The CUR Institutional Liaisons provide a personal link between CUR and college and university campuses nationwide. Liaisons are individuals who have offered to keep their campuses informed about CUR activities, and conversely to inform the CUR National Office of events and programs on their campuses. CUR liaisons learn of programs that can be tried on their campuses. They may plan programs such as student journals, poster sessions, and faculty discussion groups, and talk with Presidents and Boards of Trustees about policy matters in undergraduate research. CUR liaisons explain the benefits of membership to faculty and administrators on their campuses, distribute information about our meetings and publications, announce CUR’s public policy initiatives that require local participation, and encourage their institutions to join CUR. But most importantly, they report to us on the interests and needs of their colleagues, and how current CUR programs are being received, so that CUR programs can evolve to meet these needs.

Some Ideas for Campus CUR Activities

What have CUR liaisons done in the past? Some of our liaisons have reported holding occasional lunch meetings, in order to share information on undergraduate research at their campuses. Others have published articles in the campus press, applying CUR principles to local situations. Another idea is to start a campus newsletter on undergraduate research, with articles by faculty and students. Some campus CUR groups have drafted letters to news media, local officials, federal government officials on issues pertinent to undergraduate research; others have organized undergraduate research poster sessions for state legislatures and/or the public. A visit to the President of the college or a presentation to trustees on some aspect of undergraduate research is a good idea. If you have an informal “CUR Chapter” of folks committed to undergraduate research, we at the National Office Would like to know about it.

CUR is deeply appreciative of the work that CUR Liaisons do for CUR and its mission.  We thank all of you.

To find out who your liaison is on your campus, click here.
If your school does not have a liaison listed and you would like to become the liaison contact
the CUR National Office.