Money Available for Tech Purchases that Enable Student Success

GRAPHIC: UF Tech Fee wordmark with '2024' underneath, on a two-tone blue background. University of Florida.

Could your college or major benefit from a new software or hardware purchase? Is there a tech resource you wish UF’s libraries offered? The 2024 Student Technology Fee grant submissions cycle is now open to all students, faculty, and staff with IT-based purchase ideas that support teaching and learning at UF.

The annual proposal review process involves the randomized selection of a committee comprised of several students along with one faculty member to determine which proposals are recommended to CIO Elias Eldayrie for funding. Students are encouraged to submit their ideas because part of their tuition each semester funds the Tech Fee program–at a rate of $5.25 per credit hour for undergraduate courses and $6.56 per credit hour for graduate courses. In other words, this student-led initiative is paid for and determined by YOU.

Winning proposals from the 2022-23 Tech Fee funding cycle include a podcasting studio at Marston Science Library (available to all students regardless of major), the Arts & AI Virtual Workstation Studio for College of the Arts students to experiment with AI technologies, and state-of-the-art equipment purchased for the Quest 2 astrophotography course. Your one-time proposal could change course instruction and the student experience at UF for years to come!

Did you know that LinkedIn Learning and iPads for borrowing at Smathers were both proposals initially funded by your Tech Fee? The deadline for submitting a proposal is Monday, March 18, 2024. Students must partner with a UF department or college on their proposals so get started now! Review the 2024 Tech Fee Proposal Template for submission guidelines, including how to format your proposal and who you must send it to for review prior to deadline. Important dates for the 2024 funding cycle are listed on the Tech Fee Grants webpage. If you have questions, please email UFIT Manager Anne Allen (alallen@ufl.edu), support administrator for the Technology Fee Advisory Committee.