CERC

Strategic Plan
2002 - 2003
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in 2014

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Center for Environmental
Research and Conservation

Strategic Plan
2002-2003
The Center for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC) is a consortium of five
New York City science and education institutions, founded in 1995. Partners include
Columbia University (CU), the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), The New
York Botanical Garden (NYBG), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and Wildlife Trust
(WT). In 1999, CERC initiated a strategic planning process that culminated in the following
2-year plan outlining the direction, goals and objectives of the consortium. This plan was
prepared by a representative committee comprised of members of the consortium and
approved by CERC's Board of Directors.

I. THE CERC VISION

We envision:

A collaborative and complementary set of institutions providing the broadest range

of education and training opportunities to current and future conservationists from
around the world;

Teams of conservationists, scientists, and educators working across institutional and

national boundaries to create innovative solutions to complex environmental
problems;

People and other species sustainably co-existing in a healthy biosphere.

n. THE CERC MISSION

Our mission is two-fold:

to prepare the next generation of conservation scientists and practitioners, and

to solve complex problems in environmental conservation

... through education, training and research.

CERC's Conservation Values

We believe biodiversity is critical of the ecosystems that support life on our

to the health
planet, and therefore believe of biodiversity is an ethical and practical
that the conservation
imperative. We commit ourselves and our organizations to working collaboratively on
developing sufficient understanding of the patterns and processes of biological diversification
and to researching the causes and consequences of threats to the integrity of biodiversity and
the natural systems that support it. We believe that these systems are inherently complex
and that understanding them, and the far-reaching consequences of the loss of biodiversity
they support, is not bound by any individual discipline. Nor is a single institution sufficiently
equipped to solve the problems associated with our planet's biodiversity crisis.

We commitment of multiple constituencies, from

also believe that conservation requires the
policymakers and organization managers, to citizens living nearest
scientists, public officials,
to areas of high biodiversity concentration and those living at greater remove. We are
therefore determined to have a major impact on conservation by improving the preparedness
of multiple constituencies to understand and make decisions that will ensure the long-term

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Strategic Plan, January 2002

survival of species and ecosystems. Through education and professional training, we will
strive to enhance the understanding and practical competencies that arc necessary
scientific
to increase the absolute amount of biodiversity conservation occurring around the world.

Inherent in this commitment is an imperative to work together at a variety of scales and on

the assumption that success lies in the recruitment and training of a maximum number of
conservation practitioners and constituencies around the world.

Multi-Institutional Partnering

Biodiversity conservation, like environmental management in general, cannot be achieved by

experts or institutions in a single scientific discipline, nor does it fall neatly within the realm
of the natural sciences. Thus, to provide the comprehensive preparation required for an
effective environmental constituency, education and training must encompass many
disciplines, from a variety of perspectives. Through a multi-institutional partnership that
brings together existing scientific organizations based in New York City, CERC harnesses the
scientific knowledge and technical expertise housed at several of the world's foremost
biodiversity research institutions, augmenting these resources with an internationally
renowned research university with of biological investigation. CERC is a
a long history
strong, highly leveraged initiative that ismany strengths of its member
translating the
institutions into a coherent effort that can make a global difference in the education and
training of current and future environmental scientists and practitioners.

All of the five institutions in the CERC

consortium have long histories of pursuing their
individual goals, and have, in some on
cases, forged very effective bilateral partnerships
specific, short-term projects. CERC adds value and offers unique strengths by forging a
permanent consortium across multiple institutions. Even in an era of proliferating
environmental education and research programs, there are no other examples of the kind of
permanent inter-institutional collaboration like the CERC consortium. As a multilateral
organization, CERC promises to capture significant efficiencies in the international
conservation education and research sector. These efficiencies are expressed in the cross-
institutional integration of a diverse range of professional research scientists and
practitioners, as well as laboratories, field research stations, and university campuses.
Through well-coordinated multi-institutional education, training and research enterprises,
CERC can match the scale of the challenge of addressing the biodiversity crisis.

III. ORGANIZATIONAL GOALS

CERC's greatest strength its consortium structure and the complementary, internationally-
is

renowned strengths of independent member institutions. These institutions collectively

its

comprise a staff of scientists and a range of biodiversity-related research that is unequalled

anywhere in the world. The complementary nature of these institutions, the breadth of their
expertise, the collective strength of their laboratories and other research facilities, and the
international scope of their activities, makes this consortium a unique collection of
educational, training, and research assets.

