Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

Strategic Plan

The University of Wisconsin Whitewater (UWW) has made considerable strides to enhance research, innovative and creative activities. The Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (ORSP) is a central resource to support research and sponsored projects for the university community. The office is responsible for pre-award activities such as reviewing and supporting proposals; and assisting in budget development and managing the submission of proposals for federal and state agencies, foundations, and other public and private sources. The ORSP also provides post award services to assist principal investigators (PIs) with the implementation of planned activities, monitoring, and management financial expenditures, liaising and nurturing relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and maintaining project records and reports. 

The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) seek to create a dynamic and vibrant environment of discovery, innovation, and entrepreneurship through support of faculty, staff, and student research. ORSP strives to promote scholarly excellence through leadership in research development, planning, and administration to solve problems across the state, nation, and globe.

To capitalize on this opportunity, the ORSP has developed this strategic plan focused specifically on enhancing services in support of faculty, staff, and students at UWW towards effectively managing and increasing sponsored grant funding. 

The purpose of this three-year strategic plan is to outline ORSP’s commitment to supporting faculty, staff, and students for research, grants, and sponsored projects through articulated strategic goals, objectives, and activities. 

Guiding Principles

The work of ORSP is guided by the following core values:

  • Excellence – A commitment to provide professional support and serve the campus community and external constituents. 
  • Collaboration – A commitment to teamwork, adaptability, and partnership across campus and with external stakeholders nurturing trust and shared purpose to achieve results.
  • Compliance – A commitment to adhere to and uphold the highest ethical standards in research and scholarly activities.
  • Learning – A commitment to continuous improvement in our services.
  • Openness – A commitment to transparency, care, wellbeing, information sharing, and communication.

Mission and Vision

Mission: The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs aims to promote and enhance collaborative and professional services to the university community. 

Vision: The vision of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs is to be a leader in fostering a culture of research, innovation and creative activities among the faculty, staff, and students to inspire transformative learning, professional growth and meaningful impact. 

Goals and Objectives

ORSP plans to focus on the following four goals, with their respective objectives, strategic actions, and performance indicators:

  1. Enhance faculty and staff engagement towards increased grant applications.
  2. Assure compliance with Federal, State, and local research, and sponsored program related regulations and university policies.
  3. Expand undergraduate students research, innovative and creative activities.
  4. Increase UWW’S visibility in research, creative and scholarly activities.
  5. Enhance ORSP staff research administration capacity.

GOAL 1: Enhance faculty and staff engagement towards increased grant applications

Objective 1. Expand proposal development support to university community

 Strategic Actions:

  • Work collaboratively with campus community to develop proposals for funding opportunities.
  • Increase number and type of research and sponsored grants across campus.

 Performance Indicators:

  • Number of faculty engaged in research proposal development.
  • Number of grant proposals developed and submitted for funding.
  • Number of awards received. 

Objective 2. Facilitate professional development to enhance the skills of faculty and staff

 Strategic Actions:

  • Develop modules on topics related to research, grants, and sponsored projects.
  • Organize workshops and webinars towards enhancing research administration (from grant finding – proposal writing – grant management – post award management) skills.
  • Provide training – delivered by in-house or external experts – focusing on early career faculty/staff.
  • Increase awareness on grant application and management policies and procedures. 

Performance Indicators:

  • Number of faculty attending workshops and training opportunities.
  • Level of satisfaction based on surveys. 

Objective 3. Enhance administration infrastructure to support submission and approval of grants and contracts.

 Strategic Actions:

  • Develop procedures and templates for grant applications and approval.
  • Facilitate timely and compliant submission of proposals.
  • Implement a system to track grant submissions and awards.
  • Enhance audits and reporting on IRB, IACUC, Research Misconduct, etc. 

Performance Indicators:

  • Number of procedures developed and approved.
  • Semi-annual reports on grant submission and awards, IRB, IACUC and other research administration activities.
  • Number and type of policy, procedures, and templates available on the ORSP website. 

GOAL 2: Assure compliance with Federal, State, and university regulations and policies related to research, innovative and creative activities

 Objective 1. Develop policies and procedures pertaining to compliance.

 Strategic Actions:

  • Develop policy and procedures on research misconduct and export control.
  • Strengthen and/or establish compliance entities – IRB, IACUC and IBC.

