Dear Colleagues: 

There is a lot of great research, scholarship, and sponsored program activity going on at Lehman, but we have only scratched the surface of what is possible. We have the chance to achieve a Carnegie classification of R2, which builds on our fifty years of outstanding research, scholarship and sponsored programs that impact our communities and students. The ten-year commitment to achieve R2 designation will require new strategic investments and a better aligned administrative structure that will support all aspects of your research and scholarly work.  

I am excited to announce that the first step in achieving this R2 goal has already begun with the creation of the Office of Research Administration, Compliance, Learning, and Enhancement (ORACLE), led by Brandon Begarly, who is being promoted to Assistant Vice President of Research Administration and Strategy.

Replacing the current Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP), the new Office will be comprised of the following units: 

Research Administration - ORACLE will facilitate and support all pre- and post-award grant and contract activities across the college, non-financial post-award actions, as well as routine reporting. Liaising closely with the Research Foundation, this unit will provide enhanced support to faculty and staff who need assistance with award management and navigating post-award processes.  

Research Compliance - You will now have a single point of contact for all aspects of research and sponsored programs compliance (i.e. IRB, RCR, Export Control, etc.) who will serve as a conduit between researchers, campus compliance personnel, and the CUNY Central Office of Research Integrity and Compliance. ORACLE will also work with the department of buildings and grounds to assist with laboratory facilities management. 

Research Learning - ORACLE will engage closely across the college with the library, schools, and the newly established Center for Teaching and Learning to provide clear and consistent learning materials, professional development, and information dissemination across the institution. 

Research Enhancement - Intended as the research development arm of ORACLE, this unit will support faculty in proposal development support, and identify sources of external funding and collaborative opportunities to ensure faculty and researchers are given the optimal support and development in their continued research work. 

ORACLE launches today, July 1, 2024. Please be on the lookout for an updated website in the Fall which will contain more details on the new structure, implementation plan, and specific contact information. I look forward to seeing ORACLE’s successful implementation and watching it support Lehman as we work together toward an R2 designation. 

Thank you, 

Fernando Delgado, Ph.D.

President