CERC's evolution from a loose association of institutional partners to a functional and fully
operational consortium-based organization has involved a series of ever more formal
arrangements between representatives of the institutions and CERC full-time staff. The goals
and objectives outlined in this section will put in place a temporary organizational structure
that will allow the consortium to continue, and, in some cases, to begin pursuing the goals and
objectives for Education and Development under formal leadership and responsibilities. The
Organizational Goals described below serve as an interim framework until such time as the

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Strategic Plan, January 2002
Rules and Obligations of a Board of Directors and a Memorandum of Understanding between
the CERC institutions are drafted and formally signed by executive representatives of the
constituent institutions. These final organizational documents, which could differ
substantially from what is described below, will provide the governance structure in the future
and will replace this section upon ratification.

In short, going forward over the next two years, CERC's organizational goals will be achieved
through a three-step process: 1) Board approval of the goals outlined below; 2) Board
approval of the Rules and Obligations describing a formal governance structure for the
organization; and 3) final ratification of the Rules and Obligations in a Memorandum of
Understanding by executive level representatives of the CERC institutions.

Goal 1Create an interim governance structure that turns CERC into a more
:

effectiveconsortium until such time as a formal Memorandum of Understanding is

signed by each institution.

In order to establish partnerships and sustain a functional and effective consortium, CERC
developed an interim governance structure built on equal representation of each partner
institution. There are two levels of strategic and organizational governance: a Board of
Directors and its constituent Executive and Management Committees. CERC's managers and
administrative staff report directly to CERC's Executive Director, who in turn liases with the
Management Committee and ultimately reports to the entire Board on CERC programs,
budget, and policy.

Objective 1.

A Governing Council, in consultation with the Executive Director, will establish a fully
functioning Board of Directors composed of two representatives from each CERC institution,
to set broad policy for the consortium.

This objective has been achieved. The Governing Council appointed two representatives of
each institution to serve on the CERC Board of Directors by creating two sub-committees of
the Board: The Executive Committee, made up of one senior scientist/manager from each
institution who has broad decision-making authority within his/her organization; and the
Management Committee, appointed by the Executive Committee, made up of one other
scientist/manager from each of the institutions. In addition, CERC's Executive Director will
also serve on the Board of Directors.

The chair ofBoard meetings will rotate among members of the Executive Committee, as will
the venue. The Board of Directors will meet (3) times per year on the first Wednesday in
October, February, and June. Board meetings will be informed by staff reports on activities
related to the annual workplan, which will be approved by the Board each year during its June
meeting (see Objective 5).

Objective 2.

The Executive Committee of the Board of Directors will empower the Management
Committee to develop and oversee the implementation of CERC's Strategic Goals.

This objective has been achieved. The Executive Committee appointed CERC's
Management Committee as the sub-committee of the Board of Directors responsible for
developing and overseeing the implementation of CERC's Strategic Goals and appointed
CERC's Executive Director as the group's chair. The Management Committee meets once
per month at one of the institutions on a rotating basis.

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Strategic Plan. January 2002
 Objective 3.

The Board of Directors, in and with the advice of

consultation with the Executive Director
legal counsel, will establish a decision making process for CERC that reflects the roles of the
Board of Directors, its constituent committees and the Executive Director. CERC will invite a
full assessment of the effectiveness of this strategic plan and its associated workplan in 2004.

This objective has been addressed with the following proposed decision making procedure:

1. ) The Management Committee :

Members:
disseminate information about CERC programs within their own institutions;
report back to the Management Committee on issues relevant to their respective
institutions;
coordinate collaborative programs and activities involving their organizations
The Committee:
oversees implementation of the consortium's conservation and organizational
policies as put forward by the Board of Directors;
• advances the strategic planning process; and
determines which decisions need to be brought before the full Board of Directors for
approval.

