IB 299 Funds: Guidelines for Use

299 funds are department funds that are allocated to faculty laboratories to support graduate student research.  The funds can be used for individual student research expenses, or they can cover general lab expenses that support graduate student research.  Faculty are responsible for establishing  and communicating the policy on how the funds will be distributed and used in their lab.

Fund Allocation

Funds are allocated to each faculty member's lab on the basis of the number of active graduate students.  Students who are withdrawn or on filing fee are not eligible. 

The funds are allocated as follows:

  • $100 per student in their 5th year or earlier
  • $  50 per student in their 6th year
  • $  0   per student in their 7th year or beyond
  • $200 for the lab as a whole for regular IB faculty

In cases where students are working with two regular IB faculty, the allocation will be assigned to the lab where the student is primarily physically present (if applicable) or will be split between the two labs. 

Where students are working with both regular and adjunct faculty, the full student allocation will go to the lab of the regular faculty. 

Students working with faculty holding 0% appointments in IB will be provided the student allocation, but there will not be a laboratory allotment. 

Allocation will normally be done at the start of the Fall semester, although labs with continuing qualifying students can spend funds for the new year beginning July 1.

Use of the Funds

Qualifying students and faculty can sign out supplies from the IB Storeroom for the lab's 299 funds.  A list of the students will be provided to the Storeroom staff. 

Faculty who would like to authorize others (post-docs or lab staff for example) to charge 299 funds through the IB Storeroom should send an e-mail or a note to the storekeeper or Steve Owen, indicating what names should be added to the list.

Purchases can be made against 299 funds by arranging with Emily Howard or Jennifer Loos in Room 3040.  A purchase request form signed by the faculty member (or an e-mail from the faculty approving the purchase) will be required.

Monitoring of Expenses

  • Statements will be sent to faculty (or others if they so designate) monthly, as is done with other research funds.  Reports will also be sent periodically to the students listed for each lab.
  • Faculty (or someone they designate) should monitor the statements to assure that funds are spent appropriately, that they are equitably distributed among students in the lab, and that charges are correct.
  • Unspent funds remaining at the end of the fiscal year (June 30) do not carry over to the next fiscal year.