Establishment and Termination of Academic Centers

Policy Principles

• Kansas Board of Regents policy (II.7.k) states that “Establishment of [a center or institute] … should enhance the visibility of a given subject or activity. Each unit shall provide an exact and detailed description of its scope.”
• The establishment and review of University Research Centers (URCs) with base budget support from the Office of Research is governed by the University Research Centers and Institutes (Designation Of) and the Review of Research Centers policies; these separate policies apply to centers based in the College, schools, or within units reporting to the Office of Research.
• This policy applies to academic centers, including research centers. Centers with purely service missions are not subject to this policy.
• Other than URCs, only deans and the Vice Chancellor for Research have the authority to recommend the establishment, continuance, and termination of centers in the units (to be called “unit centers”) reporting to them for endorsement by the Provost and approval of the Chancellor.
• When establishing unit centers, deans and the Vice Chancellor for Research must take necessary steps to assure that:
  • New unit centers do not duplicate, compete with, or otherwise undermine any other centers or activities in other units;
  • Unit centers support or enhance activities for which a unit center structure, designation, and visibility is necessary.
  • There must be a transparent process of consultation with other unit leaders before creation of a unit center is recommended by the unit leader and there must be a mechanism to resolve disagreements between units.
• Any centers created outside of this policy or the University Research Centers and Institutes (Designation Of) and Review of Research Centers policies are not permitted and must not be acknowledged or recognized as KU centers in official KU materials, websites, or social media.
• Units must create and publish explicit policy and process for reviewing proposals for new unit centers.
• Unit policy should also provide for periodically monitoring unit centers, including established before this policy came into effect. This process should include criteria for sufficient activity and productivity, maintenance and consistency of mission with respect to the terms under which unit centers were established, and an evaluation of whether they support and enhance the academic mission of the unit and the University. Status of the entity as a unit center should be terminated by the unit if these criteria are not met.
• Centers established as a result of competitive external funding that specifically supports creation of a center (e.g., NIH P20/P30/P50 awards, NSF ERC, STC) may be established without the usual consultation or review procedures, upon recommendation of the Vice Chancellor for Research, endorsement by the Provost and approval by the Chancellor. Continuation of such centers after the funding that led to their creation has lapsed will be subject to the same review as other unit centers in the respective unit.
• The Vice Chancellor for Research will maintain a list of academic centers. 

Procedures

1. Procedure for creation of a new unit center

When a unit or one of its subdivisions (e.g., an academic department) plans to create a center, the unit leader must

1. Provide sufficient information for all other unit leaders to determine whether there may be conflicts that would affect their own unit, such as

i. Duplication;

ii. Competition; or

iii. Disciplinary encroachment into the realm of another unit.

2. Documentation should be provided to the Vice Chancellor for Research, who will make the information available for review by other unit leaders.
3. Unit leaders must notify the Vice Chancellor for Research within 10 business days if they intend to express concerns over the proposed unit center. If no such notice is received, the Vice Chancellor for Research will review the proposal and forward a recommendation to the Provost. If the proposed academic center is not primarily concerned with research and scholarship, the Vice Chancellor for Research will request a review from an appropriate vice provost.
4. If a unit leader submits an expression of concern, the unit leader proposing the center will be given an opportunity to respond, modify, or withdraw the proposal.
5. If concerns are not resolved, the Vice Chancellor for Research (or vice provost, if appropriate) will attempt to mediate an agreement between the units before forwarding a recommendation to the Provost.

2. Procedure for review and termination of unit centers

Each unit must implement a process for periodic review of its officially recognized unit centers.

1. The unit leader must establish a review process suitable to the culture and structure of the unit and its centers.

i. The process should generally include a formalized review at least every 5 years, addressing minimum criteria as outlined in 1(a) of this policy.

ii. Depending on the scope of the center, the review should be managed at the most appropriate level (e.g., department level for a center housed within a department), but should be shared with the unit leader (dean, director), if not conducted at the unit level.

iii. The review process should include other units if they are significant partners to the center under review.

iv. The unit leader must inform the Vice Chancellor for Research and the Provost of the outcome of the review process. The Vice Chancellor or Provost may consult other unit leaders if there are concerns about duplication, competition, or encroachment that have not been addressed.

2. If there is evidence as a result of the review process or otherwise that centers are insufficiently active, not appropriately fulfilling their missions, or otherwise not contributing in significant or substantial ways to the mission of the unit or the University, and after consulting with other units if appropriate, the unit leader should recommend the revocation of the designation as an official center to the provost for endorsement and the Chancellor for approval. When approved, the center will be removed from the list of active centers.