DEPARTMENTAL GOVERNANCE PROCEDURES

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

VIRGINIA POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE AND STATE UNIVERSITY

October 26, 1995

I. GENERAL

A. Mission Statement

The Department of Chemistry occupies a central position in the instructional, research, and outreach missions of the College of Arts and Sciences. Our courses provide the chemical foundation of science and engineering curricula of all colleges in the University. These courses broaden the students' understanding of the structure and properties of matter. Our undergraduate and graduate degree programs prepare students for careers in chemistry and related disciplines. Our faculty's research and scholarship generate and disseminate knowledge to the Commonwealth, our nation, and the world. Through outreach programs, the Department frequently shares this knowledge with practicing professionals and with primary and secondary school children.

To achieve our mission, the Department will continue to pursue multi-disciplinary research within the University, to innovate in the instruction of students, to forge partnerships with industry and government, and to establish a program in the chemical sciences of the highest rank.

B. College and University Policy

The procedures and policies outlined herein are intended to supplement the College of Arts and Sciences "Procedural Guidelines for Departmental Governance," August 1992 version. The policies described herein are not intended to conflict in any way with University or College Policies. The chemistry faculty has chosen the word "Chair" to designate what the college document refers to as "Head."

C. Balloting

For the purpose of a) electing the Chair of the Department and b) electing members of the Executive and Personnel Committees, all balloting shall be conducted in secret as follows: Ballots shall be distributed to eligible faculty members and the deadline for returning the ballots shall be clearly stated (at least one week's notice). Faculty members shall return the ballot in two envelopes. The outer envelope shall contain the name and signature of the faculty member, and it shall be the responsibility of the individual(s) conducting the election to ensure that all those submitting ballots are eligible. The inner envelope should contain the ballot and shall not be signed. Subsequent to the deadline for submitting ballots, the outer envelopes shall be opened and discarded. Afterward, the inner envelopes from all eligible voters shall be opened and the ballots shall be counted. Ballots from ineligible voters shall be discarded.

D. Confidentiality

It is assumed that any faculty member serving in an administrative or evaluative capacity, or as a member of a Departmental committee will not violate confidentiality with regard to sensitive topics including, but not limited to, promotion and tenure, annual faculty and staff evaluations, etc. Breaches of confidentiality shall be treated as a breach of professional ethics. It shall be the responsibility of the Department Chair to take appropriate action in the such cases, i.e., by discussing the matter with the offending individual in minor cases or other appropriate administrative actions in accord with the policies outlined in the "Faculty Handbook."

II. DEPARTMENT CHAIR

A. Qualifications and Term Limits

1. The Chair must hold the rank of Full professor.
2. The Chair will serve for a three year, elected term (beginning on July 1, ending on June 30).
3. The Chair cannot serve more than two consecutive terms.

B. Election Procedures

1. At least 15 months before the term of the current chair expires, the Executive Committee (with faculty input) may consider the option of an external search. If an external search is recommended by the Executive Committee, a faculty meeting shall be called for discussion and a vote. In the event that the faculty approves an external search, the Executive Committee shall notify the Dean and request that an external search be initiated in accordance with the procedures outlined in the College of Arts and Sciences "Procedural Guidelines for Departmental Governance" pertaining to national searches. Otherwise, the Executive Committee shall appoint individuals to serve on an Elections Committee to oversee and administer the election of a Department Chair. The Elections Committee shall solicit nominations from the faculty and staff. Any individual who receives two (or more nominations) shall be placed on the preliminary ballot. Before being placed on the preliminary ballot, the individual shall be notified by the Elections Committee. At this time, the nominee may formally request in writing to the Elections Committee that his/her name be withdrawn from consideration. In the spirit of shared governance, it is hoped that no faculty member will refuse the chairmanship more than once. Preliminary balloting shall be conducted anonymously, as outlined in Section I; all tenured and tenure-track faculty shall be eligible to vote. The results shall be announced to the faculty, and the names of the two individuals receiving the greatest number of votes shall be placed on the final ballot. The Chair-Elect shall then be elected by a simple majority of votes cast. (In the unlikely event that preliminary balloting results in a three-way or greater tie, a run-off shall be necessary. The names of individuals receiving the lowest number of votes shall be dropped from the ballot, and a second phase of preliminary balloting shall be initiated to identify the top two candidates for the final ballot.)
2. The timing for the election process is outlined below. In the event that March 11 falls on a weekend, then the process shall begin on the preceding Friday.

