </span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":0,"335559740":240}"> </span>
- <span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">College of Nursing &amp; Health Professions: Dr. </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">Binol Balachandar</span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8"> </span></span>
- <span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">College of Veterinary Medicine: </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8">Vacant until Fall 2027</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8"> </span></span>
- <span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="auto" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-ccp-parastyle="Normal (Web)">Neil Griffin College of Business: Dr. </span></span><span class="TextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-contrast="none" lang="EN-US" xml:lang="EN-US"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-ccp-parastyle="Normal (Web)">Pankaj Nagpal</span></span><span class="EOP Selected SCXW194140045 BCX8" data-ccp-props="{"134233117":false,"134233118":false,"201341983":0,"335559738":72,"335559739":330,"335559740":240}"> </span>

</div></div>Ex officio:  
Travis Marsico, Ph.D.  
[*tmarsico@astate.edu* ](mailto:tmarsico@astate.edu)  
Vice Provost for Research, Innovation, and Discovery