2. ) The Board :

• guides the consortium's policies in a manner that is consistent and complementary

with the goals, objectives and activities of the individual partner institutions;
provides overall strategic policy guidance on conservation training, education and
outreach priorities;
reviews the consortium's workplan and budget;
determines how collective fundraising efforts will be coordinated;
determines a set of themes that will provide a conceptual framework for research,
training and outreach activities;
recommends scientists from their respective institutions to join CERC as either
Adjunct Faculty members or as Adjunct Research Scientists by writing a letter to
CERC's Executive Director, who will coordinate with the Chair of the Department of
E3B to make a formal appointment nomination to the Provost of Columbia
University;
drafts and approves "Rules and Obligations" governing the involvement of their
respective organizations in the CERC consortium, and documents the governance
procedures of the Board and its members ("Rules and Obligations" will, among other
things, clarify: tenure and Board rotation; nominating procedures; rules determining
what makes a multi-institutional initiative a CERC initiative; process and procedures
for fundraising, fiscal oversight, program reviews, intellectual property consideration
etc.. CERC has retained pro-bono legal counsel to assist the Board in drafting this

document). The Rules and Obligations will be developed in consultation with legal
counsel and will be used to form the parameters of the final Memorandum of
Understanding, signed by executive representatives of the CERC institutions;
• annually evaluates the Executive Director using a procedure that will be outlined in
the "Rules and Obligations" documents;
• annually evaluates recommendations of the Management Committee for those
members of CERC's adjunct faculty who are subject to a multi-year performance
review, and determines if an appointment should be renewed (see Program Goal 5).

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Strategic Plan. January 2002
 Objective 6.

The Management Committee will recommend for the consideration of the Board of Directors,
a comprehensive 2-year plan that will provide an interim framework and template for an
official governance structure to be formally agreed upon in a Memorandum of
Understanding.

The current document is designed to meet this objective and will be presented to the Board of
Directors in November 2001.

Objective 7.

The Board of Directors will work with legal counsel to develop Rules and Obligations
governing the partnership.

Objective 8.

The Board of Directors will coordinate a multi-institutional review of the Rules and
Obligations by legal counsel and will draft a Memorandum of Understanding to be signed by
senior executives of each institution.

IV. PROGRAM GOALS

The three broad program areas that will be the focus of CERC's strategic and organizational
development over the next two years are:

Columbia University degree programs offered through the Department of

Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology
Professional development and outreach programs offered through the
Momingside Institute
Multi-institutional research initiatives

A. Education

CERC's program goals for education relate specifically to degree programs offered through
Columbia University's Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology
(E3B). This new department, inaugurated in July 2001, will support three degree-granting
programs: an undergraduate (Bachelor of Arts) major in Environmental Biology; a Master of
Arts in Conservation Biology; and a PhD in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. These
programs already serve student bodies that have been increasing steadily each year.

The CERC consortium provides the faculty resources and disciplinary expertise that serve as
the foundation of E3B's degree programs. CERC's Management Committee will play an
advisory role with respect to degree programs housed in E3B, and will ensure that adjunct
faculty and researchers at the CERC consortium institutions are able to contribute ideas and
raise objections to matters of curriculum, course development, and program policy within the
new department. However, the E3B Chair, and the Division of Arts and Sciences to which
the chair reports, has final responsibility and authority on all matters relating to courses,
curriculum, and departmental policy. In order to sustain a mutually beneficial relationship,
Columbia University will reserve its seat on CERC's Management Committee for the Chair
of E3B, and in addition the Chair of E3B will de facto hold the title of Associate Director for
Education at CERC. This structure, along with the Academic committee described below, will
create a direct link between E3B and CERC.

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Strategic Plan, January 2002
Coal 3 : Assist E3B in establishing, reaching and maintaining target numbers of
students in each degree program that are in line with CERC's and B3B'a
budgetary, faculty and staff resources.

Objective 9.

By February 2002. CERC

complete an analysis of the human resources available within
will
the consortium institutions the core staff in order to understand the overall enrollment
and
earn ing capacity for the different degree programs and to set long-term enrollment goals.

a Objective 10.
Bj June 2003. CERC will help E3B staff and maintain a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental
Biology program that serves a steady state of approximately 25 Columbia College and 5
General Studies undergraduate majors (consisting of students in their third and fourth years).
Note: Unlike the Masters and PhD programs, where faculty resources may be taken into
consideration when determining the optimal size of the student body, there is no tradition
within undergraduate divisions to limit the number of majors enrolled in any given year.
Therefore, it may be necessary to re-evaluate the undergraduate program requirements (e.g.
the summer research internship) in light of faculty, administrative and financial resources.

