Strategic Plan
University Transportation Center: Tier II U.S. Department of Transportation Strategic Plan University of Toledo (Lead Institution) - Toledo Ohio |
SECTION I – PROGRAM OVERVIEW |
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A. Glossary |
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BGSU |
Bowling Green State University – Bowling Green, Ohio | |
DOT |
Department of Transportation (referring to state DOTs) | |
FHWA |
Federal Highway Administration | |
GIS |
Geographic Information System | |
GLMRI |
Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute | |
ICHCA |
International Cargo Handling and Coordination Association | |
MDOT |
Michigan Department of Transportation | |
MIOH |
Michigan Ohio | |
MPO |
Metropolitan Planning Organization | |
MRUTC |
Midwest Regional University Transportation Center | |
ODOD |
Ohio Department of Development | |
ODOT |
Ohio Department of Transportation | |
PI |
Principal Investigator | |
RITA |
Research and Innovative Technology Administration | |
TRB |
Transportation Research Board | |
UDM |
University of Detroit Mercy | |
US |
United States | |
USDOT |
United States Department of Transportation | |
UT |
The University of Toledo | |
UT-UTC |
University of Toledo University Transportation Center | |
UT-ITI |
University of Toledo Intermodal Transportation Institute | |
UWM |
University of Wisconsin at Madison | |
WSU |
Wayne State University – Detroit, Michigan |
SECTION II – PROGRAM ACTIVITIES |
A. Research Selection |
Research Selection Goal: an objective process for selecting and reviewing research that balances multiple objectives of the program. |
1. Baseline Measures |
See Baseline Measures 1 and 2 in Appendix A. |
2. Research Selection Program Outcomes |
In developing a research selection process, the Center is committed to strong and meaningful participation of public and private sector organizations that will ensure that projects lead to economic development either directly or indirectly. State agencies and the USDOT will have a role so that research projects are aligned with state and federal needs. In this way, research projects will reflect the priorities of the states and the priorities expressed in the USDOT Strategic Plan, its Research, Development and Technology Plan and the Federal Transit Administration’s Strategic Research Plan. The universities will be involved so that the projects selected are consistent with their respective missions. The process will also include a strong peer-reviewed component to ensure that the research projects selected are rigorously designed and executed. Combining these stakeholders helps to ensure that funds will be spent to enhance the connectivity and efficiency of the transportation system and to improve economic vitality. |
3. Planned Activities |
The following major activities will take place to achieve the research program outcomes identified earlier. The process will include the needs of public and private sector organizations that are responsible for and use the transportation network, state agencies, USDOT, the universities, and the Center Director and staff. |
4. Required Activities |
The Center’s process for evaluating and selecting research projects will include public and private sector transportation organizations such as shippers, carriers, MPOs, port authorities, state agencies, USDOT, and faculty. The selection criteria reflect the theme of the Center (Transportation for Economic Security and Development: Alternate Energy, Infrastructure Utilization, and Supply Chains) and are supportive of the national strategy for transportation. The selection criteria will be clearly stated and will focus in the following areas: |
5. Recommended Activities |
Advanced Research The Center is very much interested in the development of ideas and technologies that involve and draw on basic research. The development and use of plug-in electric and hydraulic hybrid vehicles has the potential to dramatically reduce our dependence on foreign sources of oil for powering cars, buses, trucks, and locomotives. New ways of moving freight between suppliers and manufacturers in urban areas can greatly reduce congestion and damage to city streets, improve safety, cut pollutants, and slash transportation costs for suppliers and manufacturers. These technologies involve basic research that can generate effective long term solutions. |
6. Performance Indicator |
The universities in this consortium have the capabilities to report the number of transportation research projects selected for funding under this UTC. These can be broken out into basic, advanced, and applied research, quite easily. The total budget, including UTC grant funds and cost share, can be provided. Progress reports and final reports will be available annually based on the reports submitted by the participating universities as well as data collected by the UTC staff. The Assistant Director will be responsible for this activity. |
B. Research Performance |
Research Performance Goal: an ongoing program of basic and applied research, the products of which are judged by peers or other experts in the field to advance the body of knowledge in transportation. |
1. Baseline Measure |
See Baseline Measures 3 and 4 in Appendix A. |
2. Research Performance Program Outcome |
The Center will conduct high quality basic, advanced, and applied research that: |
3. Planned Activities |
