Chapter 9: Multi-University Centers

9.2.1 Identifying and Forming the Center Leadership Team
9.2.2 Establishing Institutional Partnerships
9.2.3 Initial Strategic Planning: Organizational Considerations
9.2.4 Allocation of Funds
9.2.5 Principles and Practices for Managing the Multi-university Center
9.2.6 Planning and Delivering on Diversity Goals

9.3.1 Administrative Challenges Unique to Multi-Institution ERCs
9.31.1. Increased Complexity of Multi-institution Centers
9.3.1.2 Agreements Between and Among the Partner Institutions
9.3.1.3 Effective Communication Is Key to Achieving Multi-institution ERC Cohesiveness and Focus
9.3.1.4 Multi-institution ERC Activities Are Complex
9.3.1.5 Multi-Institutional Education Programs, Diversity Programs, and Financial Systems
9.3.2 Structure and Roles of the Administrative Staff.
9.3.2.1 Functional Elements
9.3.2.2 Lead Institution Staffing
9.3.2.3 Administrative Staff at Partner Institutions
9.3.2.4 Staffing for Center Life Cycle Stages.
9.3.3 Center-wide Systems, Procedures, and Operations
9.3.3.1 Annual Report Systems
9.3.3.2 Site Visit Planning Logistics
9.3.4 Maintaining Strong Relationship Among Partner Institutions
9.3.5 Financial Management

9.4.1 The Strategic Research Plan: Development and Evolution
9.4.1.1 State-of-the-Art Analysis
9.4.1.2 Nature of the Research Plan
9.4.1.3 Plan Organization
9.4.1.4 Research Leader
9.4.1.5 Thrust Leaders
9.4.1.6 Annual Plan Review
9.4.1.7 Changes Affect Funding
9.4.1.8 Phasing-Out Mechanism
9.4.1.9 Serendipitous Discoveries
9.4.2 Project Selection and Review
9.4.2.1 Process
9.4.2.2 Research Program Refinement or Redefinition
9.4.2.3 Revised Thrust-Level Program
9.4.2.4 Project Proposals
9.4.2.5 Project Approval
9.4.2.6 Continuing Funding
9.4.3 Research Team Integration
9.4.3.1 Research Integration
9.4.3.2 Research Program Structure
9.4.3.3 Research Capabilities and Facilities
9.4.3.4 Framework to Guide the Research Process
9.4.3.5 Point of Contact
9.4.3.6 Communication is Essential
9.4.3.7 Program Measurables: Statement of Work and Period of Performance
9.4.3.8 Opportunities for New Faculty
9.4.3.9 Industry Research Champions
9.4.3.10 Failures Can Occur—Know When to Cut Losses
9.4.4 Role of Testbeds
9.4.4.1 Focus for Integration
9.4.4.2 Improved Understanding
9.4.4.3 Driver for Continuing Research
9.4.4.4 Driver of Modifications to Research Plan
9.4.4.5 Industry Knowledge Transfer

9.5.1 Challenges
9.5.2 Organizational Structures and Strategic Planning: Education Director’s Role
9.5.2.1 Central vs. Distributed Management
9.5.2.2 Negotiating Inter-institutional Agreements
9.5.2.3 Forming and Using Multi-campus Committees
9.5.2.4 Setting Program Goals and Objectives
9.5.2.5 Allocating Resources
9.5.2.6 Identify Center Activities
9.5.3 Developing New Course Curricula and Degrees
9.5.3.1 Issues in Offering Distance Learning and Web Courses
9.5.3.2 Team Teaching Courses in a Multi-Institutional Environment
9.5.4 Cross-institutional Student Opportunities and Organizations
9.5.4.1 Multi-institutional Student Internships and Student Exchange Programs
9.5.4.2 Multi-institutional Student Leadership Council (SLC)
9.5.4.3 Recruiting Across Partner Institutions.
9.5.5 Outreach to Industry
9.5.5.1 Planning the Course
9.5.5.2 Choosing and Recruiting Course Instructors
9.5.5.3 Choosing the Delivery Mechanism
9.5.6 Collaboration and Partnerships (Outreach) with Schools and the Community
9.5.6.1 How Education and Outreach Partners Add Value
9.5.6.2 Motivating Member Universities to Pursue Collaborations/Partnerships
9.5.6.3 Administering Funds, Coordinating Activities, and Oversight

9.6.1 Getting Started
9.6.1.1 Securing Buy-in and Commitment
9.6.1.2 Structuring a Program to Benefit All
9.6.1.3 Incorporating Pre-existing Industrial Consortia
9.6.1.4 Membership Agreements
9.6.1.5 Unique Aspects of Earthquake Engineering Research Centers
9.6.2 Building a Strong Industrial Constituency Across Multiple Campuses
9.6.2.1 The Industrial Liaison Officer—A Resource for All University Partners
9.6.2.2 Industry-student Connectivity
9.6.3 Interacting with Industry Partners in a Multi-University Environment
9.6.3.1 Modes of Communication for Intra-campus Collaboration
9.6.3.2 Industry Advisory Board
9.6.3.3 IAB Working Groups
9.6.3.4 Industry Champions
9.6.4 Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer
9.6.4.1 Technology Transfer: Strategies and Mechanisms
9.6.4.2 Developing an IP Agreement for Multi-university Centers
9.6.5 Sharing Industrial Funding Resources
9.6.5.1 Planning and Allocations to Partner Universities