Academic and Research Centers

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:

1. Interdisciplinary breadth encompassing commitment of funding and faculty time from more than one department.
2. An identifiable budget.
3. 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.