A procedure will be established that ensures that research projects are progressing as expected. It will have the following elements:Periodic Reports with Feedback: |
4. Performance Indicator |
It is essential that the results from the research studies supported by the UT-UTC are transferred to transportation faculty, researchers, and practitioners through technical reports, proceedings papers, peer reviewed journal publications, technical presentations at academic and professional meetings, and seminars and workshops. The potential to disseminate project results along with a specific plan to accomplish this activity will be one of the criteria used to evaluate and select research projects. Updates on the status of these efforts will be part of the quarterly and final review. After the project is completed, PIs will be responsible for reporting how this information and technology were transferred. The Assistant Director will follow up with each PI six, twelve, and eighteen months after the project is complete to make sure that these activities are being accomplished. PIs who do not provide this information or are unable to generate successful research reports, publications, and presentations at academic and professional meetings will not be eligible for future UTC funding. The Assistant Director will be responsible for this activity and will work with the participating universities to collect and report these data. |
C. Education |
Education Goal: a multidisciplinary program of course work and experiential learning that reinforces the transportation theme of the Center. |
1. Baseline Measure |
See Baseline Measures 5 and 6 in Appendix A. |
2. Education Program Outcomes |
It is the mission of the Center is to provide quality education that is consistent with the research program of the UT-UTC and to develop the skills needed by current and future transportation professionals. The Center will focus on programs encompassing a broad area that includes transportation planning and construction programs. These are often found in civil engineering departments, GIS and related geographic and demographic programs which are found in Geography and Planning Departments, and supply chain management and transportation which are usually part of Colleges of Business Administration. Core programs in these areas are currently available at the participating universities. It is the goal of the Center to expand these programs so that the number of graduates grow, that there is an increase in the diversity of the graduation pools so they are representative of the population, that the programs are strengthened so that graduates are armed with cutting edge knowledge and technology, and that emerging disciplines are established. The Center will work with key stakeholders – private sector, public sector, and governmental – to make sure that their needs are met. |
3. Planned Activities |
These activities are predicated on meeting with stakeholders to assess the educational needs of the transportation community. There are a wide variety of activities that are currently being planned including: |
3.a Required Activities |
3.a.1 Multidisciplinary Course Work and Student Participation in Research |
The theme for this UTC indicates that both research and education are interdisciplinary in nature. Infrastructure utilization involves transportation planning from civil engineering, GIS from geography and planning, economic analysis from business and economics, and land use from law. Alternate energy research often involves chemical engineers, physicists, and chemists to address technical and environmental issues and business experts and economists to understand and evaluate the costs, benefits and methods for successful commercialization. Supply chain management involves procurement specialists, inventory managers, information system specialists, production managers, and transportation managers to move goods quickly and efficiently from suppliers to manufacturers and from manufacturers to final customers. To successfully implement the focus areas for this UTC, it is necessary to provide interdisciplinary course work for students. The opportunities are substantial such as developing entrepreneurship courses for engineers and business managers and integrating GIS concepts from geography and planning with transportation planning approaches in civil engineering. In addition, these focus areas provide ample opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to participate in research. |
3.a.2 Support for National Programs in Highway, Transit, and Technology |
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3.a.3 Outstanding Student of the Year |
Each year after meeting the eligibility requirements, an outstanding student will be selected by the UT-UTC. The Outstanding Student of the Year will receive $1,000 and the cost to attend an award ceremony at the winter meeting of TRB in Washington, DC. |
4. Performance Indicators |