Before March 1 - Executive Committee meets to decide whether or not to recommend an external search for Department Chair

Before March 11 - Elections Committee shall be appointed

March 11 - Elections Committee shall solicit nominations in writing from faculty and staff

March 25 - Closing date for nominations (two weeks after solicitation)

April 1 - Preliminary ballot distributed and due back in one week

April 15 - Final ballot distributed and due back in one week

By April 22 - Elections Committee shall inform faculty and Dean of the results

1. The Elections Committee shall notify the Dean of the College in writing of the name of the individual that the Department has selected to be Chair (reviewing the procedures that were followed during the selection process) and request that the Dean appoint this individual to the position of Department Chair at the expiration of the current Chair's term.
2. For the year prior to becoming Chair, the Chair-Elect shall be a non-voting member of the Executive and Personnel Committees (unless the Chair-Elect is already a member of these Committees). During this period, the current Chair should attempt to include the Chair-Elect in as many aspects of Departmental operations and decision-making as is possible in order to facilitate a smooth transition.

C. Responsibilities

The Department Chair shall assume all the administrative responsibilities outlined in the College of Arts and Sciences "Procedural Guidelines for Departmental Governance" (August 1992) for the position of Department Head. These duties and responsibilities include:

1. Serving as representative, advocate, and negotiator for the Department at all levels of the university and in the chemical community.
2. Serving as Chair of the Personnel Committee.
3. Preparing dossiers for promotion and tenure (in consultation with the Personnel Committee) in accordance with College and University Guidelines.
4. Supervising the preparation of an annual Departmental budget (in consultation with the Chief Administrative Officer) for consideration and approval by the Executive Committee.
5. Administering the Departmental budget. [Approval of the Executive Committee is required should circumstances force deviation from the approved budget, and an emergency meeting shall be requested to develop an amended budget. The Chair shall have emergency budget authority to act if the Executive Committee cannot be convened within 48 hours of a forced deadline (e.g., budget cut, special opportunity, etc.) However, the Executive Committee must be informed and convened as soon as feasible thereafter in order to develop a revised budget.]
6. Requesting special meetings of the Executive Committee (as needed).
7. Calling meetings of the Personnel Committee (as needed).
8. Annual evaluation of Departmental faculty (in consultation with the Personnel Committee) and staff (advised by the Chief Administrative Officer with appropriate faculty input, vide infra).
9. Calling and moderating faculty meetings (at least one per semester).
10. Ensuring equitable distribution of teaching loads, taking into account other responsibilities (research, service) and soliciting recommendations and advice from each division and the Personnel Committee. The Department Chair should consult with the Personnel Committee for recommendations regarding individual teaching loads (balanced in the context of the faculty member's research and service responsibilities) as well as specific course assignments (considering the individual's talents and interests). It would be appropriate for individual faculty members to indicate courses they would be interested in teaching in the "future plans" section of their annual faculty activities report.
11. Recruitment and evaluation of the clerical staff, and assignment of these individuals to appropriate administrative functions (in consultation with the Chief Administrative Officer).
12. Providing leadership and executive authority as needed.
13. Making annual written evaluations of all assistant professors based upon discussions with the Personnel Committee.

D. Privileges

It is fully expected that the Department Chair will remain active in all three components of the University's mission: teaching, research, and service. In order to minimize disruption to the chair's research program and to compensate for the added service load, the following amenities shall be provided to the Chair:

1. Twelve month appointment.
2. Department-funded postdoctoral position for research active faculty. (The salary provided for this position shall be consistent with Departmental norms.)
3. Reduced teaching load.

E. Early Termination

In the event that the Chair resigns or is deemed unable to fulfill his/her duties by unanimous vote of the Executive Committee (excluding the Department Chair), the Executive Committee shall notify the Dean, explaining the circumstances, and request that the Chair-Elect be appointed to the position of Chair immediately to serve the balance of the current Chair's term and his/her own full elected term. If there is no Chair-Elect, the Executive Committee shall request that the Chair of the Executive Committee be appointed to the position of Interim Department Chair for the remainder of the term of office, and the election procedures outlined above (Section II. B.) shall subsequently be followed (see also below).

III. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

A. Composition

Three full professors; two associate professors; one assistant professor, all elected by the tenured and tenure-track faculty at large, and the Department Chair. The Department Chair-Elect will serve as a non-voting member, unless he/she was elected to the Executive Committee previously and his/her term had not expired; in the latter case he/she shall retain voting rights.

At the start of each year (in July), the committee shall elect a "Chair of the Executive Committee" from among the three full professors. The Chair of the Executive Committee shall call and moderate meetings of the Executive Committee, and designate a member of the Executive Committee to serve as his/her deputy during periods of absence.

During periods when there is no Chair-Elect, the Chair of the Executive Committee is next in the order of succession if the Department Chair is unable to execute his/her duties (Note: The Department Chair may not be Chair of the Executive Committee.)

B. Terms of Office

Full professors: three years; associate professors: two years; assistant professors: one year. Terms shall begin on July 1 and end on June 30 of the appropriate year. One individual at each academic rank shall be elected every year. No individual may serve for more than two consecutive terms.

C. Selection Process

Each division (analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical) shall nominate one individual at each academic rank. (Nominees shall not necessarily have to be members of the nominating division). The names of all nominees shall be placed on a preliminary ballot; the names of the two individuals receiving the most votes at each academic rank shall be placed on the final ballot. (Faculty shall be given at least one week's notice prior to the deadline to submit ballots). Election to the Executive Committee shall be accomplished by simple majority vote of the tenured and tenure-track faculty (final ballot). The Chair shall be responsible for coordinating the election of the Executive Committee. This task may be delegated to other responsible individuals (faculty or staff) provided that these individuals are neither members of nor candidates for the Executive Committee. Nominations and elections shall be conducted before the end of the each academic year so that the Committee can be constituted on July 1; these processes shall coincide with the nomination and election of the Personnel Committee. In years when the term of the Department Chair expires, the process of selecting the Executive Committee shall begin after the results of the election of a Chair are announced. A suggested schedule is outlined below. In the event that April 29 falls on a weekend, the process shall begin on the preceding Friday:

April 29 - Divisions shall submit Executive Committee nominations to Chair

May 6 - Preliminary Ballots shall be distributed and are due back in a week

May 20 - Final ballots shall be distributed and are due back in a week

In the event that a member of the Executive Committee is unable to complete his/her term or in the event that the Chair of the Executive Committee assumes the duties of Department Chair, a special election shall be called by the Department Chair in accordance with the procedures outlined above, and the elected individual should be seated as soon as possible. In the event that this is necessitated by the Executive Committee Chair assuming the Departmental Chairmanship, a new Chair of the Executive Committee shall be chosen at its first meeting following the election.

D. Meetings

The Executive Committee shall meet on a monthly basis. Additional meetings shall be called by the Chair of the Executive Committee at the request of either the Department Chair or of at least two Executive Committee members. The meetings shall be open to the tenured and tenure-track faculty. However, at its discretion, the committee may meet in closed session in order to discuss sensitive issues (e.g., personnel matters). Summer meetings provide a good opportunity for creative long-term planning which could be presented to and discussed with the full faculty at a fall retreat.

E. Responsibilities/Procedures

1. Approve department budget (submitted by Department Chair).
2. Allocate space/resources; respond to other faculty requests.
3. Plan for the future (i.e., development of Departmental demographic analyses and hiring strategies; rational, integrated and early planning for use of SCHEV funds; planning of other facilities upgrades or construction; development of improved interactions with industry in terms of positioning our graduates and obtaining funds for scholarships, fellowships and chairs; outreach; organization of faculty retreats for discussion of these and other issues. Although planning shall not be limited to these areas, each of these items shall be part of the agenda of the Committee each year and shall be addressed in the annual report. The results of the analyses, plans developed and progress toward the end goals shall be reported explicitly in the annual report of the Committee).
4. Advise Chair on all Departmental matters.
5. Appoint standing committees.
6. Appoint ad hoc committees (as needed).
7. Nominate candidate for Chief Administrative Officer to the full faculty for approval (2/3 majority vote required for appointment).
8. Submit evaluation of the Chief Administrative Officer to the Personnel Committee annually.
9. Distribute minutes of all meetings to faculty (excluding only personnel-related items which are confidential).
10. The Executive Committee will gather information about each of the centers in which chemistry faculty members participate (including annual reports if available). For centers housed in the Chemistry Department, the directors of these centers will meet with the Executive Committee on an annual basis to discuss matters of mutual concern.
11. Call closed sessions (as needed) when the issues under consideration are highly sensitive.

