The USA Coordinating Center for Research and Publications (UCRP)

With the approval by the USA Board of Trustees of the expansion of the research programs of the University, there arises the consequent need to restructure the existing Center for Research and Publications.

The expansion has given birth to four research institutes which are specialist in nature, to wit:

• The Institute for Augustian Studies (IAS)

• Villanova Institute for Social Science Research and Cultural Studies (VISSRCS)

• Mendel Institute for Natural Science and Technology Research (MINSTR)

• Institute for Social Development Issues and Initiatives (ISDII)

The aforementioned institutes become the research laboratories of the University, where personnel are expected to concentrate on research work, free from administrative, financial, and clerical concerns. With the Institutes doing the research work, the UCRP has been deloaded to focus on administrative, supervisory, coordinating, and clerical support tasks, Thus, the proposal to restructure and rename the Center for Research and Publications as the Coordinating Center for Research and Publications. It is however, proposed that the Acronym UCRP be retain as this is already an established name.

Functions:

1. Sets an annual research agenda for the University, in coordination with the four research institutes and the Academic Senate. Such research agenda, formulated after due, consideration of phenomena in the internal and external environments of the University, will be the basis of specific research projects to be undertaken by the researches in the Institutes. faculty researchers applying for grants, and students of Research Methods classes.

2. Assists in making research an integrated academic and professional activity in faculty and student undertakings, and promote research in support of relevant and excellent instruction.

3. Provides technical assistance to the Vice President for Academic Affairs in the crafting of University policies on research programs.

4. Conduct preliminary review proposals from faculty seeking University funding, and subsequently forms a review committee composed of experts in the area to be studied. The preliminary review is done by the UCRP Executive Director sitting with the Director and 2 Research Associates of the Institute in which the discipline falls.

5. Maintains a pool of research  consultants, technical experts, and editors.

6. Assists in creating an environment conducive to the conduct of scholarly research in the University.

7. Plans and implements a continuing research capacity-building program  for the University's academic personnel.

8. Exercises general administrative supervision over the personnel of the various institutes.

9. Provide research institutes with administrative and clerical support

10. Establishes and maintains linkages with external agencies for a continuing exchange of research publications, and other information resources.

11. Takes the lead in preparing research project proposals for external funding, in coordination with the research Institutes.

12. Organizes research project teams for externally-commissioned research projects.

13. Supervises, monitors and evaluates externally-funded projects undertaken by the various Institutes.

14. Organizes colloquia and other venues for the dissemination of salient findings of completed researches.

15. Edits the publications of the various institutes for grammar, style of presentation and lay-out. Content shall constitute a pool of language and technical editors.

16. Conducts a preliminary review of all instructional materials (books, booklets, monographs, manuals, etc.) intended for classroom use, and subsequently forms a review committee composed of experts in the subject of the material. The preliminary review is done by the UCRP Executive Director sitting with the Director and 2 Research Associates of the Institutes in which the discipline falls.

17. Takes charge and manages the printing of the publications of the Institutes.

18. Plans and implements a marketing program to package and widely distribute research journals, monographs, occasional papers, primers, books, and other products of the Center and its Institutes.

19. Sets up and maintains and Institutional Data Bank (a one-stop center for information on University students' profile, personnel profile library holding, etc.)

20. Regularly issues information on University developments for external audiences in the form of press releases, kits and the like.

21. Manages the publication of "Communitas", official bulletin of the University.