January 26, 2009
Research is central to the mission and success of NC State University. The University provides state-of-the-art instructional programs for students that are built on the knowledge that is created through research. We provide innovative technologies to the citizens of North Carolina through extension activities that are based on our research. Discoveries and creation of new knowledge through research lead to scientific and humanitarian advancements that impact the State and beyond.
In these times of financial hardship, it is critical that the research enterprise at NC State University not merely be maintained, but strengthened as much as possible to ensure that productive programs remain competitive. The University Research Committee (URC) strongly encourages the administration of NC State University to make research the top priority for continued funding. Furthermore, we encourage administrators to consult faculty, e.g., via the URC or College Research Committees in determining the areas where we can economize and increase the efficiency of teaching, research, and extension. We also ask that the faculty and staff that make up the infrastructure and support systems of contract and grant administration be sheltered as much as possible to ensure that NCSU can continue to be competitive in bringing in external funding, even as those funding resources diminish. Strong research at NC State University will serve as an underpinning for re-invigorating the State economy and meeting the technological and social challenges of the 21st Century, while enhancing all of the programs that make us a strong university.
University Research Committee