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University of Wisconsin–Madison

University Research Council

The University Research Council is the governance body for the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research as defined in Faculty Policy and Procedures 6.59.

Functions

  1. Advises the Vice Chancellor for Research (VCR) on the overall UW–Madison research enterprise, including, but not limited by enumeration, to:
    1. Strategic planning to maximize the research productivity of faculty and staff, and to support highly innovative, transformative research.
    2. Allocation of flexible resources, including resources provided by WARF, such as support of research competitions, matching funds for grants, funding for recruitment and retentions, and honoring research contributions.
    3. Major campus-wide research programs and issues.
    4. Compliance processes and committees.
    5. Approving policies governing five-year reviews for VCR centers to ensure that centers remain at the leading edge of new discoveries. Members of the URC will provide advice to the VCR regarding the outcome of Center reviews.
    6. Review and approval of the establishment of new, and closing of existing, VCR centers.
  2. Brings to the attention of the VCR views and opinions of the faculty and staff. In turn, members are responsible for assisting the Office of the VCR in helping to communicate the research resources of the VCR office.
  3. Advises and counsels the VCR and the chancellor in the formulation of the annual request to the WARF board of trustees. The VCR and chancellor shall routinely seek the advice and counsel of the committee regarding the allocation and disposition of WARF funds. Ensures that the disposition of WARF  funds by the university is transparent to the WARF board of directors. The committee, or its individual members, shall be available to the WARF board of trustees, upon request, as direct and independent advisors and as such shall share with the trustees their expertise and insight.
  4. Creates subcommittees to study specific topics, as needed.

URC Members

The members of the URC include representation from the four divisions, as well as faculty, academic staff, and classified staff. URC members are expected to represent the interests of the university community at large.

  • Cynthia Czajkowski – Interim Vice Chancellor for Research (Chair, ex officio, non-voting)
  • Tim Donohue – Department of Bacteriology
  • Dorothy Farrar-Edwards – Department of Kinesiology
  • Christopher Kucharik – Department of Agronomy
  • Miron Livny – Department of Computer Sciences
  • Rama Maganti – Neurology
  • Kevin Niemi – WISCIENCE
  • Mario Ortiz-Robles – Department of English
  • Lauren Papp – Human Ecology
  • Micah Roberts – Emergency Medicine
  • Carol Ryff – Institute on Aging, Department of Psychology
  • Mary Trotter – Department of English
  • Lonnie Berger – Associate Vice Chancellor for Research in the Social Sciences (ex officio, non-voting)
  • Nadine Conner – Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Policy and Compliance (ex officio, non-voting)
  • Mark Rickenbach – Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Policy and Integrity (ex officio, non-voting)
  • Florence Hsia – Associate Vice Chancellor for Research in the Arts and Humanities (ex officio, non-voting)
  • Bill Karpus – Dean of the Graduate School (ex officio, voting)
  • Kim Moreland – Associate Vice Chancellor for Research Administration, Director of Research and Sponsored Programs (ex officio, non-voting)
  • Petra Schroeder – Associate Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration (ex officio, non-voting)
  • John Svaren – Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Research in the Biological Sciences (ex officio, non-voting)
  • Amy Wendt – Associate Vice Chancellor for Research in the Physical Sciences (ex officio, non-voting)