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Creation
and Operation of Centers and Institutes
It shall be the policy of the University to encourage
the development and operation of a limited number
of academic research or academic service centers
and institutes whenever there is a proven capacity
at the University to provide a unique service. All
centers should complement the educational mission
of the University and should focus on a major demonstrated
need. When the above conditions are met and are
within the limits of available resources, the University
will consider a subsidy for the operation of a center
during the start-up phase of its development. As
a general rule, centers will be expected to finance
their operations through external grants or from
special legislative appropriations. Whenever there
is no longer a compelling need for the services
which a center provides or whenever external funding
support is no longer forthcoming, the center will
cease to operate unless otherwise directed by the
Board of Regents.
Operational Procedures
The establishment and operation of centers will
be governed by the following guidelines:
- Individuals or groups desiring to
establish a center should discuss
the idea with appropriate department
heads and deans. It is helpful at
this early state to develop a concept
paper which documents the need, the
operational methodology, the resource
requirements and the- anticipated
availability of external funding.
- The proposal should then be discussed
with the appropriate vice-president.
In most instances, this will be the
vice-president for academic affairs.
The vice-president should undertake
a careful evaluation of the proposal,
including its relation to the overall
mission of the University, the present
and future need for such a center,
and the potential availability of
funds.
- If the vice-president decides to
support the creation of such a center,
a decision should be reached as to
how much University financial support,
if any, would be available during
the develop- mental phase. Such a
subsidy should be minimal. It is not
intended that University support should
go beyond the first or second year
of operation, except to the extent
discussed in #9 below.
- The vice-president then will seek
funding for any initial University
subsidy as a part of the regular budget
request process.
- Such a request wi11 be reviewed
and tentatively approved or disapproved
for funding at the time that the next
fiscal year's budget is being developed.
- A proposal which is tentatively
approved will be recommended for final
Board of Regents approval at the time
that the Board adopts the next fiscal
year's operational budget.
- The operation of such a center will
follow established University policies
and procedures in a manner similar
to other University activities. In
particular, a center will be subject
to the same personnel, accounting,
budgeting and auditing policies.
- Non-EMU faculty staff members who
are hired by such a center will not
be given automatic tenure track appointments
but may be granted adjunct professorial
status outside of the regular tenure
track.
- When a center has complex administrative
requirements and/or when additional
support is necessary for the promotion
of its work and the acquisition of
additional external funding, the University
may provide direct support in an amount
equivalent to 15% of the center's
annual revenue.
- An EMU faculty member granted release
time to function as the director of
a center may receive additional compensation--consistent
with University compensation policies--for
serving in an administrative capacity.
The amount of the additional stipend
will depend upon the percentage of
time assigned and the size and complexity
of the center but may not exceed $250
per month. If the responsibility for
directing a center extends into spring
or summer periods, compensation will
be based on the appropriate percentage
of established faculty spring/summer
salary schedules.
- When a project funded through a
center has significant administrative
responsibilities, the director of
the project may receive additional
compensation if the funding agency
permits an administrative stipend
to be charged to the project. In such
cases, the rate and structure for
compensation will be the same as for center
directors except that the maximum
administrative stipend will be $200
per month.
- At the time that a center is approved,
the exact organizational location
of the center will be determined.
While it is desirable for a center
to have sufficient autonomy to achieve
its objective, it is imperative that
it be treated as are other administrative/program
activities at the University. Administrative
reporting relationships should be
clearly delineated.
- It is expected that centers will
be located on campus within University
facilities.
- The director of a center will prepare
an annual report for the appropriate
vice-president. In turn, the vice-president
will evaluate the center’s annual
operation to ascertain whether or
not it is meeting its aims and objectives.
If the center is unable to meet its
program goals or to obtain necessary
external funding, it will be put on
an orderly phase-out schedule. Therefore,
an annual evaluation of a center’s
operation is of major importance.
| Authority
for Creation or Revision: |
| Minutes
of the Board of Regents, August 16, 1978;
para. .1973M. |
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