A question for those of you who have experience with the US
Department of Education program of fellowships for faculty research
abroad: in what sense is sabbatical salary "duplicating support?"

 The allowable costs covered by the fellowship are international
travel, a "faculty maintenance stipend" for the period spent abroad,
and a "project allowance" for research-related expenses incurred
abroad, but not including food and hotel expenses. Presumably the
"faculty maintenance stipend" is intended to cover food, lodging, and
other personal living expenses while abroad. Nothing in the guidelines
or application instructions suggests that the "maintenance stipend" is
salary replacement. Yet the tentative offer of a fellowship asks for
information about duplicating support in the form of "foundation
grants, fellowships, sabbatical pay, etc." Is there an expectation
that living expenses for several months abroad should be covered by
sabbatical salary, if any, rather than by the federal fellowship?
(And if so, doesn't this rather limit the competition to those
faculty members with high salaries, no dependents, no home mortgage
or other debt, etc?)

 I'd be grateful for help in understanding the Department's
practice.

Sharon Jackiw
Office of Research and Sponsored Programs
University of Maine
phone (207) 581-1480
fax   (207) 581-1479
xxxxxx@maine.maine.edu