One of the ways in which ERCs differ from traditional academic research centers is in the full participation of students in the life of the center at every level. An aspect of this participation is the Student Leadership Council (SCL). The formation of an SLC is required by NSF’s Cooperative Agreement with all ERCs. In most centers, this council must be comprised of representatives from both undergraduate and graduate programs. Contractually, the primary responsibility of an SLC is for the organization of student activities. SLCs are also responsible for carrying out a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis during the center’s NSF site visit and communicating the results to the center director and leadership team, as well as to the NSF site visit team.
However, SLCs see their role as broader than what is contractually specified. They are actively involved on a regular basis in advising center leadership on issues of curriculum, diversity and culture of inclusion; they participate as mentors and assistants in Research Experiences for Undergraduates and other summer research outreach programs; they develop projects to present to precollege students onsite at schools, science fairs, etc.; and they meet at the NSF’s biennial program meetings in a cross-center Retreat to share experiences and best practices. In short, SLCs are a vital part of the student life and the overall life of an ERC.
Additional information about SLCs purpose and governance can be found in the Chapter 8 of the Best Practices Manual.
Further resources related to the management of SLCs can be found on the SLC Resources Page.
One of the ways in which ERCs differ from traditional academic research centers is in the full participation of students in the life of the center at every level. An aspect of this participation is the Student Leadership Council (SCL). The formation of an SLC is required by NSF’s Cooperative Agreement with all ERCs. In most centers, this council must be comprised of representatives from both undergraduate and graduate programs. Contractually, the primary responsibility of an SLC is for the organization of student activities. SLCs are also responsible for carrying out a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis during the center’s NSF site visit and communicating the results to the center director and leadership team, as well as to the NSF site visit team.
However, SLCs see their role as broader than what is contractually specified. They are actively involved on a regular basis in advising center leadership on issues of curriculum, diversity and culture of inclusion; they participate as mentors and assistants in Research Experiences for Undergraduates and other summer research outreach programs; they develop projects to present to precollege students onsite at schools, science fairs, etc.; and they meet at the NSF’s biennial program meetings in a cross-center Retreat to share experiences and best practices. In short, SLCs are a vital part of the student life and the overall life of an ERC.
Additional information about SLCs purpose and governance can be found in the Chapter 8 of the Best Practices Manual.
Further resources related to the management of SLCs can be found on the SLC Resources Page.