RESEARCH AND CREATIVITY

Effective: August 15, 2024

Purpose: To outline the requirements and expectations related to research and creativity.

Scope: This policy applies to the University campus wide.

Responsible Office: Academic Affairs

Policy Statement: Research and creativity are recognized as necessary to the mission of the University and as a part of the academic responsibilities of individual faculty members.

Research and creativity are a part of the evaluation and reward system of the University. This system is not intended to create a publish-or-perish policy nor should it be construed as endorsing such a policy.

The faculty and administration assume a positive attitude toward research and creativity in defining the role and mission of the University to the regents, the legislature, other state colleges and universities, and the public.

Individual faculty members and academic units are especially encouraged to undertake research and creative functions which involve students, and particularly graduate students.

Individual academic units are encouraged to give reasonable support to research and creativity within the framework of their allocated budgets.

A major portion of sabbatical leaves shall be used for the support of research and creative activities.

Implementation of Policy

ESU encourages its faculty to pursue research, creative projects, and other scholarly activities. The primary center for such encouragement is the Graduate School Office, one of the functions of which is the support of scholarly activity and the handling of grants for the institution. The faculty research and creativity committee, a faculty committee for which the Dean of the Graduate School acts as executive secretary, is the body primarily responsible for this function.

In addition to its general charge of encouraging research and other scholarly activity, the faculty research and creativity committee awards grants for support of the following activities:

• Small seed grants in support of scholarly and creative endeavors;
• Faculty Support in Search of Funds Program, to which faculty members may apply for travel assistance which will aid them in obtaining support from outside sources; AND
• Research assistantships.

Further information about these programs is available in the Research and Grants Center.

Research and Grants Center

The Research and Grants Center lends all possible assistance to faculty members in seeking support from outside agencies. It maintains information on the latest federal legislation affecting educational and scholarly support. It provides advice and assistance in preparing and submitting proposals for grants and contracts. All such proposals must be submitted through the Research and Grants Center.

The Research and Grants Center has responsibility for the orderly submission of grant proposals and the fiscal administration of funded projects, including grants and contracts. Faculty seeking external funds for research or other projects should submit their applications through the Research and Grants Center. After an award is made, the Center maintains the financial records and supervises the receipt and disbursement of grant/contract funds. The Center also advises faculty as to sources of external funding, works with faculty in the development of proposals, and coordinates the University's allocation of internal awards for research and creativity.

The process of submission of a proposal for an external grant or contract begins when a faculty member notifies the Research and Grants Center of intent to submit. This should be as early as possible, so that the Center may render all assistance possible to the principal investigator. The faculty member should consult with the Center during proposal development, particularly in regard to budgetary and administrative concerns. The principal investigator should allot adequate time for proposal review by the administration and should inquire at the Center in regard to procedures for administrative sign-off.

Procedures for the submission of proposals to the faculty research and creativity committee, which awards internal grants for research and creative activity, are spelled out in the annual solicitation issued by the committee through the Research and Grants Center.

Upon receipt of an external or internal grant or contract, the project director receives guidelines for administration of the award from the Research and Grants Center. The Center notifies the project director of the account number assigned to funds for the grant, maintains ledgers on grant accounts, and submits the financial reports required by granting agencies.

Definitions: All words and phrases shall be interpreted utilizing their plain meanings unless otherwise defined in another University or Board of Regents policy or by statute or regulation.

Procedures: All procedures linked and related to the policies above shall have the full force and effect of policy if said procedures have first been properly approved by the University’s administrator in charge of Academic Affairs.

[Academic Affairs procedures - coming soon]

Related Policy Information: [coming soon]