The universities in this consortium have the capabilities to report the number of courses offered at the graduate and undergraduate level that are part of the transportation curriculum and the number of students participating in undergraduate and graduate related research projects. The Colleges of Engineering, Departments of Geography and Planning, and the Colleges of Business Administration at the various universities will provide information on enrollment in the different courses. Their respective Offices of Research will provide information on the number of undergraduate and graduate students who are involved in transportation-related research projects. These offices are willing to work with the Assistant Director to provide the needed information. Reports will be available annually based on reports submitted by participating universities as well as data collected by UTC staff. The Assistant Director will be responsible for this activity. |
D. Human Resources |
Human Resources Goal: an increased number of students, faculty, and staff who are attracted to and substantially involved in the undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs of the Center. |
1. Baseline Measure |
See Baseline Measures 7, 8 and 9 in Appendix A. |
2. Human Resource Program Outcomes |
The desired outcomes for the Center are to increase the number of students, faculty, and staff that are involved in undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs that are transportation-related. These outcomes (student, faculty, and staff) require different activities, which will be described in the next section. Undergraduate students are attracted by finding challenging and interesting projects, scholarship support, opportunities for internships and co-operative education, and the prospect of good jobs. Graduate students are seeking faculty with a strong and relevant research agenda and active grants and contracts, so that stipends and assistantships are available. Faculty want a university that values and supports transportation programs, research support (laboratories and equipment), and a critical mass of activities that can provide synergistic benefits to his/her research. Staff members seek interesting and challenging work that provides opportunity for advancement. The Center will also strive to involve practicing professionals in research and educational programs to not only gather their insights, but to improve the knowledge and understanding of current transportation problems. |
3. Planned Activities |
To increase the number of students in transportation programs, the Center will work to expand internship and co-operative educational opportunities, increase transportation research funding, and increase stipend amounts. The Center will work with the placement office to expand graduate and undergraduate placement opportunities. The Center will broaden the scope of transportation research projects that involve undergraduate and graduate students to attract more students and actively recruit and involve students through presentations, Center web site material, and a Center newsletter. The Center will provide support in the form of guest speakers for student groups to increase access to transportation leaders and to provide students with an understanding of the importance of transportation. |
4. Performance Indicators |
The universities in this consortium have the capabilities to report the number of advanced degree programs that are currently being offered and that are transportation related, the numbers of masters and doctoral students seeking advanced degrees, and the number of students who receive degrees through these transportation related advance degrees. Each university has a graduate school that is responsible for this activity. They are willing to work with the Assistant Director to provide the needed information. Reports will be available annually based on the reports submitted by the participating universities as well as data collected by UTC staff. The Assistant Director will be responsible for this activity. |
E. Diversity |
Diversity Goal: students, faculty, and staff who reflect the growing diversity of the US workforce and are substantially involved in the undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs of the Center. |
1. Baseline Measures |
Not required for diversity, per RITA |
2. Diversity Program Outcomes |
The desired outcome is to increase the number of minorities who are participating in transportation programs as well as increase the percentage of those participants who are minorities. In this way, minority participation will increase at a faster rate than majority participation. This applies to students who are admitted to the program, faculty who teach and do research, and staff who support research and teaching activities. |
3. Planned Activities |
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4. Performance Indicators |
Although there are no baseline requirements to guide the selection of performance indicators, each university will employ its affirmative action office and its registrar to provide longitudinal data on enrollment broken down by program and minority designation. These will become the data for supporting the claim that diversity is being enhanced. The Assistant Director will be responsible for this activity. |
F. Technology Transfer |
Technology Transfer Goal: availability of research results to potential users in a form that can be directly implemented, utilized or otherwise applied |
1. Baseline Measures |
See Baseline Measures 10 and 11 in Appendix A. |
2. Technology Transfer Program Outcomes |
To achieve technology transfer it is essential that the following program outcomes are achieved. |
3. Planned Activities |
Through the following efforts, the Center will have activities in place to enable efficient and effective transfer of research results to end users.
