Administrative Core

The Administrative Core is a central component of the COBRE and critical to its overall success. Led by the COBRE Director and Program Coordinator, the Administrative Core executes the mentorship and faculty development plan, monitors research progress of the Pilot Project Leaders, sets benchmarks, and tracks and assesses the performance of the research cores. The Steering Committee, chaired by the Program Director and composed of the Program Coordinator, research core Directors, representative users, top university administrative officials and the chair of the Department of Business, will ensure continued institutional support for the program, remove institutional barriers that impede the Center’s success, and participate in strategic planning for the sustainability of the research cores. An External Advisory Committee of international experts and center directors will provide general programmatic advice to the COBRE Director and university administrative officials and assesses the progress of Pilot Project Leaders. The Administrative Core will implement the following Specific Aims. In Aim 1, the Administrative Core will coordinate and execute a faculty development program for COBRE faculty and Pilot Project Leaders. Organized by the Program Coordinator, this program will be expanded to include mentor training and a greater emphasis on the needs of faculty at all career stages. In addition to formal mentors, the faculty development program includes in-person and asynchronous content sessions in areas of importance for research and academic success. Clear milestones are defined using individual development plans that are revisited for personal reflection. The major goal of the faculty development program is to navigate faculty successfully through the promotion/tenure process and to provide a supportive environment for faculty. In Aim 2, the Administrative Core will oversee strategic planning, fiscal management, compliance, and center evaluation in order to ensure that the research cores are on track to become sustainable after Phase 3. Compliance with all institutional and NIH regulations will be verified for research expenditures and will inform the setting of fee structures for core services. The Administrative Core will conduct annual performance evaluations of the research cores, faculty development program, and Pilot Project Leaders. In Aim 3, the Administrative Core will administer the pilot project program. New for Phase 3, the pool of pilot project recipients will be expanded to include faculty in neighboring IDeA program institutions, with particular emphasis on supporting projects that utilize the research cores and have a high likelihood of leading to independent support. Projects will undergo a rigorous review process that includes a panel of IDeA program investigators chaired by the Program Coordinator, followed by a secondary review by the EAC and COBRE Director. Pilot Project Leaders will receive mentorship and career guidance and will undergo an annual research performance review.