The criteria proposed by the Research Council (see Evaluation Criteria for Center/Institute Proposal) are based on the recognition that a Research Center is a self-supporting, self-administering entity whose members will be professors and registered students at the Colorado School of Mines. The Center may carry out research from within one academic discipline or involve several academic disciplines and contain professors who are from one or more academic departments. Center research should have sufficient volume to be beyond the scope of a single faculty member to manage or have a broad enough scope that it requires the complementary abilities of several faculty members. The Center should also have an educational component involving graduate students, workshops, short courses, etc. 

A. The Principal Investigators contemplating center formation must have preliminary discussions with the Dean of  Research and with the department heads of the departments that potentially will be involved with the operation of the Center. During these discussions the overall concept of the Center will be considered. Administration is encouraging interdepartmental and interdisciplinary research; preference will be given to Centers with such composition. The criteria which will be considered include:

1. The Center's contribution to the graduate education program at CSM.

2. Evidence of grass roots growth. This means that a number of faculty must have:

a. cooperated in research;

b. developed a long-term research, educational and administrative agenda;

c. shown multiple faculty and student involvement; and

d. shown proof of potential funding sources. Such proof could be letters of intent from possible consortium members, acceptance of grants, etc.

B. The Dean of Research will determine if the Center is feasible, and, if so, will give authorization to proceed. Please note: This authorization to proceed does not guarantee final approval.

II. FORMAL CENTER PROPOSAL

A. Principal Investigators will prepare a formal center proposal which will include the following:

1. Center mission statement;

2. Evidence of grass roots growth;

3. Long-term research, educational and administrative agendas;

4. Funding plan and proof of funding sources (Such proof could be letters of intent from possible consortium members, acceptance of grants, etc.)

5. List of involved faculty (by department);

6. Proposed method of operation (such as by-laws);

7. Statement that overhead return (lower overhead rate) will be used only for Center administrative and operation purposes, and a description of how overhead will be used; and

8. Plan for annual accountability reporting to the university.

B. Have proposal approved by your Department Head and the Director of Research Administration. Submit the approved proposal to the Dean of Research.

C. Present proposal to the Research Council. (Meeting schedule: Research Council. Contact the Office of Research Development.)   

III. PROPOSAL REVIEW

A. Research Council will cast a vote either approving or rejecting the proposed Center. 

B. The Dean of Research will recommend approval or rejection of the proposed Center based on majority vote of Research Council and forward the recommendation to the Vice President of Academic Affairs.

C. Final approval of the proposed Center is made by the Vice President of Academic Affairs. 

D. If approved, only faculty listed in the Center proposal are eligible to submit research proposals through the Center, and the decision on whether a particular proposal qualifies for the Center rate will be made by the Dean of  Research. 

IV. SUNSET REVIEW

As a housekeeping measure, Research Council, under the advisement of the Dean of Research, will annually review the operation of all Centers and recommend termination of inactive groups.  The Dean will have the final decision, and decisions to terminate a Center may be appealed to the Vice President for Academic Affairs.