Indiana University, Bloomington. Research and the University Graduate School

The Graduate School at Indiana University was founded, upon the recommendation of the Committee on Advanced Degrees, on February 1, 1904. For many years, a Research Committee handled the many graduate research funding requests until the 1977-1978 school year, when the Office of Research and Graduate Development (R&GD) was established to govern higher research at IU. In 1989, R&GD merged with the University Graduate School to become Research and the University Graduate School (RUGS). To lead this program, George Walker was appointed Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Vice President for Research. The merger combined the financial resources of the two offices while unloading some of the recordkeeping and admission duties onto the individual schools within the university. As a result, RUGS administrators were better able to work on cultivating financial resources and to study graduate student concerns.

From the description of Research and the University Graduate School records, 1962-2003, bulk 1975-1999. (Indiana University). WorldCat record id: 105998655

The Indiana University Office of Research and the University Graduate School (RUGS) worked with all eight IU campuses to link research, graduate education, technology transfer, and economic development efforts system wide, and to enhance federal, state, and private support for research and graduate education. The Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC) Minorities Fellowship Program, overseen by RUGS, provided support to underrepresented minority students in the University Graduate School and to some underrepresented students interested in pursuing graduate study. Ronald R. Smith held the position of Associate Dean in RUGS from 1988 to 1996. In this position, he also served as Director of the CIC Minorities Fellowship Program from 1988 until his death in 1997.

From the description of Research and the University Graduate School Associate Dean's records, 1986-1996. (Indiana University). WorldCat record id: 43604184

Indiana University’s Graduate School was founded, upon the recommendation of the Committee on Advanced Degrees, on February 1, 1904. The committee administered the School until 1908, when Carl H. Eigenmann was appointed as the first dean.

For many years, a university Research Committee handled the many research funding requests until the 1977-1978 school year when the Office of Research and Graduate Development (R&GD) was formed to govern higher level research at IU. The first dean of this office was Homer A. Neal, who served in this role until the 1980-1981 academic year, at which time George Springer became acting dean. Morton Lowengrub took over the position in 1982 and stayed through 1988. With Lowengrub’s departure, Roger Farr became acting dean until 1989.

In 1989, the Office of Research and Graduate Development merged with the University Graduate School to become the Research and the University Graduate School (RUGS). To lead this program, George Walker was appointed Dean of the Graduate School and Associate Vice President for Research. The merger combined the financial resources of the two offices while unloading some of the recordkeeping and admission duties onto the individual schools within the university. As a result, RUGS administrators were better able to work on cultivating financial resources and to study graduate student concerns.

Dr. Walker retired as Vice President of Research in 2003 (but continued as Dean of the Graduate School while the university conducted a search for his successor), ending a tenure during which several new prominent centers and initiatives had been established at IU, such as the Center on Congress, the Center for Mathematical Education, and the Advanced Research and Technology Institute.

After Walker’s retirement, RUGS split into two offices, the Office of the Vice President for Research and the University Graduate School. Vice President for Information Technology Michael A. McRobbie (later named the 18th president of the university), was asked to oversee this office and was given the additional title of Vice President for Research. Finally, in 2006, the office changed its name once more and became the Office of the Vice Provost for Research, led by P. Sarita Soni.

From the guide to the Research and the University Graduate School records, 1962-2003, bulk 1975-1999, (Indiana University Office of University Archives and Records Management http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives)

Ronald R. Smith served as Associate Dean in the Office of Research and the University Graduate School (RUGS) from 1988 to 1996. RUGS oversaw research and graduate education on all eight campuses, with an emphasis on the Bloomington campus. The research mission of the office included stewardship and distribution of research equipment and other research resources, as well as the administration of 29 Bloomington centers, institutes, and museums. The office also served as an informed resource for graduate student interests and worked to enhance graduate student education and support. RUGS administered the distribution of various graduate student fellowship budgets and worked to attract and retain minorities and women in areas of research and graduate programs where they were under-represented. RUGS also became responsible for system wide technology transfer and economic development. The office relied on faculty direction and guidance. Faculty from all campuses served on operational committees appointed by RUGS. RUGS separated into the Office of the Vice Provost for Research and the University Graduate School during or around summer 2004.

Smith was also Director of the CIC Minorities Fellowship Program from 1988 until his death in 1997. The Committee of Institutional Cooperation, established in 1958, is a consortium of 12 research universities comprised of the 11 members of the Big Ten Conference and the University of Chicago. These institutions advance academic excellence by sharing resources and promoting and coordinating collaborative activities across the member universities. The CIC is led by the chief academic officers of the member institutions. The CIC Minorities Fellowship Program, which was overseen by RUGS and is also known as the Minority Fellowship Program for the University Graduate School, offers several fellowships that support under-represented minorities in the University Graduate School and some under-represented undergraduate students interested in pursuing graduate study. As Director of the CIC Minorities Fellowship Program, Smith worked to recruit and retain minority students at IU, as well as to provide opportunities for them to conduct research abroad or at other CIC institutions.

From the guide to the Research and the University Graduate School Associate Dean's records, 1986-1996, (Indiana University Office of University Archives and Records Management http://www.libraries.iub.edu/archives)