Creating, Discontinuing, or Changing a Center in L&S

Overview

Faculty and staff often pursue interdisciplinary research, outreach, and outward-facing service activities under formally organized units described as centers or institutes. These tend to be flexible organizational structures that allow department-based individuals to cross department, school, and college boundaries to focus on an interdisciplinary topic. Often centers or institutes are supported by research grants and other sources of funding.  Centers and institutes play an important role in the university's research activity and public profile, and campus policy governs their creation, review, and discontinuation. All centers and institutes that present themselves as formal UW-Madison units must be approved and recognized through formal governance processes. 

Governance 

Guidelines for Centers and Institutes were approved by the University Academic Planning Council. The following actions require a proposal and formal governance:

• Creating a new Center or Institute
• Discontinuing a Center or Institute
• Moving the Administrative home of a Center or Institute
• Renaming a Center or Institute

These actions are reviewed by L&S administration and the respective Associate Dean. These items require approval from the L&S Academic Planning Council and are put on the agenda of the University Academic Planning Council. As part of this process, L&S will seek comment or support from other Schools and Colleges that have a vested interest. Faculty who wish to pursue one of these actions are expected to alert their department chairs and associate dean about the proposed changes or new center early in the process.