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3.a Required Activities |
3.a.1 Internet Home Page |
The UT-UTC will provide a home page with all appropriate materials including but not limited to key center personnel, research project descriptions, Center newsletters, status reports, research reports, and annual reports. |
3.a.2 Meeting Participation and Expert Advice |
The UT-UTC Director, staff, and faculty are not only willing but look forward to opportunities to meet with other UTCs to discuss interactions and/or USDOT and FHWA experts to exchange ideas as well as to provide advice on technical and educational topics. |
4. Performance Indicators |
Information on Center performance will be updated annually based on reports submitted by participating universities, public and private sector partners as appropriate, and UT-UTC director, assistant director, staff, and responsible faculty. At a minimum, the information provided will include Performance Indicators 10 and 11 set forth in Exhibit A of the UT-UTC reporting requirement. |
B. Center Director |
Dr. Mark Vonderembse will be the Director of the Center. He will be responsible for administering the Center’s programs, will coordinate activities among the consortium of universities, manage and control the Center’s budget, and ensure the effective use of Center resources. The Center Director is responsible for implementing the Center’s Strategic Plan and ensuring compliance with all other UTC Program requirements. The Director is ultimately responsible for assuring that: |
C. Center Faculty and Staff |
Only the Director, Assistant Director, and the Secretary will spend 50% or more of their time on activities of the Center; it is anticipate that no staff will spend 50% or more of their time on Center business. Faculty will participate in the development of the strategic plan, and will be represented on the Policy Committee and the Technical Oversight Committee. They will participate in projects as PIs and Co-PIs, but it is not anticipated that this will consume 50% or more of their time. It is possible/likely that some projects will require staff and students to work on projects at this level, but that will not be known until projects are approved. |
E. Matching Funds |
The Center will meet the one-to-one match required by the UTC Program. The sources of these founds are outlined here. These funds are annual estimates and include both cash and in-kind contributions. The funds from the state are expected to be both SPR dollars and state dollars. |
E.1. Eligibility as Matching Funds |
The Center will comply with all federal requirements for matching funds, as set forth in OMB Circular A-110. |
E.2. Special Rule for UTC Program |
The non-Federal share of the UT-UTC costs may include funds provided under section 503, 504(b) or 505 of title 23, United States Code. |
SECTION IV – BUDGET DETAILS |
University Transportation Center (UT-UTC) Budget Plan |
Name of Grantee: The University of Toledo Grant Year: 7/1/2006 thru 6/30/2007 |
CATEGORIES |
BUDGETED AMOUNT | EXPLANATORY NOTES |
Center Director Salary | 53,455 | |
Faculty Salaries | 21,000 | $14,000 UT; $7,000 BGSU & WSU |
Administrative Staff Salaries | 62,348 | |
Other Staff Salaries | 0 | |
Student Salaries | 221,100 | For 8.5 graduate student time at UT; 2.5 at BGSU & WSU |
Staff Benefits | 64,056 | |
Total Salaries and Benefits | 421,958 | |
Scholarships/Tuition | 160,204 | For all graduate students |
Permanent Equipment | 0 | |
Expendable Property, Supplies, and Services |
5,000 | |
Domestic Travel | 5,867 | Includes pre-incurred expenses for travel to USDOT University Transportation Center meeting and Transportation Research Board meeting |
Foreign Travel | 6,000 | |
Other Direct Costs (Specify) | 0 | |
Total Direct Costs | 599,029 | |
F&A (Indirect) Costs | 263,573 | Federal approved rate of 44% |
TOTAL COSTS* | 862,602 | |
Federal Share | 430,000 | Appropriated amount |
Matching Share (if applicable) | 432,602 | |
*Includes Federal and Matching Shares |
A. Format |
The budget is presented above in the format presented in Exhibit III of the “Instructions for Preparing a UTC Strategic Plan (3/06).” Appendix B shows in detail the calculations for each budget line. |
B. Grant Year |
The first year of this UT-UTC grant will begin July 1, 2006 and end June 30, 2007 which is also the University of Toledo’s fiscal year. The first grant year also includes pre-incurred costs from January 1, 2006 through June 30, 2006. The pre-incurred costs and the first year costs are aggregated in the budget totals shown above, but are separated out in the detail. |
C. Salaries |
Total salaries are shown in the budget above for the director, faculty, administrative staff and graduate assistants. They are broken down within each category and the computations for the amounts are shown in Appendix B. In summary, the Director receives a stipend for his activities in the Center and effort plus release time from the University; the Assistant Director is a full time employee of the Center; the secretary is part-time up to 1000 hours; graduate assistants receive stipends for semesters in which they work for the Center; faculty are paid at their regular salary rate plus benefits for the time spent on Center projects. The Director, Assistant Director and Secretary are located at UT; faculty and graduate assistants who are doing project work will be located at their respective universities. |
Budget Detail Calculations - Salaries |
Center Director Salar |
