COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS OF ICUSTA:
ICUSTA and the AngelicvM Foundation has created the Gerardo Rocha Global Solidarity Fund (GRGSF) in memory of Gerardo Rocha Vera, the founder of ICUSTA. The purpose of the GRGSF is to support institutional coordination and cooperation among our members. The GRGSF was established at UST Manila during the 10th ICUSTA General Assembly by unanimous vote of the delegates. The fund is administered by the Executive Committee of ICUSTA. Caretaker for the funds is the VP for Finance at the University of St Thomas in Houston Texas.
The Rocha Family, the AngelicvM Foundation and ICUSTA have jointly provided financial support in creating this important grant opportunity. Funding support came from the following:
- A gift from the Rocha family and the AngelicvM Foundation in the amount of $25,000 (USD.)
- A matching gift from ICUSTA funds in the amount of $25,000.(USD)
No more than 20% of the funds available in the account will be expended in any fiscal year, unless the Executive Committee grants an exception. It is anticipated that funds from the ICUSTA budget would be required each year to replace monies expended from the account. For example $10,000 was expended in 2011 and $10,000 was added to the account from the general ICUSTA budget in 2012. The amount in the fund should not fall below $50,000 at the start of any fiscal year; exceptions must be approved by the ICUSTA Executive Committee.
Guidelines for Proposals/Projects
- Projects submitted for consideration must have the endorsement of the President/Rector of the submitting institution. Proposals may be submitted by any member of an ICUSTA institution in good standing, as long as it is endorsed by that institution’s President/Rector.
- Projects must be related to ICUSTA’s mission and vision statement found in the By-Laws, and should be directly related to institutional improvement and the encouragement of international cooperation among ICUSTA member institutions.
- Priority: a high priority will be given to qualifying projects submitted by the seven ICUSTA institutions designated as “developing” institutions.
- No member institution may receive more than one award in any calendar year.
- All proposals should be submitted by email to ICUSTA’s Executive Director. Deadline for receiving proposals will be midnight Houston time Monday February 11, 2013. Executive Committee of ICUSTA will review proposals and make their final decision by February 22 2013. Those submitting proposals will be informed shortly thereafter, with checks to support proposals mailed to selected candidates prior to the end of February.
- Funds available in this the third round of competition in the GRGSF will be $10,000. (USD)
- Proposals must include a detailed budget, a project timeline and anticipated results. No funds will be available for salary expenses.
- Project directors for projects selected will be expected to provide a progress and a final report on the funded project as requested in a timely manner.
PAST AWARDS
Projects receiving support from the GRGSF were:
- In 2010: University of St Thomas, Mozambique -- Program to enhance Community/University interaction.
- In 2011: Ethiopian Catholic University of St Thomas Aquinas -- Support for Computer Science and Social Work Programs
- In 2011: Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages, Taiwan -- Support for three (3) students from ICUSTA member institutions in Africa to study Chinese at the Wensao Summer Institute in Taiwan.
ICUSTA MISSION STATEMENT
ICUSTA is committed to:
- Promoting a passion for truth and trust in reason and knowledge in the service of humanity;
- Transmitting to faculty and students the “Aforma mentis” or Thomistic way of doing research, inquiry and learning;
- Providing our faculty and students with a Christian vision of the human person, especially the ethical and religious dimensions; and,
- Furthering their institutional Catholic identity that cultivates the dialogue between faith and culture and fosters service to the human community.
ICUSTA VISION STATEMENT
ICUSTA is committed to: international diversity; instilling a love of and a passion for truth; and in supporting religious and moral principles that will enable our students and faculty to meet the global challenges of the 21st century. ICUSTA dedicates its efforts to the pursuit of academic excellence, to reasoned discourse, to social responsibility, and to a life of faith.