F. Mechanisms for Faculty Input

Individual faculty members may ask to address the Executive Committee or request items to be added to the agenda. This shall be accomplished via a petition which contains the signature of at least three faculty members submitted to the Chair of the Executive Committee.

IV. PERSONNEL COMMITTEE

A. Composition

1. Department Chair.
2. Four full professors (one from each of the four divisions, elected by the tenured and tenure-track faculty at large).
3. Two associate professors (elected by the tenured and tenure-track faculty at large).
4. The Chair-Elect as a non-voting member (unless already an elected member of the committee).

B. Term of Office

Two years beginning on July 1 and ending June 30.

C. Selection Process

Each division shall nominate two of its full professors in the second year of the term of its representative and one associate professor (who may or may not be a member of the division) for the at-large position. These nominations shall be placed on a ballot and distributed to the tenured and tenure-track faculty. Election to the committee shall require a simple majority of votes cast. (A run-off election may be needed for the at-large associate professor position.) The timing of the Personnel Committee election shall coincide with that of the Executive Committee (i.e., the Personnel Committee ballot shall be distributed with the final ballot for the Executive Committee).

D. Responsibilities

1. Faculty evaluation. The Personnel Committee shall evaluate annual Faculty Activity Reports, and in conjunction with the Department Chair, make recommendations for merit raises. The Personnel Committee shall distribute 80% of the salary raise pool; distribution of the remaining 20% shall be the prerogative of the Department Chair.
2. Evaluation and advising of assistant professors. The Committee shall be responsible for the annual evaluation of all assistant professors. In this capacity, the committee shall monitor the progress of all assistant professors in the areas of teaching, research, and service and provide appropriate comments, suggestions, and criticisms to be transmitted to these individuals. The Department Chair shall then provide written evaluations and reports to these individuals. An especially important duty of this committee shall be to accumulate all necessary documentation for promotion and tenure (i.e., student evaluations, peer evaluations, etc.) well before a candidate is to be considered for promotion and tenure.
3. Promotion and tenure. (NOTE: Consistent with regulations of the College of Arts and Sciences, only full professors may evaluate candidates for promotion to full professor. Both full and associate professors may evaluate candidates for promotion to associate professor.) The Department Chair shall be responsible for coordinating all aspects of the promotion and tenure process. Based upon suggestions from the candidate and its own discussions, the Personnel Committee shall be responsible for identifying individuals outside the Department and University from whom to solicit letters for promotion and tenure. The Department Chair shall be responsible for contacting these individuals and making appropriate arrangements, although these responsibilities may be delegated to members of the Personnel Committee. In addition, the Chair should solicit letters from faculty members at large which shall be made available to the Committee. For the purposes of evaluating candidates for tenure and/or promotion, the committee shall review the candidate's file (including internal and external letters) and meet to discuss the case. Afterward, a vote shall be taken. In its letter to the Dean, the Personnel Committee shall summarize the substance of this discussion and report the results of the vote and their recommendation. (See the College of Arts and Sciences "Procedural Guidelines for Departmental Governance" for further details pertaining to the promotion and tenure. At his/her discretion, the chair may make the full dossier available to the Personnel Committee for suggestions before it is forwarded to the College Personnel Committee.
4. Faculty Development. In conjunction with the Department Chair, the Personnel Committee shall be responsible for the nominations of faculty for university, national and international awards. The Committee shall provide recommendations to the Chair concerning faculty development activities such as, but not limited to, participation in short courses and workshops, educational or research leaves, or field studies. The committee should also respond to the Chair's request regarding recommendations for teaching loads and assignments (Individual faculty members should indicate courses they are interested in teaching in the "future plans" section of their annual faculty activities report).

V. CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

A. Qualifications, Selection, and Evaluation

1. Faculty rank appointment (instructor level or higher).
2. Degree in bookkeeping, accounting, management or equivalent experience.
3. After an appropriate selection process, the Executive Committee shall nominate an individual to serve as Chief Administrative Officer. Appointment to the position shall require a 2/3 majority vote of the tenure track faculty.
4. Each year, the Executive Committee shall submit its evaluation of the Chief Administrative Officer to the Personnel Committee. The Chief Administrative Officer shall serve at the pleasure of the faculty. After due process, the Chief Administrative Officer may ultimately be relieved of duties by a 2/3 majority vote of the faculty.

