Western Michigan University

Welcome to the Office of the
Vice President for Research (OVPR)

The work of our office is focused on supporting and sustaining research and creative activity at WMU. We assist with external funding proposal development and submission, manage the awarding and administration of internal funding support, and oversee and assure compliance with research-related federal, state, and University regulations. This site is designed to assist you with access to tools and resources related to these functions.

Front Page News - What's Happening!

Deadline for Faculty Research and Creative Activities Award (FRACAA) is January 13, 2012

To download an application or to review the FRACAA guidelines, click here.

FRACAA applicants who want proposal development assistance, can attend one of three open door office hours in 240W-R Walwood. Research program officer Allison Green and Dr. Steven Bertman, chair of the FRACAA Research Screening committee, will be available to answer questions and provide assistance on these dates:

Thursday, 12/15/11, 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
Friday, 1/6/12, 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.
Tuesday, 1/10/12, 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.

Research and Dessert Day Update

This year's November 18th Research and Dessert Day was well attended. This year's event included an offering of workshops, informational sessions, and opportunities to connect with colleagues across the University. For more information click here.

New Features Added to Web-based Proposal Approval Form (PAF)

Those submitting or approving proposal submissions using the web-based PAF (AKA "bucksheet") will notice a new look when they log on to OVPR's Proposal Management Center. A new feature allows users to sort and filter the proposals they want to view by such categories as user group, date range, and grant state. This enables users to easily identify the status of those proposals they've submitted or approved for submission.

If you access the web-based PAF from off-campus (e.g., via laptop or home computer) you must use the campus Virtual Private Network (VPN) portal to maintain security of the University's data. The VPN software, available from the OIT website, must be installed on the off-campus computer you will use to log on. Once installed, which takes only a few minutes, the VPN portal can be used to access your current and previous proposal approval forms from off campus locations. Download the VPN Software.

For more information about the new web-based PAF or questions about the VPN, call OVPR at 269-387-8270 or contact your research officer.