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announcement of new research space guidelines

April 9, 2009

Dear Colleagues:

We are pleased to announce that effective April 15, 2009, new research space guidelines will be in place for units that report to the Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Vice President for Research on the Ann Arbor campus.

The new research space guidelines, developed as part of the U-M Space Utilization Initiative, establish a common philosophy and guiding principles that encourage the efficient and productive use of all research space needed to support the University’s core research mission. The guidelines also provide schools, colleges, and other research units a foundation for developing more specific research space guidelines to support individual unit needs.

Highlights of the research space guidelines include:

• Guiding principles that promote effective, consistent management of research space
• Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for allocating, managing and using research space
• Considerations for allocating and assigning research space
• Requirements for research space commitments
• Financial metrics and suggestions for other measures to aid in assessing research space assignments and productivity

We believe that the new guidelines will assist units in the day-to-day management of research space and increase transparency regarding considerations and decisions when assigning research space. All units are strongly encouraged to establish unit-specific guidelines that fundamentally align with the campus guidelines to ensure that all research space on the Ann Arbor campus is managed and assigned effectively and efficiently.

The guidelines were developed with input and review from various campus groups and offices, including the Academic Program Group (APG) Budget Subcommittee, Research Associate Deans (RAD), Senate Assembly Committee on University Affairs (SACUA) Research Policies Committee, Space Utilization Initiative Steering and Faculty Advisory Committees, budget administrators from various schools and colleges, Academic Human Resources, Office of Institutional Equity, Office of the Vice President and General Counsel, Office of the Vice President for Research, and the Office of the Provost.

The new research space guidelines and a list of frequently asked questions are available on the Space Utilization Initiative website at www.provost.umich.edu/space/guidelines. For questions about the new guidelines, please email space.utilization@umich.edu.

Sincerely,

Teresa A. Sullivan, Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Stephen R. Forrest, Vice President for Research
Timothy P. Slottow, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer