Associate Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies

Dr. Francis Otuonye

Dr. Otuonye generates research topics and coordinates externally funded research and scholarly activities throughout the University. He provides administrative reviews and approves research proposals for University commitments, including budgets, personnel, animals, human subjects, facilities, and hazardous materials. He conducts seminars and workshops for administrators and faculty on funding sources to support research and other scholarly activities, and disseminates information about indirect costs, fringe benefits, and University policies on research to administrators, faculty, and staff. Dr. Otuonye initiates and conducts quarterly meetings with College Liaison Officers for Research to discuss University policies and procedures affecting contracts and grants, and internal review of proposals, grants and contracts. He interacts with the Faculty Research Committee by reviewing proposals and suggesting sources for funding.

The Associate Vice President monitors administrative matters such as reports and deadline dates relative to faculty performance of research. He maintains academic and research profiles of faculty to match interests with funding agencies, and responds to administrative and faculty inquiries for research support. He also approves the budgets for activation of research projects conducted by the faculty.

The Associate Vice President is responsible for administering the policies applicable to the Graduate School. With the assistance of the Graduate School Executive Committee, Dr. Otuonye's office establishes and enforces minimum standards of graduate work in the University, encourages high standards, and coordinates the graduate programs of the various colleges. He rules on applications for admission to the Graduate School, submits recommendations for the awarding of fellowships, assistantships, and internships after consultation with the Deans involved, and maintains graduate student records.

Contact Information

The office of the associate vice president for research and graduate studies is located on the third floor (Room 306) of Derryberry Hall on the Tennessee Tech campus.To contact this office, please use the following:

Address
Tennessee Tech University
Office of Research and Graduate Studies
P.O. Box 5012
Cookeville, TN 38505-0001

Phone
(931) 372.3374

Fax
(931) 372.6374

E-mail
FOtuonye@tntech.edu