B. Responsibilities

1. Provide advice and information concerning proper business and accounting procedures and ensure that Departmental business procedures comply with relevant laws.
2. Under the direction of the Chair (or individual principal investigators in the case of research accounts), conduct all business operations of the Department, either directly or via staff.
3. Recruitment, hiring and assignment and coordination of the evaluation of staff personnel as directed by the Chair.
4. Serve as secretary of the Executive Committee. The Chief Administrative Officer shall be a non-voting member who may be excused from meetings at the discretion of the Chair of the Executive Committee.
5. Supervise the daily operations of the Department as instructed. Maintain appropriate records. Interact with the physical plant. Responsible for issues of safety and security, maintenance and inventory.

VI. BUDGET PROCEDURES

Annually, the Chair shall solicit budget requests from all operational units (e.g., shops, stockroom, committees, instructional labs, etc.) Special requests may also be submitted (by individuals or groups) if the request does not fall within the purview of any existing unit. Any budget request shall include both a justification and a report of the previous year's expenditures, if any. In consultation with the Chair, the Chief Administrative Officer shall prepare a preliminary budget for the next academic year. The preliminary budget shall be submitted to the Executive Committee for approval. During the Executive Committee's consideration of the budget, it shall have at least one open meeting at which the general faculty may ask questions and provide advice. Approval of the budget shall require a majority vote of the Executive Committee. If the budget is not approved in its original form, after consultation/negotiation with the Executive Committee, the Chair shall prepare a revised budget and the above procedure shall be repeated until approval is gained from the Executive Committee.

The Chief Administrative Officer shall prepare a detailed, written year-end financial report, identifying all Departmental sources of revenue and expenditures (Education Foundation account and all the state & overhead accounts). This report is to be distributed to the faculty by August 15.

VII. ROLE OF THE FACULTY

A. Actions Requiring a Faculty Vote (Tenured and Tenure-Track)

1. Faculty hiring (2/3 majority vote required to authorize chair to make an offer to a candidate).
2. Changes in curriculum.
3. Changes in governance document (2/3 majority vote).
4. Election of Department Chair and members of the Executive and Personnel Committees.
5. Selection and retention of the Chief Administrative Officer (2/3 majority vote).

B. Faculty Meetings

1. There shall be at least one general faculty meeting per semester, with additional meetings as needed. Meetings shall be called and moderated by the Department Chair and follow appropriate parliamentary procedures (Roberts rules of order). The agenda shall include reports from chairs of standing and ad hoc committees. Special meetings shall be called on the presentation of a request signed by ten or more tenured or tenure-track faculty to the Department Chair, or by a majority vote of the Executive Committee. Except for emergency situations, a prepared agenda shall be distributed 48 hours in advance. (Items may be placed on the agenda by the Department Chair or by majority vote of the Executive Committee. Items may also be added to the agenda by faculty at large by petition; five signatures of tenured/tenure-track faculty required). Minutes must be kept and distributed in a timely manner after the meeting (The Chief Administrative Officer will serve as secretary.)
2. For votes at faculty meetings, 2/3 of the eligible faculty shall constitute a quorum (proxies shall be permitted and counted toward the quorum).

C. Extended Faculty

All faculty (including non-tenure-track, adjunct, visiting, etc.) are encouraged to participate in the affairs of the Department including committee membership and attending faculty meetings.

VIII. DIRECTORS OF GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE EDUCATION

1. Tenured faculty status.
2. Serve at the pleasure of the Department Chair.
3. Nominated by Department Chair; approved by majority vote of the Executive Committee.

IX. STANDING COMMITTEES

All committees shall keep minutes of all meetings and provide year-end reports which shall be made available to the faculty in a timely manner. In its year-end report each committee shall recommend faculty members to serve in the next academic year.

A. Graduate Education Committee

1. Composition

a) Chair - Director of Graduate Education.

b) Representatives from analytical, inorganic, organic, and physical divisions. Membership shall include at least one member from each division.

2. Duties

a) Advise and evaluate graduate students.

b) Monitor graduate program.

c) Prepare proposals to enhance the instructional effort (instrumental, faculty release time for course development, etc.)

