Structure and Collaboration are Interrelated
Building Partnerships »Centers, by definition, rely on collaboration to advance their vision and mission. Depending on the center's purpose, organization, and stakeholder groups, the type, number, and nature of collaborations and relationships needed to sustain the center's efforts also shifts. As such, the center must be organized (in terms of structure, personnel roles and responsibilities, and allocation of effort) to address the design, planning, implementation, and evaluation of these efforts. This synergy between collaboration and structure can have a significant impact on the center's future activities.
For example, if the mission is to serve as a faculty teaching center, how will individual expertise be shared and optimized? To what degree will the organization need to have clear linkages to and credibility with specific units? How will those linkages be integrated, nurtured, and supported and who will do it? If the mission focuses on outreach either to PK-12 or industry, who are the partners, how will they be invited and included, how will their needs be assessed and met, how and when will their expertise be shared, honored, included/excluded, etc.?
Also, the reporting line or lines need to align with the scope of effort and structural needs to advance the work of the center. If the line report is to a single department with a specific mission, the ability to attract collaborators outside of the specific unit may be challenging if the value of the collaboration is not shared. For instance, a Center reporting to the Dean of Arts and Sciences may be less effective in leveraging talent within the College of Engineering than would a Center reporting to the Office of the Provost or Vice-President for research. Creating structures that involve multiple deans and/or colleges can lead to more support for cross-college collaborations.
Note that this does not necessarily pertain to the physical space occupied by the center, but the location of that space can help set the tone for the work the center intends to do. An office in a building mostly devoted to one discipline may have to work harder to be seen by the rest of campus, while a space located in a more interdisciplinary or collaborative setting can raise a center's visibility and make collaborations easier to generate.
If the center's constituents include groups outside of the university (e.g., outreach, PK-12, corporate), the number and nature of the collaborations expands and require a center structure and mechanisms to launch, nurture, and evaluate the ongoing benefits and challenges of the relationships.
The Center for Research in SEAD Education has undergone a change from a STEM center to one inclusive of science, engineering, arts, and design (SEAD). This involved working with new partners and moving to a different part of the institutional organization.
Structures May Also Limit Collaboration
It is important to step back and observe who is engaged in the collaboration process. Do you have representation from those who know best? Do collaborations include individuals from whom the center wishes to support and learn from? Do they promote inclusive practice? Do some stakeholders have undue influence over center activities that diminishes participation of other groups?