Objective 11.
By June 2003. CERC will help E3B reach and maintain a steady state of approximately 25
students in the Master of Arts in Conservation Biology program, distributed as approximately
12-13 students per year. (This number may be revised as a result of our analysis of CERC 's
and E3B 's human and financial resources.) CERC and E3B will appoint a "Director of
Instruction " to help advise these students. CERC will evaluate the feasibility of funding
Masters thesis research projects.

a Objective 12.
By June 2003. CERC will help E3B reach and maintain a steady state of between 30 to 35
students in the Doctor of Philosophy in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology program,
distributed as approximately six students per year. (This number may be revised as a result of
our analysis of CERC 's and E3B 's human and financial resources.)

Goal 4: Formalize CERC's role in an advisory capacity to Columbia University's

Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology (E3B)

CERC is institutionalizing a unique relationship with the new E3B department. Usually think
tanks and scientific or research centers emerge from existing academic structures and
therefore have clearly defined pathways of influence or responsibilities. In CERC's case, the
process happened in reverse: a new academic structure emerged as a result of the institutional
and academic strengths of the pre-existing center. For the foreseeable future, it will be very
important for CERC to maintain its function as an intellectual resource that fortifies the new
department and makes it a renowned and attractive destination for aspiring conservation
scientists.At the same time, although the department is the result of CERC's curricular
successes, is a Columbia University entity and one that must follow University policy and
it

departmental leadership. The challenge facing CERC and E3B is to find the appropriate
pathways for interacting in a mutually reinforcing and complementary way.

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Strategic Plan. January 2002
 Objective 13.
CERC will work with E3B to establish a formal communications link that facilitates the flow
of information and concerns between E3B and CERC, and that specifies the process by which
decisions affecting both entities are made. This link may include both a set of crossover
positions, and/or a set of protocols for exchanging information. CERC's Management
Committee and E3B 's faculty will meet to develop this structure by consensus.

Goal 5 Strengthen opportunities for CERC members to contribute to the degree

:

programs (e.g. BA, MA, Ph.D.) of Columbia University's Department of Ecology,

Evolution, and Environmental Biology

To date there have been 53 scientists from the non-Columbia University CERC institutions
interested in adjunct appointments at CERC. The university practice of not officially
recognizing the heavy burden of advising students, and of requiring formal re-instatement and
termination of adjuncts at the beginning and end of every term, is a constraint to expanded
adjunct participation in the educational programs.

Objective 14.
By February 2002, CERC's Executive Director will propose to Columbia University, via the
Chair of E3B and the Chair of the Columbia Earth Institute, an Adjunct faculty structure that
is most conducive to engaging Adjunct Research Scientists and Faculty from the CERC

consortium partner institutions and Affiliates from other institutions.

This structure will establish adjunct faculty categories in the E3B Department for select staff
members of the CERC institutions. These categories will include descriptions of roles and
and levels of compensation tailored to match an adjunct's level of
responsibilities
involvement, whether in teaching, advising and/or research. Some of the issues to be resolved
include:
the length of an adjunct's term,
the procedure for renewal of adjunct appointments,
the mechanisms whereby adjuncts receive full information regarding academic
programs and procedures, and
dissemination of information concerning operations of the educational programs.

Objective 15.
By February 2002, CERC 's Executive Director will make a formal proposal to the Chair of
E3B, predicated on the communications link established under Objective 13, for the creation
of a joint standing Academic Committee.

Objective 16.
By June 2002, CERC will have worked with E3B to communicate a faculty structure to CERC
Adjuncts and CU Faculty in the form of a Faculty Handbook and will provide internal
documentation of the activities in which individual Adjuncts prefer to participate.

Representative CERC adjuncts and CU faculty from each of the partner institutions have
already convened preliminary Sub-Committee meetings to address curriculum issues for the
undergraduate and graduate programs. These committees will join the E3B departmental
faculty to form an Academic Committee that will provide a venue for CERC member input
into course creation and curriculum development for E3B degree programs. The goals of the
Academic Committee are to evaluate the curriculum's content and structure, and to make
recommendations for improvement. The Academic Committee itself will recommend policy

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Strategic Plan, January 2002
regarding the frequency and venue of its full meetings, to be approved by the Chair of E3B
Faculty. CERC's Management Committee will play an advisory role.

