REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OR NAME CHANGE OF UNIVERSITY CENTERS OR INSTITUTES AND OTHER NAMED OR TITLED ACADEMIC UNITS.

(See Faculty Manual sections B6 and C18 for more information)

 Revised 1/31/18 (To update website links.)

 

A University Center or Institute (Faculty Manual Bylaw B6.5) is an independent academic unit of the University with its primary mission being multidisciplinary or interdisciplinary research in an area specified in its charter. It involves faculty from different schools or different departments of a single school.  A University Center or Institute, or any other such academic unit, however named or titled, shall not award tenure, confer degrees, or offer primary faculty appointments (See I (a)).

Other Named or Titled Academic Units coordinate and promote research, instruction, conferences, seminars, workshops, etc., within a specified area.  No such unit may award tenure, confer degrees, or offer primary faculty appointments independent of a department.  Approval of the Faculty Senate and the President is not required if the unit is only a physical location or overwhelmingly engaged in the provision of clinical services to patients.  (See Faculty Manual Section B6.6 and I (b) below).

Note: A provisional name consistent with these policies may be used prior to the name and unit being approved. This provision applies to both UNIVERSITY CENTERS and INSTITUTES and Other NAMED or TITLED ACADEMIC UNITS where the sponsors are pursuing specific funding opportunities, such as sponsored awards or gifts. For development to proceed with use of a provisional name, approval must be obtained from the faculty of the units developing the proposal, the deans of the schools involved, and the Executive Vice-President and Provost. The Faculty Senate is to be informed at the earliest opportunity that such planning is underway and the date by which a formal proposal may be expected for review. Any such provisional name may not be used for more than one year without the approval of the Faculty Senate. If the Provost requests additional time beyond
one year for any reason, including the need for additional time for the Center or Institute to secure funding, the Provost shall explain in detail the reasons. An extension for a time lasting no longer than an additional year may then be granted by the Senate Chair if approved by the Committee on General Welfare. Thereafter, if the Provost wishes to continue without the funding obtained, the procedures in Section B6.5 or B6.6 must be utilized. In that case, the Senate may require a review sooner than the five-year period specified in C18.2.(1)

I(a). For submission of proposals for the establishment of a University Center or Institute, proponents should provide tto the Faculty Senate a proposal that includes (in addition to the submission form found at https://fs.miami.edu/senate-info/proposal-submission-process/index.html):

  • A 2-3 page executive summary.
  • A charter that describes the mission, funding sources, organization, and administration, including reporting relationships of the director and any other appropriate aspects of governance, and a detailed budget (do not include names, just titles). The proposal shall also describe the procedures for ongoing evaluation, for faculty affiliation, for amending the charter, and for the appointment and review of the director.
  • The entities shall be named with “University of Miami” preceding such titles and are the only academic units in addition to schools and departments that ordinarily may use the unqualified prefix “University of Miami.”(2)
  • A memo from the department chair(s) signifying approval of the Faculty of the appropriate department(s).
  • A memo from the dean(s) signifying approval of the Faculty of the appropriate school(s)/college(s).
  • A memo from the dean(s) and/or Provost indicating approval of proposed budget.
  • A memo indicating approval of the Academic Deans Policy Council (ADPC).
    (Contact The Executive Assistant to the Provost, at (305) 284-3356 to receive instructions for placing the proposal on the ADPC agenda).

(To view a previously approved proposal, see Legislation #2016-45 (B) – Establish a University -wide Frost Institute for Chemistry and Molecular Science at the University of Miami

I(b).    For submission of Proposals for the establishment of Other Named or Titled Academic Units, proponents should provide to the Faculty Senate a proposal that includes: 

  • A brief description of the unit, including its operating rules.
  • The entity must use the name of the department or school as an immediate prefix to the name of the unit except as provided for below. (3) They are administrative and academic components of a department or school and may be referred to by a designation such as consortium, clinic, program, laboratory, project, center, institute, or other appropriate name.  At the time of the establishment of any such unit under Bylaw B6.6, the unqualified prefix “University of Miami” may be approved if the unit is a cooperative venture with an entity outside of the University and its mission is justified as being of university-wide significance or if there are other special circumstances.
  • A memo from the department chair(s) signifying approval of the Faculty of the appropriate department(s).
  • A memo from the dean(s) signifying approval of the Faculty of the appropriate school(s)/college(s).
  • If approval by the Faculty Senate and the President is not necessary under Bylaw B6.6 (i.e., the unit is only a physical location, or is overwhelmingly engaged in the provision of clinical services to patients), the unit is only required to submit a brief description of the unit and its activities. The Faculty Senate will then determine if approval is required, or whether the notice already provided is sufficient.

 (To view a previously approved proposal, see Legislation #2016-60(B) – Osher Center of Integrative Medicine at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

 II.      For name changes of existing University Centers/Institutes and Other Named or Titled Academic Units, proponents should provide to the Faculty Senate: 

  • A memo explaining the reason for the change and indicating that the new title is justified and does not result in undue overlap with titles of other existing programs
  • A memo from the department chair(s) signifying approval by the faculty of the appropriate department(s)
  • A memo from the dean(s) signifying approval of the faculty of the appropriate school(s)/college(s)
  • A memo indicating approval of the Academic Deans Policy Council (ADPC) (for University Center or Institute proposals only)(4)

 

(To view a previously approved proposal, see Legislation #2016-17(B) – Name Change of the Miami Institute of the Americas to the University of Miami Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas

 

III. Senate approval process 

  • Submission of the proposal to the General Welfare Committee. The proposal must be received in electronic form at least 10 days in advance of the relevant General Welfare Committee meeting.  Visit https://fs.miami.edu/ or contact the Senate office at FacSen@miami.edu for a list of meeting dates.  The proponent should present only a summary of the proposal to the General Welfare Committee assuming that the Committee has already reviewed the document.
  • Upon the recommendation of the General Welfare Committee, the proposal will be placed on the Senate agenda. A proponent should be present at the Faculty Senate meeting to answer questions and to present a summary of the proposal if requested.
  • Approval of the proposal by the Faculty Senate as Class B legislation will be forwarded to the President by the Faculty Senate Chair.

IV. Required approvals beyond the SEnate

  • Approval of the President.
  • Periodic five year reviews may be conducted on all programs as deemed appropriate by the Faculty Senate or the Executive Vice President and Provost (per Faculty Manual section C18.2.3).

Notes:

These are general guidelines that may vary depending on the particular type of proposal being submitted. Additional information may be requested.

If CVs are included in a proposal, please send these as a separate document.

 

Footnotes:

(1) Legislation #2011-07(B)

(2) NOTE: There is precedent for the Senate to authorize the name to read “Institute for [ ] at the University of Miami,” rather than the University’s name as a prefix. However, the Senate is under no duty to do so.

(3) See footnote 3.

(4) Name changes are usually handled on an expedited basis, and accomplished by submission of documents, i.e., without the need for an in-person presentation.