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Charge
The Research Advisory Council (RAC) will advocate on behalf of faculty and advise Academic Affairs leadership on issues pertaining to research and scholarship and will steward campus research culture. It will advocate for the integral role of research, scholarship, creative works, and community engagement in UW Tacoma’s identity and mission; collaborate with the Office of Research, the Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Success, and other units supporting faculty scholarship in planning programming, initiatives, and events to help faculty develop and support a variety of research practices; advocate for community connections and opportunities for UWT Researchers; provide feedback to university leadership on research support infrastructure; assess faculty concerns; advise university leadership in developing and updating research policies and practices; and oversee the review process of such UW Tacoma’s campus research funds and awards as may be allocated with the assistance of the Office of Research..
Membership
The RAC will consist of seven voting faculty members, representing a broad range of research and scholarship methodologies and goals (such as qualitative and quantitative methodologies, sponsored research, community engaged research, and creative work), from at least three different units. Ex-officio non-voting members will include the Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Success and representatives from the Office of Research, the Office of Community Partnerships, the UW Tacoma Library, and other offices, as determined by the Executive Council.
Representatives
- Randy Nichols, Chair 2026-2027, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, 2024-2027
- Nicole Blair, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, 2024-2026
- Representative: TBD, 2026-2029
- Jonah Li, Assistant Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, 2025-2027
- Sushil Oswal, Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, 2025-2027
- Ilā Ravichandran, Assistant Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Arts & Sciences, 2025-2027
- TBD, 2026-2029
- Yoko Furukawa, Director, Office of Research, ex-officio
- Heather Dillon, Associate Vice Chancellor for Faculty Success, ex-officio
Meetings
RAC will meet at least twice every quarter during the regular academic year. Meeting materials will be published below.
