Higher education has long been a leader in social change worldwide. As American universities and colleges face challenges regarding their relevance and role, promoting innovation among instructors and students is crucial. Recognizing part-time faculty through instructional grants could drive excellence and alleviate burnout and compassion fatigue.
Since 2017, Washington University’s Continuing & Professional Studies (CAPS) in St. Louis, Missouri, has awarded the Marion Horstmann Online Teaching Innovation Grant annually to a part-time instructor with at least two semesters of experience. This $5,000 grant fosters instructional creativity and autonomy, encouraging faculty to invest in priority areas and take intellectual risks. Horstmann grant proposals are evaluated on their anticipated impact on student learning, potential for widespread adoption, scalability, and the instructor’s teaching record.
The Horstmann grant motivates instructors to implement meaningful changes in online and hybrid courses. It helps administrators identify teaching trends and interests. Established with funds from alumna Marion E. Horstmann, the grant is awarded by a CAPS committee to support resource, program, or course development innovation. Past projects include best practices for applied mathematics, a service-learning project for a gender and crime course, and a resource library for nonprofit management students. The resources are showcased annually, benefiting multiple courses and students.
Instructional development grants have become catalysts for teaching innovation and student retention since the late 20th century. Historically, support focused on full-time faculty, but now grants, fellowships, and course releases are available to enhance teaching and technology usage. Often, innovation incentives target tenure-track faculty, leaving part-time instructors with fewer opportunities due to budget constraints and institutional privileges.
For schools like WashU CAPS, which rely on adjunct instructors, funding innovation includes providing targeted support for part-time faculty. In fall 2025, most of the 116 instructors at CAPS are part-time, except for two full-time academic directors and tenure-track instructors. To assess the Horstmann grant’s impact, a program evaluation was conducted in summer 2025. A survey of past recipients revealed that enhancing courses and trying new approaches motivated grant applications.
Survey results indicated that the grant renewed instructors’ creativity in teaching. This finding is significant, especially in today’s challenging higher education environment, highlighting the need to support instructors who often lack institutional backing. Despite the time investment required, previous winners found the grant process rewarding, enhancing teaching practices and student engagement. They encouraged other faculty to apply.
Supporting contingent faculty with grants underscores the vital role of adjunct instructors, who make up a significant portion of the U.S. academic workforce. With more than 650,000 adjunct faculty in the U.S., initiatives like the Horstmann grant are crucial and should be emulated and funded further.
Original Source: facultyfocus.com
