CORE A: ADMINISTRATIVE CORE 1. INTRODUCTION The Administrative Core of the CFAR has a number of critical roles. Most importantly, the Core creates a framework that allows for the strategic planning process to occur so that the resources of the CFAR are used to the greatest benefit. We accomplish this through a yearly process of review that includes user surveys of the cores and review by the External Advisory Board (EAB) in alternating years, by consultation with Internal Advisory Boards (lAB) that are established for each Core, by CFAR Retreats, and by review of Core utilization. Through all of these mechanisms we develop and revise the strategic plan that guides the CFAR. The Administrative Core is the focus of interactions with Departments in the hiring of new faculty in the area of HIV/AIDS. The institution has made significant resources available directly to the CFAR for hiring CFAR faculty. However, a much larger number of faculty members are hired with the short term support of the CFAR and in the expectation that the new faculty will flourish in the presence of a strong research community. We have been extremely successful in the past in expanding the faculty in the HIV/AIDS research arena and look to continue this effort going forward. The Administrative Core manages the Center status ofthe CFAR within the School of Medicine. The CFAR Director reports directly to the Dean of the School of Medicine (SOM) and represents the CFAR In the SOM administrative activities. The CFAR Director is also responsible for managing research space and Center status that has been assigned by the institution. The Administrative Core oversees the other CFAR Cores. We provide financial oversight, manage budgets and changes in the budget. The CFAR Director is responsible for choosing and interacting with the Core Directors. In a collaborative effort with the lAB and EAB, the performance of the Cores is evaluated and necessary adjustments made. The Administrative Core manages the funds associated with the institutional commitment. The Institutional commitment is made to the CFAR Director who then manages those funds within the CFAR. Some of the funds are targeted (Developmental Awards and equipment) while other funds are discretionary which gives the Director flexibility in meeting the needs of the CFAR. The Administrative Core provides support to new CFAR faculty. Mentoring, review, and planning are all essential for maximal faculty development. The Administrative Core collaborates with the departments in providing these functions for CFAR faculty. The Administrative Core carries out a broad range of outreach functions. We engage an active Community Advisory Board, support outside community activities in the name of the CFAR, administer a large AIDS Course within UNC and use that course as a platform to develop distance-learning tools In partnership with in-state Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). Finally, we publish a CFAR newsletter, create web-based information material, and sponsor a World AIDS Day Symposium as part of an even broader outreach effort. We will manage a new Ethics Program that will give a forum for the discussion and exploration of research ethics issues across the CFAR. By placing this program in the Administrative Core we expect it to benefit from, as well as impact all of, our research activity, both domestic and international. The Administrative Core provides and supports scientific leadership across the entire CFAR. We have now formalized our Working Groups effort to make it more focused, goal-oriented, and accountable. As part of the strategic planning process we have identified four high priority areas that will receive additional attention from the CFAR leadership. We have created a new Core A Internal Advisory Board made up of younger senior and mid-level investigators who are becoming the next generation of leaders within our CFAR. The UNC CFAR benefits from stable leadership. The CFAR Director and Associate Director remain unchanged, now with 12 years of experience in managing a CFAR that has seen significant expansion of the membership, increased status within the institution, and increased impact of the research of the membership. In addition, the CFAR leadership is visible in many other roles both within the institution and in the broader national and international community, raising the visibility of the UNC CFAR. The UNC CFAR has been a highly successful enterprise that has been built on goals of the CFAR: supporting the broad scope of HIV/AIDS related research, engaging all ofthe research community, ensuring the thoughtful use of CFAR resources, promoting quality and impactful research, carrying out research and capacity building in the international setting, and more. The CFAR is reaching a level of maturity where the faculty, organization, and infrastructure are in place to make increasingly important contributions to containing the HIV epidemic.
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