Guidelines for Proposal Development

to Establish a WSU University Center

1. Mission

   1. State the mission of the proposed center. Consider the following in the mission statement:
      1. Research is the purpose to advance, promote or support a research area? Will students have an opportunity to engage in research activities?
      2. Academic/Instructional What type of programs will be offered (e.g., workshops, seminars, courses)? If a degree is to be offered, describe (minor, co-major, certificate). If it is a graduate certificate, has it been approved by the Graduate Council?
      3. Service What is the target audience for the service (agencies of government, business, public institutions, private institutions, community, etc.)? How have these groups expressed a need for this service?  Provide letters of support in Appendix D.
   2. Provide background information that led to the decision to develop a center.
   3. How will the proposed center activity differ from similar ongoing [research, teaching, service] activity that currently exists within the university?
   4. Specify the interdisciplinary nature of the proposed center. If the center is to address a fairly specific program of research [teaching, service] within an existing department what would distinguish it as needing center status?

2. Governance/Organization

   1. Leadership:
      1. Program Director Identify if known.  Include credentials (CV) in Appendix C.
      2. How will the current responsibilities of the named director be impacted by this new responsibility? Is this new responsibility supported by the dean? Include Letter of Approval from the dean in Appendix E.
      3. Assistant If there is to be a co-director or assistant, is the new responsibility supported by his/her dean/chair? Include Letter of Approval from the dean/chair in Appendix E.
      4. Discuss the reporting lines (Attach Organizational Chart - Appendix B).
      5. Have internal and external advisory board members been appointed? Provide letters of Support in Appendix D.
   2. Personnel:
      1. List the participating faculty. Are they currently faculty at Wayne State University?  Include CVs in Appendix C.
      2. Describe their role (teaching, research, service, other).
      3. What agreements will be reached with participating departments regarding faculty participation, particularly with regard to external support and indirect cost returns (include letters of approval from the department chair and line dean in Appendix E)?
      4. How will faculty salaries be paid?

3. Facilities

   1. Where will the center be housed?
   2. Will the activities of the center be conducted in existing space or will additional space be required (e.g., for graduate assistants and postdoctoral fellows, etc.)?
   3. Identify existing WSU equipment. Discuss future maintenance/upkeep.

4. Budget

   1. Discuss the financial support for the center/institute (e.g., endowment interest, existing faculty research grants, external support, in kind support).
   2. If General Funds are to be used in the start-up phase, have the appropriate administrators indicated their commitment to the proposed center/institute? Include letter of approval from the appropriate administrator(s) in Appendix F.
   3. Include Budget Projections for Proposed Center/Institute form in Appendix F.

5. Appendices

1. Charter
2. Organizational Chart include dean, director, operations and steering committees, faculty, graduate assistants, postdoctoral fellows, etc.
3. Curriculum Vitae of director, associate director and faculty
4. Letters of Support
5. Letter of Approval from line dean and/or chair
6. Budgetary Forms for Proposed Center or Institute (prepared by the Budget Committee of the Academic Senate)