The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has various academic centers that complement and enhance faculty research and academic efforts.
These Centers conduct research and surveys, evaluate programs and policy, consult with organizations on special projects, teach and train students and practitioners, and provide public services and information. The knowledge generated by the faculty and staff in the centers is widely disseminated to educate policy makers, scholars, service providers and the general public.
The work by these centers advances understanding in academic fields for the university, the state, the nation and the world.
Center Review
Academic and Research Centers are reviewed periodically, generally every 5-7 years. Many center reviews are combined with the corresponding academic program review. Others may be reviewed during the college accreditation process and some are reviewed by the college dean on a pre-determined timeline.
In the year following the center review, reports are prepared by the office of the vice chancellor with the cooperation of the deans office. Those reports are presented to the university president, the board of regents (BOR), and Nebraska’s Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (CCPE).
What is a Center?
Academic Centers for Research, Teaching, and/or Service is a generic designation which applies not only to “centers” but also to all such entities such as those characterized as “bureaus,” institutes,” or designations other than colleges or schools. Such Centers require approval by the Board of Regents as stated in section 2.11 of the Bylaws of the Board of Regents if they meet all of the following criteria:
- Interdisciplinary breadth encompassing commitment of funding and faculty time from more than one department.
- An identifiable budget.
- Evidence that the multi-departmental center will more effectively achieve stated academic objectives than traditional departmental, school or college structures.
Establishing a New Center
A proposal for establishing a new academic center should be approved at the college level and then routed to the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor. The proposal should include a detailed description of the multi-departmental center function, justification, relevance to the University’s strategic plans, participating departments and faculty, administration, funding, formal name, and evidence that the multi-departmental center will more effectively achieve stated academic objectives than traditional departmental, school, or college structures. Download the format
Changes to an Existing Center
It is required for program changes, name changes, or the discontinuation of existing centers to go through the same channels of approval as required when establishing a new center. Please consult the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor at (402) 472-3751 or executivevcoffice@unl.edu to begin this process.
Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor
The Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor oversees the following centers including the preparation of center review reports that are reported to the University President.
| Center Name | Affiliated Units | Review Process | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Public Policy Center | University of Nebraska | Executive Vice Chancellor | 2024-25 |
| Center Name | Affiliated Units | Review Process | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bureau of Sociological Research | Sociology APR | 2030-31 | |
| Cedar Point Biological Station | Biological Sciences | Biological Sciences APR | 2026-27 |
| Center for Digital Research in Humanities | Libraries | POE renewal | 2025-26 |
| Center for Great Plains Studies | review by CAS dean | 2029-30 | |
| Center for Plains Humanities Alliance | Center for Great Plains Studies | review by CAS dean | 2029-30 |
| Center for Science, Mathematics, and Computer Education | Mathematics APR | 2030-31 | |
| Center on Children, Families, and the Law | Law | review by CAS dean | 2024-25 |
| Harris Center for Judaic Studies | Classics & Religious Studies | review by CAS dean | 2023-24 |
| Nebraska Center for Mass Spectrometry | Chemistry | Chemistry APR | 2024-25 |
| Center Name | Affiliated Units | Review Process | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bureau of Business Research | Economics | COB accreditation | 2027-28 |
| Center for Economic Education | Economics | COB accreditation | 2027-28 |
| Nebraska Center for Entrepreneurship | Management | COB accreditation | 2029-30 |
| Nebraska Council on Economic Education | Economics | COB accreditation | 2025-26 |
| Center Name | Affiliated Units | Review Process | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Family Resource Center | Child, Youth and Family Studies | Marriage and Family Therapy accreditation | 2023-24 |
| Kit and Dick Schmoker Reading Center | Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education & Special Education and Communication Disorders | Teaching, Learning and Teacher Education APR | 2027-28 |
| Nebraska Center on Research for Children, Youth, Families, and Schools | review by EHS dean | 2025-26 |
| Center Name | Affiliated Units | Review Process | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Governance and Technology Center | Law | review by Law dean | 2026-27 |
Office of Research and Economic Development
The Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Economic Development oversee the following centers including the preparation of center review reports which are submitted to the University President by the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor.
| Center Name | Affiliated Units | Review Process | Next Review |
|---|---|---|---|
| Center for Biotechnology | NRI Review | 2024-25 | |
| Center for Brain, Biology and Behavior | Review by VCR | 2027-28 | |
| Center for Electro Optics (NRI) | Review by CoE | 2026-27 | |
| Holland Computing Center | Computer Science APR | 2026-27 | |
| Mid-America Transportation Center | College of Engineering | review by CoE | 2025-26 |
| Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research | Review by VCR | 2027-28 | |
| Nebraska Center for Materials and Nanoscience | NRI Review | 2023-24 | |
| Nebraska Center for Plant Science Innovation | Review by VCR | 2027-28 | |
| Nebraska Center for Virology (with UNMC and Creighton) | Review by VCR | 2024-25 | |
| Nebraska Redox Biology Center (with UNMC) | Agricultural Research Division and College of Arts and Sciences | Review by VCR and ARD | 2023-24 |
| Nebraska Transportation Center | College of Engineering | Review by CoE | 2025-26 |