WSSU Research & Innovation Strategic Plan
Since 2017, WSSU has made significant strides with research productivity, and the administration has made investments in the research enterprise, including the creation of an Associate Provost of Research & Innovation (APR&I) and the purchase of a grants management platform (Cayuse) and software to assist faculty with identifying grant opportunities (PIVOT-RP), as well as investments in scientific and computing technology for a variety of disciplines. These investments have resulted in significant growth in extramural funding over this time-period (data from the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics [NCSES]). Specifically, WSSU has had a 6.6-fold increase in total research-related funding ($10.44M up from $1.58M) and a 5.6-fold increase in federal funding ($8.9M up from $1.58M) since 2017.
| Year | Amount of Funding | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $1,575,000 | 542 |
| 2022 | $10,436,000 | 346 |
| Year | Amount of Funding | Ranking |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $1,575,000 | 427 |
| 2022 | $8,903,000 | 302 |
By significantly investing in research, WSSU has initiated a culture change – from a primarily teaching institution to a research and teaching institution – as we move from a Doctoral-Professional University toward obtaining Carnegie R2 status in the next 8-10 years. The existing research infrastructure at WSSU includes an established Research & Innovation (R&I) group and several strong research programs, including various institutes and centers of excellence.
To capitalize on these investments, the APR&I developed this strategic plan focusing on increasing research funding, customer service, training and support, innovation, and accountability. Although the primary outcome for this plan is to increase externally sponsored research funding, the outlined priorities contribute greatly to successful grant applications, and increased funding impacts our regional economy through direct expenditures and personnel, through innovations with commercial value (product licensing, company formation, etc.), and through changes in policy and practice.
The initial draft of this plan was created by the APR&I and reviewed by various groups on the WSSU campus. We envision this as a living document, one that will evolve to address emerging priorities campus-wide as we learn about the strategies that contribute to the greatest ‘return on investment’ for WSSU’s research enterprise.
Research & Innovation’s Mission: To foster transformative research, scholarship, discovery, and innovation in all disciplines at Winston-Salem State University to impact society nationally and globally.
Research & Innovation’s Vision: To provide guidance and technical assistance to faculty and staff interested in obtaining extramural funding for scholarly activities with the belief that the advancement of knowledge and creative expression are the true measures of excellence.
Research & Innovation’s Goals
- Prioritize extramural support for research and scholarly work campus wide.
- Provide high quality support and customer service to WSSU faculty and staff for grant submission and management, program development, and compliance.
- Reduce administrative burdens and workloads to ensure that investigators have more time to focus on writing grants and working on their research.
Research & Innovation’s Strategic Priorities
- Promote a Culture of Research Excellence
- Provide Exceptional Customer Service Relative to Extramural Grant Support
- Deliver Training in the Grant Submission and Management Processes
- Ensure Quality and Timely Proposal Submissions
- Support Research Proposals and Program Development
- Elevate WSSU’s National Status through Increased Research Capacity
- Increase External Research Funding
- Maintain a Knowledgeable, Professional, Service-Oriented Staff in R&I
- Cooperate with Research Administrators at Other North Carolina Institutions
- Assist Faculty, Staff, and Administration in Building Research-Related External Partnerships
- Maintain Accountability and Institutional Advancement
- Ensure the WSSU is Capable of Meeting All Sponsor Requirements
- Provide Oversight for Fiscal Responsibility for Grant-Related Projects
- Work with Federal, State, Private Funding Agencies to Simplify and Streamline Administrative and Regulatory Requirements
- Enhance Support for Innovation, Technology Transfer, and Commercialization
- Support Innovation as Part of a Research Services Division in R&I
- Publish Standard Operating Procedures for Invention Disclosures and Intellectual Property Protection, and Commercialization
It is intended that each of these R&I Strategic Priorities directly connects with Commitment 4 (Institutional Excellence) and Commitment 5 (Resource Sustainability) in WSSU’s 2030 “Unleash the Genius” Strategic Plan.
