Creating Centers at SPSU
Goal
- Improve SPSU’s ability to attract and conduct sponsored programs through the operation of specialized centers established to meet well defined objectives consistent with our mission.
Objectives Each center shall be structured and operated so as to:
- Foster collaboration and cooperation within and among departments,
- Share resources among projects, and
- Develop a market identity
Activities Centers will be defined with a charter that will identify the activities and domains in which each center will be engaged. Centers will likely be involved in more than one of the following activities:
- Applied research
- Consulting services
- Testing/certification services
- Development and delivery of professional development/continuing education workshops, seminars or classes
- Outreach
Creation
1) An individual or group of individuals may propose to establish a center by drafting a charter and submitting it to the Dean of Extended University.
2) The Dean of Extended University will present the proposed center charter to the Dean’s Council for the purpose of determining whether the proposed center is:
- Consistent with the mission of the university,
- Not redundant with an existing center or other function of the university,
- Ready for review and comment by the university community, or
- In need of revision before review by the university community.
3) When appropriate the Dean of Extended University will post the proposed charter on the Extended University web page for review and comment and send an email to Official_lists announcing the posting.
4) At the end of the review period input will be compiled and given to the originators for consideration of revision.
5) The revised charter and input from the review will be presented to the Dean’s Council to make a recommendation to the President to accept or reject the charter.
Operation
- Center activities and resources will be managed by the Center Director. Proposals, grants and contracts will be managed through the Office of Sponsored Programs to insure compliance with customer, university, state and federal requirements.
Evaluation
- Centers will be reviewed on a biennial basis. Centers are expected to be self supporting and to generate sufficient revenue to fund on-going operations including administrative support. If a center is not viable from a technical or fiscal standpoint it may be disbanded or reconstituted at the discretion of the VPAA.
Oversight
- Each center shall create and maintain an Advisory Board consisting of, at a minimum, two people not affiliated with SPSU, the Director of the Center, the Dean of Extended University and one Academic Dean. The center should communicate with the Advisory Board on a regular basis and hold meetings at least once annually.
Funding
- There is no baseline funding for centers. Centers will retain a portion of the revenue they generate. Centers are expected to be self supporting and to generate sufficient revenue from external sources to fund on-going operations. However, Centers will not be precluded from requesting funds from sources internal to SPSU.