Strategic Startup Role and Requirements

In many disciplines, recruiting faculty members with substantial research potential is highly competitive. Often, a startup package can make a significant difference when recruiting faculty with outstanding research potential. For this reason, Research, Economic Development, and Engagement (REDE) oversees a pool of institutional funds to help department chairs and deans assemble competitive faculty startup packages.

Startup packages are comprised of contributions from the department, college, school, center or institute, Graduate School, and REDE. These funds represent a significant investment in the future research productivity of East Carolina University; therefore, deans and department chairs are asked to set appropriate performance benchmarks during employment negotiations with candidates. REDE assesses recent unit and college research productivity, and future startup investment depends on success in meeting appropriate benchmarks. REDE also requires an interim (18-month) progress report from each faculty recipient; the third year of funding is dependent on evidence of satisfactory research productivity.

The associate dean for research (ADR) is closely involved in the startup package negotiation process. Below is a list of items that should accompany the request for a new startup package.

Materials needed:

1. The signed startup request form (PDF)
2. A letter from the Dept Chair to the AVC for Research Strategy that states the name of the preferred candidate (along with the peopleadmin position number), anticipated start date, a very brief description of their expertise, and how their expertise will be a contribution to ECU’s mission (this can be as condensed as one paragraph).
   This memo should also include a description of the department and college’s contributions to the candidate’s start up and if there are any adaptations to the candidate’s workload (i.e., adaptations to practice or teaching workload expectations). Please make sure at least three internal people are listed as the applicant’s advisory committee. Please also include if the candidate is bringing any funding with them.
3. A current CV from the applicant
4. From the applicant, a brief description of the research agenda for year 1-3.
   These have commonly followed a format such as:
   1. Yr 1 -description, research questions, example projects, methods, activities, outputs, outcomes
   2. Yr 2- description, research questions, example projects, methods, activities, outputs, outcomes
   3. Yr 3- description, research questions, example projects, methods, activities,                                     outputs, outcomes
   4. Team composition/advisory committee composition (at least 3 internal mentors/support system). Candidates can also provide the names of additional collaborators, but need to make sure they have access to internal support systems and meet with these individuals with some regularity.
   5. Funding Plan (name potential sponsors, RFPs, and timeline to seek external funding)  which will be reviewed at the 18 month marker and again at 3 year marker.
5. On the budget spreadsheet for Y1-3 if there are workstation or research computing needs please check with John Southworth to ensure we have technical support for requested items (southworthj@ecu.edu); confirm that any requested equipment is not duplicative or justify why we still need this purchase if this equipment exists elsewhere on campus. Please describe instances when any structural or infrastructure changes are needed for the faculty member’s lab or office.
6. This is one spreadsheet we need with the details of funding requests and justification: Startup Budget Form 3 Years (XLS)