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  • 1.  Institutional research priority buy-in

    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous
    Posted 02-14-2024 09:24
    This message was posted by a user wishing to remain anonymous

    Dear Cayuse Community,

    My institution has struggled to get buy-in for our institutional research priorities from faculty and researchers, with many of them disregarding those priorities in favor of their own interests. What strategies have you found effective for engaging your university community in those research priorities? Are there incentives you've found helpful?



  • 2.  RE: Institutional research priority buy-in

    SUPERSTAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 02-15-2024 05:30

    Let's preface my answer by me telling you how I interpreted your question.  It looks like maybe the Research Office or the Provost's office (some entity like that) wants to support institutional level grants.  Perhaps an NSF ADVANCE or a G-RISE or a C-06.....something that could have cross-college impact.  You dangle this in front of the faculty and they don't want to abandon their scholarly pursuits.  Perhaps they think "someone" should do the thing you propose - but that someone is not them.  If that's the case, then....

    I think they're right - kind of.

    What shouldn't happen - in my opinion- is that research-engaged faculty be encouraged to deviate from their research purpose.  Answering their question is why they went to graduate school, why they're in higher ed - and, more to the point, answering those questions is what the world needs them to do.

    But it's not necessarily true that you can't get buy-in.  You're just asking the wrong people.  Look for your vibrant scholars (scholar, broadly construed here) who might be at a career transition point.  I don't necessarily mean a formal employment transition, like the move to full professor.  I mean that transition point where, perhaps, their question has been answered.  Or life has handed them a need to transition out of research/artistry/scholarship.  There are a lot of those people if you learn how to spot them.  And sadly, we often lose them because there's no clear path forward for them.  They just cruise on out to retirement.  If they don't want the cruising, and many of them don't, those are your people for institutional awards.  They are hungry for something different.

    We (meaning higher ed) don't do a good job of helping mid-career faculty flesh out their new roles.  We should learn to do better.  That said, let me be clear that while I have obvious opinions about what should be done, at my institution we're not doing a particularly good job of it either.  So.... I hear you.  But I think the change needs to be on the administrative side of the house, not the faculty side.  We're in this together.

    A



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    Andrea Buford
    Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
    Oakland University
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    Original Message


  • 3.  RE: Institutional research priority buy-in

    RISING STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 02-15-2024 05:32

    Hello,

    I feel like I probably need a bit more info to better answer the question.  What institutional research priorities are you having issues with and are these solely institutional wants or are they based on regulatory requirements?  With that said, I will try to provide some general thoughts that I feel have helped me with managing changes or shifting priorities within my department.

    If they are based on regulatory requirements, then providing those notices or rules as part of the discussion with faculty and researchers can be helpful as can gaining the support of the Faculty Dean.  However, if they are based solely on institutional desire and policy then part of the resolution may be to provide a benefit/cost analysis for the institution and for the researchers.

    Some possible questions to consider:

    Priorities for whom?  Why?
    Do the research priorities align with the ongoing research of the institution?
    Does focus on these priorities improve the research opportunities for the faculty/researchers?
    What isn't accomplished if the faculty/researchers focus on these priorities.
    Who benefits from this redirection?

    Once that is evaluated and a need for that redirection is supported further, then it is time to start taking the vision on the road.

    Communicating with the faculty/researchers on what the institutional priorities are and how they will improve research possibilities for the faculty and researchers may go a long way.  Often, the research community disregards administrative vision because it increases work burden without providing any notable improvement to their research or their ability to obtain funding.

    Are there already other policies or cultural aspects that prohibits now priorities?  If the faculty/researchers are already pushed to produce results as quickly as possible then getting buy in to change or build new directions or priorities is going to be very difficult.

    Start at the top; Deans and Department Chairs have significant sway in shifting the opinion and attitude of the faculty working under them.  Getting their buy in and understanding of the value to be gained in the priority focus as the departmental level will possibly generate an ally to that change.

    Be transparent and trustworthy; Faculty and researchers do not want to be sold a false promise.  If there are hiccups and challenges that are foreseen, then those should be part of that buy-in discussion.  Regular communication on progress and gains (or losses) should be provided with some regularity.

    Best wishes and I hope that is helpful.



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    Guy Wiles
    Director, IACUC
    Augusta University
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    Original Message


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