 Performance Indicators:

  • Number research compliance policy and procedures developed and approved. 

Objective 2. Increase awareness of and compliance with policies governing research (e.g., research misconduct, use of human subjects, use of vertebrate animals, export control, etc.). 

Strategic Actions:

  • Make readily available compliance resource materials for researchers.
  • Host campus-wide information sharing and training sessions and forums at key academic points (e.g., start of semester).

 Performance Indicators:

  • Research compliance policy, procedures, and templates available on the ORSP website.
  • Number of faculty/staff attending compliance-related training. 

GOAL 3: Expand undergraduate students research, innovative and creative activities

 Objective 1. Increase program participation by students and mentors.

 Strategic Actions:

  • Award grants for students with faculty/staff mentors.
  • Provide skills competency training for students.
  • Expand and enhance CURE opportunities for students and faculty/staff.

 Performance Indicators:

  • Number of students who benefit from URiCA grant opportunities.
  • Number of grants awarded.
  • Number of students and faculty, staff and students who participated in online and in-person training sessions.

 Objective 2. Strengthen mentorship.

 Strategic Actions:

  • Expand recruitment of faculty and staff across campus to mentor students in the URiCA programs.
  • Recognize faculty and staff who participate in the URiCA programs.

 Performance Indicators:

  • Number of mentors participating in URiCA activities.

 Objective 3. Enhance program visibility and outreach.

 Strategic Actions:

  • Organize on-campus events engaging faculty, staff, and students.
  • Support participating faculty, staff and students in off-campus events and activities.

 Performance Indicators:

  • Number of faculty, staff and students participating in on-campus and off-campus events. 
  • Number of UWW students who disseminate their work, publishing or presenting, in professional capacities.

 GOAL 4: Increase UWW’S visibility in research, innovative and creative activities 

 Objective 1. Enhance outreach and publicity with internal and external stakeholders.

 Strategic Actions:

  • Revamp the ORSP Website and content.
  • Develop and implement ORSP Communication and Engagement Strategy.  

Performance Indicators:

  • Launch of a revamped website.
  • Share widely the Communication and Engagement Strategy. 

Objective 2. Expand communication on ORSP activities and accomplishments.

 Strategic Actions:

  • Collaborate with academic units and the University Marketing and Communications Office to better publicize research accomplishments and success stories of faculty and students.
  • Enhance communication through the ORSP Newsletter.
  • Provide the provost and deans information on trends and emerging areas of funded research.

 Performance Indicators:

  • Quarterly ORSP newsletters.
  • Number of faculty and staff engaged with ORSP (writing their work, success stories, and accomplishments).
  • Quarterly reports on trends, accomplishments, and status updates.

 Objective 3. Strengthen collaboration with research administrators at other Universities of Wisconsin campuses.

 Strategic Actions:

  • Participate in Research Administrators and WISCUR Directors meetings.
  • Support participation of ORSP staff in associations and professional organizations for research administrators.

 Performance Indicators:

  • Number of partners engaged in events and organized meetings. 

GOAL 5: Enhance ORSP staff research administration capacity

 Objective 1. Develop research administration skills of ORSP staff.

 Strategic Actions:

  • Support staff participation in national and regional meetings and conferences
  • Support ORSP staff in professional development training programs. 
  • Support staff to attend university-provided training.

 Performance Indicators:

  • Number of ORSP staff who participate in events and/or workshops organized by UWW and external entities.

 Objective 2. Maintain professional and service-oriented staff in ORSP. 

 Strategic Actions:

  • Utilize available resources to provide improved and efficient services for faculty and students across campus.
  • Create a consistent onboarding plan for new staff, including in the areas of institutional procedures, sponsor requirements, and soft skills for cross-unit collaboration.
  • Conduct regular overall assessment (through interviews, surveys, and compilation of anecdotal information) of university community satisfaction with the ORSP work and services. 

 Performance Indicators:

  • Satisfaction of faculty, staff, and leadership with ORSP performance.  

Objective 3. Position ORSP for growth and success.

 Strategic Actions:

  • Refine pre- and post-award roles and responsibilities and internal control.
  • Conduct grant submission and approval workflow in RAMP and make necessary improvements.

 Performance Indicators:

  • Approved roles and responsibilities matrix.
  • Approved submission and approval workflow.
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