Mentor resources

Template for faculty proposals here
Submit Faculty proposals here

The Council on Undergraduate Research defines undergraduate research as follows:

Undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative inquiry is fundamentally a pedagogical approach to teaching and learning. With an emphasis on process, CUR defines undergraduate research as: A mentored investigation or creative inquiry conducted by undergraduates that seeks to make a scholarly or artistic contribution to knowledge. 

Therefore, Undergraduate Research, at its core, is about teaching and learning. Mentors, as professionals in the discipline, are indispensable to the success of an undergraduate research experience. We appreciate the effort and intentionality mentors put into working with and mentoring undergraduate students interested in research! Learning how to recruit, mentor, and manage the programmatic aspects can be overwhelming and nuanced. We hope the resources below will help smooth out the process for you so that you can concentrate the majority of your time on the research and mentoring your students.

OUR Faculty/Staff Email List
Mentoring Students
OUR Program Award
CUR Institutional membership
Faculty Survey

OUR Research Scholar Programs

Summer 24Fall 24Spring 24
Mentor Project Submission OpenDecember 1stFebruary 5thAug. 15th
Mentor Project Submission Due January 30, 2024March 13thSept. 14th
Student Applications Open February 1stMarch 15th Sept. 15th
Student Applications Due February 28thApril 14thOct. 15th
Program Dates May 28-August 2TBAJanuary 9th-April 26th
Mentee/Mentor Agreement Due June 6thTBAJanuary 22nd
Abstracts Due July 9thTBA February 16th
Posters & Videos Due July 30thTBAMarch 21
Research Presentation Summer Research Symposium
TBA		Honors Symposium
TBA		Undergraduate Research Conference
April 12, 2024
Pay Period Approval Dates May 28th-August 2ndTBAJanuary 9th-April 26th

Mentor Expectations

Mentor Proposals

  • Draft your proposal and save it before submission (download this template).
  • Submit Mentor Proposals to Experience
  • RSVP for Faculty Virtual Proposal Workshops
  • Mentor expectations for Summer Scholars

Student Expectations

Summer Research Scholars

  • Work up to 200 hours (20 hours per week for 10 weeks) if you are classified as “part time” or up to 400 hours (40 hours per week for 10 weeks) if you are classified as “full time” (academic programs will be responsible for hours beyond the max).
  • Students are required to attend professional development sessions throughout the summer
  • Timesheets to be submitted by Monday after the end of the pay period by 11:59pm
  • Students are required to present at the Summer Research Symposium

Academic Year Research Scholars

  • OUR Research Scholars can work up to 160 hours per semester
  • “Part-time” OUR Research Scholars can work up to 80 hours per semester
  • Timesheets to be submitted by Monday after the end of the pay period by 11:59pm
  • Students are required to attend professional development sessions throughout the semester
  • Fall: Students are required to present at the Honors Research Symposium
  • Spring: Students are required to present at the Undergraduate Research Conference

Timesheet Management:

Mentors approve all timesheets in Banner. Check out the user guide for step-by-step instructions with pictures as well as important points to remember on page 7.

Important Deadlines and Points to Remember:

  • Approve timesheets by the Wednesday after the end of the pay period. (Mark your calendar to remember!)
  • Best practice is to log into Self Service Banner during the pay period to ensure your employees are clocking in/out and/or entering their time daily
  • HR email reminders (from KronosTime@uncc.edu) will be sent to both you and the student but it is important to stay on top of it because missed deadlines result in late payments
  • Students have until 11:59 pm on the Monday following the end of the pay period to submit their timesheets

Responsible Conduct For Research

Charlotte’s commitment to Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) is supported by the University’s Training in Responsible Conduct of Research Rule (RUL 10.15.1). This rule establishes the requirement for responsible conduct of research education for individuals required to have such education prior to working on federally-sponsored projects where the federal sponsor has mandated such education. Read More.