CHAPTER 8 ACADEMIC REGULATIONS

PART III - Procedure for Approval and Review of Courses, Programs and other Academic Ventures 

CENTERS, INSTITUTES, BUREAUS AND PARTNERSHIPS

8.90.10 Centers, Including Institutes, Bureaus, and Partnerships are officially recognized academic organizational and administrative units that shall be chartered to provide interdisciplinary coordination either within a college or across college lines directed at an issue beyond the scope of a single discipline. They may comprise many different disciplines or they may be single discipline based with secondary emphasis on contributing disciplines. The principal function shall be generally research oriented; however, in some instances, their missions may include instruction and/or service as components of equal importance. The facilities of a center need not be located in one location. A center shall be considered an individual entity and not tied to the demise or expansion of other centers.

8.90.11 Partnerships are centers (see 8.90.10) specifically designed and organized to be significantly broad in scale, for example by involving several disciplines across departmental and college lines, and are expected to be ultimately self supporting. Partnerships may cooperate with or involve extra-university entities or organizations in their activities. The term partnership may, but need not, be used in the organizational name of such a unit.

8.90.12 Individuals or groups at the University, who are not members of, or affiliated with, a Partnership, Center, Institute or Bureau, will have the same opportunities to conduct research and engage in creative activity, to obtain release time for such research or creative activity, and to have access to funding or other forms of support as may be available to members of such Partnerships, Centers, Institutes of Bureaus. Non-affiliation with a Partnership, Center, etc. will not be regarded negatively in applications for promotion or tenure.

8.90.20 Procedures for the Establishment of Centers. Proposals for all centers, including institutes, bureaus and partnerships shall originate with faculty representing the disciplines concerned. A proposal for the creation of a center, institute, bureau, or partnership, shall include an explanation of its goals and rationale, a description of its proposed administrative and staffing structure, a specific description of its relationship to other appropriate units of the University, a budget with personnel and space requirements, as well as amounts and sources of seed money. In addition, procedures for the termination of the center or assumption of full fiscal responsibilities by the University shall be included in the proposal.

8.90.21 Temporary Authorization for Centers. Centers, including institutes, bureaus, and partnerships, may be authorized to operate for an initial three-year period by the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs of the University who shall make the decision in consultation with the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies, Research and Outreach, the Council for Research, the Dean(s) of the faculty associated with the proposed center, and the Chairs of the faculty members associated with the proposed center, who will have brought the proposal to the department as a whole for their recommendations. The Council for Research will review proposals for temporary partnerships and make recommendations to the Provost based on the potential for intellectual contributions, utilization of undergraduate and graduate students, interdepartmental or intercollege involvement, and external funding. Each new temporary partnership will receive support from the university only during its initial three years. #02-03--14

8.90.22 Continuing Authorization for Centers. Continuing authorization to operate centers, institutes, bureaus, or partnerships, including authorization to operate after an initial three-year period described in 8.90.21, shall be subject to review by units and departments involved in the center as well as review by the colleges of the involved departments during their third year. Following college review, proposals shall be forwarded with departmental and college recommendations to the Council For Research for consideration. The Council shall recommend to the Faculty Senate action on center proposals based on program quality, research, outreach, or educational activities, involvement of undergraduate and graduate students, interdepartmental or intercollege connections, and potential for continued external funding, as appropriate for the mission and goals of the center. #02-03--14

8.90.30 Review. Once granted continuing status, centers, including institutes, bureaus, and partnerships, shall be reviewed every seven years by the Council for Research who shall submit recommendations, including recommendations for further continuation or dissolution, to the Faculty Senate based on overall program quality, research, outreach, or educational contributions, financial support of student involvement, interdepartmental or intercollege involvement, and continued external funding, as appropriate for the mission and goals of the center. #02-03--14

8.90.40 Faculty Evaluation. At the discretion of the faculty member involved, any scholarship, teaching, or service activities carried out by a faculty member under the aegis of a center, institute, bureau, or partnership can be used in the evaluation of the faculty member for tenure, promotion, and considerations of merit.