Provost Office: Memorandum
To: All Faculty and Staff
From: Bill Stephenson, Vice Provost for Research
Ken Blank, Sr. Associate Vice Provost for Research
Subject: Major Research Initiative Planning Process
Date: 01 February 2006
Over the past ten years the nature of university based research has changed dramatically. Increasingly research has tended to focus on highly complex, multidisciplinary topics that address significant issues that have societal impact. During this period research expenditures at Drexel University have increased from about $15M in FY'96 to over $100M in FY05 and seen the growth of multi-investigator programs that produced "cutting edge" research and technology.
Drexel's research enterprise will undoubtedly continue to require the development of innovative research programs that address important societal issues and build on existing and emerging areas of strength. These strategic research programs provide opportunities for achieving national and international prominence that will facilitate attracting and retaining outstanding faculty and students.
To be successful, research initiatives must grow out of the interest of the faculty. Therefore we are interested in identifying major new research initiatives that we should undertake. Towards this end, this document describes a process by which faculty can propose, develop, and implement major new University-wide research programs. As indicated below, the deadline for submitting proposals is May 15, 2006.
Planning Process
* Input for new programs should be sought from:
- Internal sources: Faculty, Chairs/Heads, and Deans/Directors (Note: Deans/Directors should develop internal processes that facilitate input
- External sources: government agencies, industry and national organizations (e.g., NAS)
* A Program Committee should be formed for each identified area to define goals and objectives, identify resources, develop the strategic plan and assessment criteria.
- The program proposer will have primary responsibility for securing committee membership from the appropriate Colleges/Schools in consultation with the relevant Deans/Directors, Department Chairs/Heads and the Vice Provost for Research. - While the proposer may serve as Chair of the Committee, at least initially, in some instances the Committee, in consultation with the Vice Provost for Research and the cognizant Dean(s), might appoint a Chair.
* The Program Committee will have primary responsibility for developing a preliminary white paper containing:
- Research area and issue(s) to be addressed
- Drexel resources currently available to address the research
- Impact of research on Drexel (e.g., development of research synergies, new graduate and undergraduate programs, technology commercialization, etc)
- Opportunities for external funding
- The white paper should be reviewed by the Vice Provost for Research. For this purpose, white papers must be submitted electronically to research@drexel.edu by March 20, 2006.
* The Program Committee in conjunction with the Office of Research sponsors a programmatic retreat to further develop the program concept Notice of retreat is sent to all potentially interested faculty
- Abstracts are requested from faculty in preparation for the retreat
- The Program committee:
- Integrates data derived from the retreat and modifies the white paper if necessary
- Assesses the organization's external and internal environments and performs SWOT (Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis
- Identifies the strategic issues facing the university including availability of resources
- Formulates strategies to manage these issues
- Develops the strategic plan o Develops assessment strategy including milestones
* Results of the Program Committee analysis are reviewed by the Vice Provost for Research and cognizant Dean(s). Feedback is provided to the committee for revision (if necessary). The Program Committee analysis must be submitted electronically to research@drexel.edu by May 15, 2006.
* The Program Committee may present a request for seed funding to the Vice Provost for Research for review and approval. The amount of seed funding may differ depending on needs of each individual program.
* Successful programs may develop into Institutes or Centers that are formed under existing policy.