Sponsored Programs is committed both to short- and long-range planning and to regular, intensive program evaluations, to ensure that the maximum benefit is generated from the programs and initiative under its auspices.
The Board of Regents Support Fund has extensive planning and evaluation mechanisms in place. Guided by two Committees representing campuses and systems, government agencies and the private sector – the BoRSF Planning and Advisory Committees – the Support Fund conducts annual and long-range planning through a variety of mechanisms:
- A constitutionally required annual Plan & Budget submitted to the Legislature and the Governor
- Strategic Planning conducted in seven-year cycles
- Regents Master Planning
To help inform the planning process and understand the impact of Sponsored Programs activities, the Board also undertakes regular programmatic reviews. Support Fund programs are assessed on a multi-year cycle as noted in the most recent Strategic Plan.
Louisiana EPSCoR has a separate advisory group – the Louisiana EPSCoR Subcommittee – that helps to guide ongoing planning and evaluations.
Sponsored Programs also contributes to planning and assessment efforts related to Statewide university-based research, including the Board of Regents Master Planning and the development of a science and technology plan for Louisiana (FIRST Louisiana). The Advisory Committee for the Advancement of Research in Louisiana (ACARL) guides BoR actions on university-based research and development.