APLU Council on Research Summer Meeting, 2016 New and Future VPR/VCR Workshop

Kelvin K. Droegemeier Vice President for Research

University of Oklahoma

Drs. Lori A. Snyder and Alicia Knoedler, University of Oklahoma

Dr. Carolyn Whitacre, The Ohio State University

Brett Litwiller and William Taylor, University of Oklahoma

Dr. Howard Gobstein, Christine Keller, Teri Lyn Hinds, Kacy Redd, and Nathalie Argueta, APLU

The Vice President/Vice Chancellor/Vice Provost for Research (hereafter VPR) is A key (though perhaps not well understood)

position in public and private research universities

Structured and deployed in a wide variety of ways with a wide variety of responsibilities

Facing many new challenges owing to problematic budgets, compliance requirements, and dramatic changes in the higher education landscape

No comprehensive survey had been conducted of VPRs/VCRs to understand

Administrative structures utilized and their strengths and weaknesses

Characteristics and experiences of individuals holding the position

Current roles and responsibilities of the position

New and emerging challenges, and skills needed to meet them

Strategies for effectively preparing the next generation, including possible roles for CRPGE and other APLU organizations

Article on survey results has been submitted to the peer reviewed Review of Higher Education

Your Institution (6) You (5) Your Professional Experience (8) The Structure of your Current Position (19) Training (5) Current State of the VPR/VCR Position (18) Succession Planning (3) Response rate = 50% Many more results and analyses than we

have time to show today!!

84% from Research Universities

51% Very high research activity (Now Highest Research/R1)

33% High research activity

97% from public universities

41% from land grant universities

White

Black or African American

Asian

Prefer not to Disclose

Female

Male

Prefer not to Disclose

Discipline of Degree 25% Engineering 24% Biomedical and Biomedical Sciences 22% Physical Sciences 5% Social Sciences 5% Psychology 5% Agriculture and related sciences

10 yrs ago

30 yrs ago 40 yrs ago

Mean: 1983

Std. Dev.: 7

N: 79

20 yrs ago

President/Chancellor

Vice President for

Academic Affairs/Provost

Vice Chancellor for

Research

Other

Graduate Dean

Mean: 10.2

Median: 8

Std. Dev.: 10.0

N: 78

Number reporting directly to VPR

76% 78% 80% 82% 84% 86% 88% 90% 92% 94% 96% 98%

Patenting/licensing

Research Center/Campus

External Funding

Inst. Animal Care & Use (IACUC)

Research development

Sponsored programs, pre-awardservices

Institutional Review Board

34% have purview over Health Campus/Organization

24% have purview over Veterinary Medicine Campus/Organization

57% have responsibility for a 501(c)3 non-profit research organization

63% have budget linked to indirect cost recovery

57% have role in funding retention packages, relative to other offices

Percentage funded by VPR

79% have a role in funding startup packages

Percentage of start-up funded by VPR

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100%

Other

Linking Research with Philanthropy

Diversity Among Faculty and/or Students

Diversity of Fields of Research

Research with Non-Profit Foundations

Undergraduate Participation in Research

Applied Research Development

Research Interactions with Private Sector

External Funding from Federal Agencies

Multidisciplinary Research

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Leadership Outside of Academia

Involvement with Sponsored Research

Dean/Assoc. Dean

Service in Gov./Federal Organization

Research Experience

Department Chair/Head

Director/Assistant Director

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

How to Develop and/or SustainPrograms

Personnel Management

National Research Priorities

Developing Strategic ResearchAreas and/or Teams

University Culture

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

Critical Thinking

Strategic Planning

Ability to Gain Credibility in Eyesof Faculty

Ability to Influence Stakeholders(E.G., President, Fellow Deans,

Trusts, Etc.)

Leadership

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

Burdensome Federal ComplianceRegulations

Faculty Who are Insufficiently Boldand Unwilling to Take Risks

Too Many Activities for One Person

Insufficient External Funding

Insufficient Internal Funding

Decling Federal Budgets

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Helping Create Jobs

Seeing Advances Made in theScholarly Enterprise

Seeing Society Benefit throughthe University's Research

Efforts

Building Infrastructure forFuture Research

Helping Faculty Achieve TheirGoals

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Private Industry Relations

Philanthropy

Foundation Relations

Export Controls

Commercialization of UniversityResearch

Economic Development

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Faculty Development

Research Collaboration

Compliance Burden

Relationships with Industry

Economic Development

Funding Issues

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Internal Relations (within University)

Strategic Planning

Working with Industry/Private Sector

Fostering Teamwork/Collaboration

Leadership/Management Skills

External Relations/Communication

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

Increase Internal Support

Changes in F&A distribution

More Institutional Focus on Research

Report to President

Involvement in Strategic Decisions

More Funding

More Staffing

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

General Research Experience

Management of Large Entities

Experience in Office of VPR

Leadership/Mgmt./Comm. Training

Other Admin. Experience

Research Administration Experience

VPR gender and ethnic diversity are notably low Few institutions have plans for UG research Institutions with strategic plans for research tend to fare

better VPR duties, workload and future challenges suggest

difficulty attracting the next generation of leaders VPR succession planning appears to not be a priority within

institutions Considerable turnover (~50%) may occur in VPR positions

during the next 1-3 years. Current VPRs appear to view their successors as having

career paths similar to their own, perhaps leading to blindness to those in non-traditional pathways

For VPRs: Provide professional development for those who

might wish to become VPRs

For Aspiring VPRS: Speak with your VPR about your ambitions and

her/his view of possible professional development activities

Point your VPR to this survey and the journal article Seek to become a strategic player at your institution Read materials that are relevant to VPR activities Make yourself known to search firms