ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE Successes, Challenges, and Opportunities at the University of Oregon A Self-Study Report Prepared for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities April 2007 AcAdemic excellence: Successes, challenges, and Opportunities at the University of Oregon A Self-Study Prepared for the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities April 2007 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon PB The University of Oregon affirms and actively promotes the right of all individuals to equal opportunity in education and employment at this institution without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, age, religion, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression, or any other extraneous consideration not directly and substantively related to effective performance. This policy implements all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and executive orders. 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PB Table of ConTenTs AcAdemic excellence: Successes, challenges, and Opportunities at the University of Oregon InTroduCTIon .....................................................................................................................................................xi ThemaTIC overvIew .............................................................................................................................xi self-sTudy Goals and ProCess ..................................................................................................xi exeCuTIve summary and fIndInGs ..................................................................................................xiii sTeerInG CommITTee membershIP ..................................................................................................xvii Glossary of abbrevIaTIons ................................................................................................................xix Part I. transformIng oregon and Beyond InTroduCTIon .................................................................................................................................................1 a. InvenTInG The fuTure: uo researCh and sCholarshIP ..........................................3 a.1. dIsCIPlInary researCh ....................................................................................................................... 3 a.1.a. College of arts and sciences ............................................................................................... 4 a.1.b. Professional schools and Colleges ................................................................................... 4 a.1.c. Issues in disciplinary research ........................................................................................... 6 Uneven external fundng opportuntes............................................................................... 6 The humantes ............................................................................................................................ 6 Measurng scholarly productvty .......................................................................................... 7 a.2. InTerdIsCIPlInary and CollaboraTIve researCh .......................................................... 7 a.2.a. Institutes and Centers .............................................................................................................. 8 Organzed under the vce presdent for research ........................................................... 8 Other centers and nsttutes ................................................................................................... 8 a.2.b. Initiatives at the school and College level .................................................................... 8 a.2.c. office of research Targeted research Initiatives .....................................................11 a.2.d. International and diversity-related research ............................................................12 a.2.e. Issues in Interdisciplinary research ................................................................................14 General ssues ...........................................................................................................................14 Centers focused on nternatonal ssues and dversty ...............................................16 a.3. researCh suPPorT ...............................................................................................................................16 a.3.a. funding .........................................................................................................................................16 Overvew of sponsored fundng ..........................................................................................16 Fundng sources .......................................................................................................................17 Assessment ................................................................................................................................18 How the money s spent ........................................................................................................18 a.3.b. Infrastructure..............................................................................................................................19 Grants management ................................................................................................................19 Research complance ..............................................................................................................20 Captal facltes .........................................................................................................................21 a.3.c. Issues in research support .................................................................................................21 Fundng .........................................................................................................................................21 Infrastructure ..............................................................................................................................22 a.4. QualITy and ImPaCT of researCh ProGrams .................................................................23 a.4.a. Institutional ranking systems ...........................................................................................23 Assocaton of Amercan Unverstes metrcs ................................................................23 The Carnege Classficaton of Insttutons of Hgher Educaton .............................24 TheCenter Amercan unverstes research data ...........................................................26 Shangha Jao Tong Unversty world unverstes rankngs ......................................26 Natonal Research Councl rankngs ..................................................................................26 a.4.b. other Performance metrics .................................................................................................27 External sponsorshp ...............................................................................................................27 Scholarly works and publcatons mpact ........................................................................27 Awards, honors, and other ndcators of qualty ............................................................28 a.5. ChallenGes and oPPorTunITIes ................................................................................................28 b. TransformInG The sTaTe: role of The unIversITy ........................................................31 b.1. benefITs of a unIversITy of oreGon eduCaTIon ..........................................................31 b.1.a. educating Citizens and leaders ........................................................................................31 b.1.b. educating a work force .......................................................................................................31 b.2. unIversITy of oreGon as emPloyer and eConomIC ParTner ............................33 b.2.a. direct economic Impact ........................................................................................................33 In-state expendtures ..............................................................................................................33 Unversty employment ...........................................................................................................34 b.2.b. multiplier effects ......................................................................................................................34 b.2.c. attracting enterprise and Creating Jobs ........................................................................34 b.2.d. uo revenue, out-of-state funding, and research ..................................................36 b.3. researCh and eConomIC develoPmenT ...............................................................................36 b.3.a. Technology Transfer and the “Innovation Cycle” ......................................................37 Inventon dsclosures ..............................................................................................................37 Patents ..........................................................................................................................................37 Lcensng ......................................................................................................................................38