The Process
Federal agencies join the CESU National Council, then select individual CESUs with which to formally engage.
Non-federal entities are welcome to apply for membership. The North Atlantic Coast CESU follows the National New Partner Application and Approval Process. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis by the NAC CESU Staff at The University of Rhode Island. Please direct your application to the CESU Director, with a copy to the CESU Research Coordinator. If you have questions about the North Atlantic Coast CESU or the application process, please reach out to the CESU staff.
Responsibilities of CESU Partners
Affiliation with the North Atlantic Coast CESU, whether as a federal or non-federal partner, comes with key responsibilities to ensure continued excellence in meeting the needs of federal agencies and sharing the results of our efforts.
- Each partner assigns a Technical Representative and an Administrative Contact, who are crucial for communication with the host university, other partners, and within their institutions, as well as for handling administrative matters.
- Federal agencies provide funding opportunities, technical assistance requests, and announcements, which non-federal partners distribute widely within their institutions and respond to as appropriate. Partners are encouraged to engage students and early-career professionals in projects.
- Federal and non-federal partners collaborate on technical aspects of all projects and participate in the NAC CESU’s annual Management Committee meetings. All administrative documents (e.g., cooperative agreements) must be reviewed, signed, and processed promptly.
- The NAC CESU website is a key platform for information sharing. Partners are expected to contribute project or personnel highlights, images, and other relevant content to be regularly updated by the host university. Additionally, partners provide information for the online project database, including publications, presentations, reports, public outreach, student involvement, and other project materials.
Host Responsibilities
The University of Rhode Island, as the host, has additional responsibilities:
- Facilitate communication and administration among partners and the National CESU Network Office
- Convene Managers Committee meetings
- Participate in the Annual CESU National Meeting (open to all partners)
- Host and maintain the NAC CESU website
- Provide office space and access to university facilities for the NPS CESU Research Coordinator
- Prepare the NAC CESU’s five-year self-assessment report with input from all partners