B. Graduate Recruiting Committee

1. Composition

a) Chair - Director of Graduate Education.

b) Membership shall include at least one member from each division.

2. Duties

All aspects of graduate student recruiting: Advertising, campus visits, evaluation of applications, etc.

C. Undergraduate Education Committee

1. Composition

a) Chair - Director of Undergraduate Education.

b) Representatives - One member from each division and the Director of General Chemistry.

2. Duties

a) Monitor undergraduate curriculum.

b) Ensure that ACS standards are met.

c) Develop and implement new instructional technologies.

d) Prepare proposals to enhance the instructional effort (instrumental, faculty release time for course development, etc.)

e) Recruit, retain and evaluate undergraduate students.

f) Advise undergraduate students.

g) Recognize (via awards and scholarships) outstanding undergraduate students.

D. Ad Hoc Committees (Appointed by Executive Committee for one year)

1. Faculty Recruiting.
2. Colloquium.
3. Others, as appropriate.

X. DIRECTOR OF GENERAL CHEMISTRY

A. Qualifications

1. Tenured faculty status.
2. Nominated by Department Chair; approved by majority vote of the Executive Committee.
3. Serves at the pleasure of the Department Chair.

B. Responsibilities

1. Administer all aspects of the general chemistry program.
2. Serve as Chair of ad hoc committees to deal with issues pertaining to general chemistry (e.g., textbook selection, administrative procedures, etc.)
3. Interact with the Undergraduate Education Committee on issues pertaining to curriculum and the Graduate Education Committee relative to TA assignments, etc.
4. Serve a liaison and spokesperson for the General Chemistry program at the University-level.

XI. ROLE OF DIVISIONS

1. Through an appropriate democratic process, select one of its members to serve as Division Coordinator.
2. Each division will be charged with the responsibility of developing proposed teaching schedules for courses in that division. The proposed teaching schedules shall be forwarded to the Department Chair who will make the final assignments based upon overall Department needs.
3. Administer divisional preliminary examinations in accord with departmental regulations.
4. Oversee all aspects of curriculum for courses in the sub-discipline. Make recommendations for changes to graduate and undergraduate education committees as needed.
5. Nominate individuals for service on the Executive and Personnel Committees.

APPENDIX

The following list of terms and definitions is not a formal part of the governance document, but is intended to clarify and amplify the document for the interested reader.

Department Chair: The Department Chair is a full professor serving a three-year term. The Chair is appointed by the Dean following a Departmental election.

Director of General Chemistry: An individual nominated by the Department Chair and approved by the Executive Committee charged with the administrative responsibility of the General Chemistry program.

Director of Graduate Education: An individual nominated by the Department Chair and approved by the Executive Committee charged with the responsibility of coordinating the graduate program (admissions, recruiting and evaluation of students, curriculum, etc.)

Director of Undergraduate Education: An individual nominated by the Department Chair and approved by the Executive Committee charged with the responsibility of coordinating the undergraduate program (admissions, recruiting and evaluation of students, curriculum, etc.)

Division. A division is a departmental sub-unit comprised of individuals with a common interest in a chemical sub-discipline. The duties and responsibilities of divisions are described in this document. The four divisions of the Chemistry Department are Analytical, Inorganic, Organic and Physical.

Executive Committee: A seven-member committee that serves as the primary governance vehicle for the Department. The voting members of this committee are all elected by the faculty at large to serve as specified in this document.

Chief Administrative Officer. This individual is nominated by the Executive Committee and appointed by a 2/3 majority vote of the faculty. The Chief Administrative Officer is responsible for the execution of all budgetary, personnel, safety and other business transactions in accordance with instructions provided by the Department Chair.

Personnel Committee: A seven-member committee composed of four full professors, two associate professors, and the Department Chair. The committee is charged with the responsibility of evaluating candidates for promotion and tenure (according to the procedures outlined herein) and for the annual evaluation of all faculty members.

Research Center: An organized group of faculty members with a common interest in a particular area of research. The individual centers have a director and office staff which is funded primarily from outside sources. The research in centers is often multi-disciplinary, involving faculty members form other departments and colleges. Presently, faculty members in the Chemistry Department are involved with three centers: The NSF Science and Technology Center on High Performance Polymeric Adhesives and Composites, the Center for Adhesive and Sealant Science, and the Harvey W. Peters Center.