building a climate for sponsored programs in a non-research environment 1

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BUILDING A CLIMATE FOR SPONSORED PROGRAMS

IN A NON-RESEARCH ENVIRONMENT

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Agenda

Discussion Topics Adoption of a research environment

consistent with the institutional mission Organization structure & policies Fostering a climate to build sponsored

program activity Connecting research to the classroom Promoting your office Development of skills related to gaining

external and institutional research support

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Pablo Picasso

Action is the foundational key to all success.

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Building your Program

1.There are no simple fixes

2.This will not happen overnight

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The World View

Chronicle of Higher Education (CHE)

June 20, 2008 Issue

The R1 Paradigm and the Job Search

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CHE

For a long time now, the worldview that dominates at research universities (“The R1 Paradigm”) has also dominated the rest of higher education. High research productivity, relatively low emphasis on teaching, and indifference to, if not disdain for, service activities are large parts of that worldview.

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CHE

Its dominance can condition the behavior of both candidates and institutions in ways that are neither productive nor helpful. Graduate students who reach the job market are generally high achievers in highly competitive research environments, and have naturally absorbed the values of their mentors whose backgrounds fall within a select circle of research universities. Search committees are filled with people who have been trained and acculturated at those same select research universities.

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CHE

The challenge for both candidates and committees comes in the collision between the R1 paradigm and institutional and market realities. The great majority of faculty positions exist outside research universities, at institutions ranging from two-year colleges to regional master’s universities.

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Agenda

Discussion Topics Adoption of a research environment

consistent with the institutional mission Organization structure & policies Fostering a climate to build sponsored

program activity Connecting research to the classroom Promoting your office Development of skills related to gaining

external and institutional research support

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University Mission

What does it say? Is Research mentioned?

Does your institution have a strategic plan? Is Research a part of the strategic plan? If yes, what are the goals? What resources have been allocated to

achieve that goal? What are the

measures/benchmarks/metrics that will be used to judge success?

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Research Environmentand Mission

Understand your environment What does your administration

expect from the research function Major or minor player Resources allocated

Increasing, decreasing or static

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Building your Foundation

Think about your answers to the previous questions Assess your environment Develop a plan Execute Measure Re-Assess Make changes Execute

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Research Environment

What are the elements of a research focused institution? Facilitation of the grants process

Policy development Procedure development Mediation

Faculty, Institution, Sponsor Coordination of compliance issues Dissemination of funding

opportunities

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Agenda

Discussion Topics Adoption of a research environment

consistent with the institutional mission Organization structure & policies Fostering a climate to build sponsored

program activity Connecting research to the classroom Promoting your office Development of skills related to gaining

external and institutional research support

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Policy Development

What is/should be the focus Keep policy as policy, not

procedure Standard policies

Pre award Post award Compliance Contracting Authorities

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Policy Development

Look at your peers You don’t have to develop, but

make them your own Beg Borrow Or otherwise acquire…..

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Procedure Development

Keep procedure as procedure, not policy

This is what you update frequently, not policy

Minimum review – once a year Again – keep current

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Procedure Development

Look at your peers You don’t have to develop, but

make them your own…. Beg Borrow Or otherwise acquire…..

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Mediation

Decide how your institution wants to handle official contacts with sponsoring agencies

Decide who your institution wants to handle official contacts with sponsoring agencies

***WRITE THIS DOWN***

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Organization Structure

First – there is no right or wrong structure

Second – there is a best fit Third – Best fits may change

over time.

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Organization structure

Types United under Academic Affairs

(AA) United under University

Advancement (UA) (Development) United under Business Affairs (BA) Split – Under AA-UA and BA

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Compliance

OK, we now have a growing research enterprise, now what?

Understand your compliance issues

Responsibilities should be defined

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Agenda

Discussion Topics Adoption of a research environment

consistent with the institutional mission Organization structure & policies Fostering a climate to build sponsored

program activity Connecting research to the classroom Promoting your office Development of skills related to gaining

external and institutional research support

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Fostering Activity

You can lead a horse to water…..

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Sam Walton

If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish.

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Fostering Activity

Find what you are good at and stick to it

Find what you have an interest in and promote it

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Agenda

Discussion Topics Adoption of a research environment

consistent with the institutional mission Organization structure & policies Fostering a climate to build sponsored

program activity Connecting research to the classroom Promoting your office Development of skills related to gaining

external and institutional research support

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Connecting to the classroom

Focus on curricular elements, teaching and learning

strategies that develop critical research skills

curricular infrastructure that enhances a research-supportive curriculum

administrative contributions that initiate and sustain a research-supportive curriculum.   

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Connecting to the classroom

There are curricular approaches, methods and techniques which can be developed for certain courses and programs of study to enhance the research experience of students and the research culture of their institutions. 

Also think of curricular approaches to build research skills such as inquiry-based laboratories and interdisciplinary courses and programs.

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Connecting to the classroom

As discussed earlier, institutional infrastructure and assessment practices that promote a research-supportive curriculum are vital

Faculty and the administration should have an understanding of their role in nurturing a curriculum to support a research culture.  

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Connecting to the classroom

The Council on Undergraduate Research (CUR) is a good resource for information on connecting research to the academic experience for our students. 

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Agenda

Discussion Topics Adoption of a research environment

consistent with the institutional mission Organization structure & policies Fostering a climate to build sponsored

program activity Connecting research to the classroom Promoting your office Development of skills related to gaining

external and institutional research support

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Needs

You need a Champion…

Go find and build one

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Promote your office

Tell your successes regularly via: Campus Newsletters &

Newspapers Your web page Email blasts to campus

Use your campus media/publications office for support

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Promote your office

Via classes and other training opportunities Use email, your web page, your

campus professional development office and campus signs/flyers

Special Promotional Services For special events or functions

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Promote your office

Have an open house Faculty like free food

Monogrammed shirts for staff Research brochure (aka “a

glossy”) Attend campus events Go visit Deans and Chairs Consider certification programs

for staff

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Promote your office

If you don’t, no one else

will

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Agenda

Discussion Topics Adoption of a research environment

consistent with the institutional mission Organization structure & policies Fostering a climate to build sponsored

program activity Connecting research to the classroom Promoting your office Development of skills related to gaining

external and institutional research support

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Skills Development

Attendance today is a great start

Continue professional development Drive in workshops On-campus events Peer reviews

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Dale Carnegie

Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by

people who have kept on trying when there seemed

to be no hope at all.

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Questions

W Scott Erwin, Sr. CGFM, CRADirector, Office of Sponsored Programs

Texas State University601 University Drive, JCK 420

San Marcos, Texas 78666Phone: 512-245-2102 Fax: 512-245-1822

we10@txstate.edu; www.txstate.edu/research