The Center Director is paid a stipend of $1000 per month plus 5% for effort and 16.67% for release time applied to his base salary of $163,611. The stipend is included in the six months of pre-incurred expenses but the salary is not. |
Faculty Salaries |
Faculty salaries in total are budgeted at $21,000 of which $14,000 is estimated at UT and $7,000 for BGSU and WSU. Because the projects on which the faculty members will work will be chosen in the future, the amounts per individual are not known. |
Administrative Staff Salaries |
The assistant director’s salary of $43,000 will be fully paid at 100% time from the UT UTC grant. The secretary works 1000 hours per fiscal year or 48.08% time at a salary of $29,120. In addition to Year 1 of this grant , the salaries are also covered for the period of January 1, 2006 through June 30, 2006 (six months) as pre-incurred expenses. The assistant director started work in mid-July of Year 1; the secretary was employed for all six months. |
Other Staff Salaries |
There are no other staff salaries. |
Student Salaries |
Graduate students receive stipends of $7,650 per semester for fall and spring and $4,800 for summer semester. Eleven graduate students at 100% time are budgeted with 8.5 estimated at UT and 2.5 at BGSU and WSU. |
Staff Benefits |
The Director and faculty benefits are computed at 34.2% times salary; the benefits for the Assistant Director and Secretary are computed at 33.6%; graduate students have a fringe benefit rate of 1.9% times the stipend amount plus medical insurance of $240, $376 and $606 for summer, fall and spring/summer semesters for a yearly total of $1,222. |
Director |
$53,455 * 0.342 = |
$18,282 $13,892 $7,057 $7,182 $17,643 $64,056 |
D. Scholarships |
Full tuition and the engineering fee are paid for the semesters in which the graduate students are working on UTC projects. Scholarship funding will comply with the limitations set forth in section III.5 of the “General Provisions of Grant Agreements for UTCs.” |
E. Equipment |
No permanent equipment is funded as part of this grant year. |
F. Foreign Travel |
Money for foreign travel is budgeted. Written permission will be requested from RITA, per section III.4 of the General Provisions, prior to the initiation of any foreign travel for UTC related activities. |
G. Other Direct Costs |
There are no Other Direct Costs |
H. Facilities & Administration (Indirect) Costs |
The federal negotiated and approved indirect cost rate for facilities and administration of 44% for The University of Toledo is applied to the total direct costs. |
Other Budget Items |
Expendable Property, Supplies, and Services |
$5,000 has been budgeted for necessary supplies and expendable property used in the normal course of office support for the grant activities. |
Domestic Travel |
Pre-incurred domestic travel expenses is budgeted at $2931: $1511 for travel, lodging and expenses at the Transportation Research Board Council of UTC meeting in Washington, DC, January 2006; $1420 for travel, lodging and expenses at the USDOT University Transportation Center meeting in Big Sky, Montana, June 2006. |
Estimated Budgets for BGSU and WSU |
The estimated budget amounts for BGSU and WSU are included in the budget categories for the total UT-UTC. Break out amounts are stated in the Explanatory Notes next to the Budgeted Amounts. |
APPENDIX A BASELINE MEASURES FOR UNIVERSITY TRANSPORTATION CENTERS (UTCs |
Report for the most recently completed academic year, 2005/2006 (July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2006) for the three institutions comprising the UT-UTC. |
Research Selection |
1. Number of transportation research projects selected for funding. _______16_______ |
1a. Number of those projects that you consider to be: basic research ___3_____, advanced research ___1______, and applied research ______4_____. Projects may be included in more than one category if applicable. |
2. Total budgeted costs for the projects reported in 1 above. $__980,000____________ |
Research Performance |
3. Number of transportation research reports published. _______9________ |
4. Number of transportation research papers presented at academic/professional meetings. _______16________ |
Education |
5. Number of courses offered that you consider to be part of a transportation curriculum. Report courses shown in the university course catalog as being offered, whether or not they were conducted during the academic year being reported. Undergraduate: ______24________ Graduate: ______23________ |
6. Number of students participating in transportation research projects. Count individual students (one student participating in two research projects counts as one student). Undergraduate: ______4_________ Graduate: _____20_________ |
Human Resources |
7. Number of advanced degree programs offered that you consider to be transportation-related. Master’s Level: ______4_________ Doctoral Level: ______2_________ |
8. Number of students enrolled in those transportation-related advanced degree programs. Master’s Level: ______25________ Doctoral Level: _______8________ |
9. Number of students who received degrees through those transportation-related advanced degree programs. Master’s Level: ______11_______ Doctoral Level: _______4_______ |
Technology Transfer |
10. Number of transportation seminars, symposia, distance learning classes, etc. conducted for transportation professionals. _______9_________ 11. Number of transportation professionals participating in those events. ______169_______ |