Big Ideas
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BIG IDEAS SELECTED (Announced 6/9/09)
View list of Big Ideas submitted
Original Announcement
Subject: Big Ideas Request for Posting
Date: February 2, 2009
Colleagues:
It is time to get serious about the Big Ideas. The process we are using to post Big Ideas this time is different than the one we used for the Academic Plan blog. We have established this web site to enable an online discussion for each Big Idea submitted for posting. Please email your formal proposal (Word or pdf) to provost@uoregon.edu and staff will post to this site to initiate the online discussion. Each posting will have a discussion thread under it so that the community and administration can ask clarifying questions, point out potential weaknesses allowing authors to respond to them. Revising a proposal in response to critiques and reposting is acceptable. Please include version number in the title and email the revised proposal to provost@uoregon.edu. Hence, posting early is advisable to allow yourselves that flexibility. The blog will be open until March 16.
Your posting should respond directly to the criteria in the RFP. It is not expected that any posting will be strong in all criteria so if you see that your idea is weak in a couple of areas, please submit your formal proposal to provost@uoregon.edu anyway. Being stronger against more criteria is better than fewer.
Criteria #7 and 8 request a discussion of the funding model for your Big Idea. We are not looking for detailed budgets at this time, but a candid discussion of how you expect this idea to encourage investment and to be sustained long term. Examples of how the Big Idea might appeal to private donors or connect to specific federal funding opportunities will be useful. Different groups of faculty have a variety of experience levels and comfort with formal "RFP" processes and associated funding opportunities. My office will be happy to help organize a workshop and/or meet with groups to address questions as necessary.
Thank you for your continuing engagement and enthusiasm for the Big Ideas. Especially in these challenging economic times, it is critical to maintain a view towards the horizon and the next generation of opportunities to fuel our academic mission, elevate excellence and expand our impact.
Regards,
James C. Bean
Senior Vice President and Provost