Centers and Institutes Committee

Role statement

The Faculty Senate Centers and Institutes Committee is responsible for facilitating the process for creating centers and institutes at WMU. The committee is also responsible for collecting the basic information required to produce the annual status reports. The status reports include a review of the centers or institutes web presence. The committee will also maintain copies of the centers and institutes five-year reviews.

Centers and Institutes Policy (revised June 2024)

Charges 2025-26

In addition to its specific responsibilities listed in the Centers and Institutes Committee’s role statement, the Faculty Senate Executive Board charges the CIC to consider, as a committee of the whole or through the appropriate committee or task force, the following:

1. Develop procedures to support the process to create a center or institute. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
2. Communication procedures for creating a center or institute and the annual status reports with the Faculty Senate, the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for Research and Innovation, and the Vice President for Marketing and Strategic Communication. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
3. Annually collect status information of centers and institutes. Produce a report for the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, the Vice President for Research and Innovation, and the Vice President for Marketing and Strategic Communications. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.
4. Review the scope and description of the committee's role statement and assess the effectiveness of the committee's practices.
5. At the annual April CIC meeting, the committee members must review the draft year-end report, to be submitted to the Faculty Senate office, by the committee chair no later than May 30.
6. Address any continuing or outstanding issues or initiatives as directed by the Faculty Senate Executive Board, members of the committee, faculty, and/or academic administrators. Conclude the initiative by producing a report to the Executive Board or a Memorandum of Action.

Approved by the Faculty Senate Executive Board on Aug. 22, 2025

Click here for a printable version of the CIC 2025-26 Charges.

NOTE: The CIC will seek information from any administrative office to maintain communications with that office on issues directly related to it. Council recommendations are to be submitted to the Executive Board in the form of a  memorandum of action (MOA) on which the recommendation(s) is/are stated. Any draft MOAs requested by the Executive Board should be submitted using the MOA template.

The CIC chairperson shall provide a written report of the committee's accomplishments and progress for the year; list the above charges noting each item's progress and current status; any other activities undertaken; and draft charges for the 2026-27 academic year, no later than May 30, 2026.