3.8 Approval and Closing of New Centers and Institutes

  1. Proposals to create new centers or institutes at the universities shall be submitted to the Board Office. Following review by the Board Office and the Council of Provosts, the Board Office shall place the request on the agenda for the next appropriate meeting of the Board of Regents’ Academic Affairs Committee. The Committee shall review the proposal and recommend action by the Board of Regents or take other action as it deems appropriate.

    In general, the type of center of institute that requires Board approval shall be the one that focuses on faculty-driven research and that is expected to leverage individual research grants into larger institutional projects.
     
  2. The proposals shall be submitted in a format developed by the Board Office Form C (PDF).
     
  3. The institutions shall conduct a review of Board-approved centers and institutes on a seven-year cycle and shall provide the Board Office with an annual list of centers and institutes that have been reviewed. A report on each center or institute reviewed shall be provided to the Board Office in a format developed by the Board Office Form D (PDF).
     
  4. The Board Office may periodically and selectively identify centers and institutes from the reports submitted by the institution to be audited on-site. The Board Office shall determine if any matters resulting from the audits need Board action and place them on the agenda of the Board of Regents’ Academic Affairs Committee.
  5. The name of a proposed center or institute typically follows the function of the unit. However, the university may desire to honor an individual by naming a center or institute for that individual. All proposed honorary names of centers and institutes at the Regent universities, including UIHC, shall obtain specific Board of Regents approval prior to naming.
    1. Before proceeding with any naming, all circumstances surrounding the naming must be carefully considered, including the overall benefit to the institution, whether the name is and will continue to be a positive reflection on the institution, and whether the name is consistent with the purpose and mission of the Board of Regents and its institutions.
       
    2. The Board may name centers and institutes in honor of persons (living or deceased) or entities, such as a business or foundation. The following are examples of the categories of persons and entities eligible for naming:
      1. Alumni with close ties to the institution.
      2. Distinguished Iowans.
      3. Persons who have made an outstanding contribution to a field of study, discipline, university, the State of Iowa, the nation, or the world.
      4. Donors who have made significant contributions to the institution, especially to the college that houses the center or institute or to the center or institute.
      5. Employees (president and faculty/staff). However, no center or institute may be named for a current Regent or Regent employee.  Naming cannot occur earlier than two years following the end of employment/appointment or upon death.
    3. A center or institute cannot be named for an elected official until that individual is no longer in office.
       
    4. The request to name the center or institute shall be submitted to the Board Office in the manner specified by the Board Office Form L (PDF).
  6. Requests to close a center or institute shall be reported to the Board Office on Form H (PDF).  After reviewing the request, the Board Office shall place the proposal on the agenda of the Academic Affairs Committee.
     
  7. Institutional responsibilities regarding due diligence concerning the proposed naming are described in Chapter 2.3.16 in the Board of Regents Policy Manual.