Coal 6 : Increase the number of well-trained professionals from around the world
who can contribute to the research and conservation initiatives of the CERC
institutions.

Each of the CERC partner institutions supports important research and conservation
programs overseas. In order to sustain conservation science in other parts of the world, these
countries, primarily in the developing world, need cadres of trained scientists who will be able
to carry out research and manage field programs locally. Since 1996, CERC has supported 8
MA and 17 PhD students from overseas who have worked with faculty in the CERC
institutions.

u Objective 17.
By June 2003, CERC will use the regional expertise of the partner institutions within CERC
and knowledge and understanding of Columbia University and the E3B department to create
and institutionalize a mechanism for identifying, prioritizing, and guiding applications to
E3B degree programs from important future conservationists in countries around the world.

Objective 18.
By June 2003, CERC will develop a system of mentoring and career development for students
supported by the CERC institutions in E3B degree programs.

u Objective 19.
By June 2003, at least 50 percent of the CERC-funded students enrolled in the E3B MA and
PhD programs will come from developing countries.

Goal 7: Provide field ecology opportunities for undergraduates

No conservation biology curriculum would be complete without first-hand observation and

research in functioning ecosystems. Preparing the next generation of environmental leaders
and conservation scientists requires providing field-based ecology exercises and learning
opportunities. At the same time, organized field-based learning programs hold a great deal of
promise for inspiring young scientists to pursue environmental careers. However, while
graduate students are usually eligible for funding for independent research projects that require
ficldwork, this is not the case for undergraduates, whether they are environmental biology
majors or not. There is also no precedent for a Columbia University department to
administer a field-based program for Columbia and non-Columbia undergraduate students.

CERC has developed two opportunities for undergraduates considering careers as conservation
scientists and practitioners: 1) Summer Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduates (SEE-U),
an innovative field ecology program which was field-tested during the summers of 2000 and
2001; and 2) Summer Research Internships for undergraduates in Columbia University's
Environmental Biology major.

Objective 20.
By February 2002, CERC 's Management Committee will review a CERC staff assessment of
the first two years of the SEE-U program, including an evaluation of the program 's
feasibility, in order to make a recommendation to the Board of Directors about the
program 's future.

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Strategic Plan. January 2002
The CERC staff review will be based on an analysis of the following issues: the potential long-
term trajectory for revenue generation; the short-term demand on CERC staff; and buy-in
and participation from CERC institutions.

Objective 21.
By June 2002, CERC's Board of Directors will vote on whether to continue SEE-U in summer
2003, based on the recommendation from the Management Committee.

Objective 22.
By June 2003, CERC will support 10 to 15 summer research internships for Columbia
University Environmental Biology majors each summer. (This number may be revised as a
result of our analysis of CERC's and E3B's human and financial resources.)

Each year, CERC who have just

successfully places 10 to 15 Environmental Biology majors,
completed under the supervision of staff and scientists in the
their Junior Year, in internships
CERC partner institutions. The research they conduct during their last summer as
undergraduates leads to the completion of a Senior Thesis during their final academic year.

B. Training

Each of the CERC and outreach programs for

institutions supports outstanding training
professional and public audiences. However, as a multi-institutional consortium, CERC can
strengthen significantly these individual efforts by combining its resources. By working
together, CERC can offer a far greater variety of conservation education platforms than any
institution could alone.

CERC has two training goals for the next two years.

Goal 8 : Provide training opportunities in conservation biology for non-degree

students.

Certificate of Attendance in Conservation Biology

Environmental conservation requires the efforts of committed professionals and advocates
from all walks of life. This program was designed with the understanding that a) not all future
conservation leaders will have formal degrees in environmental science; and b) some future
conservation leaders who intend to pursue advanced degrees require additional academic
preparation before applying to graduate school. The Certificate program provides an
evening continuing education opportunity for working professionals who wish to explore the
theory and practice of conservation science and policy while holding full-time jobs in New
York City. Furthermore, the program provides a source of revenue for sustaining CERC
programs.

Objective 23.
By February 2002, CERC will complete an assessment of the potential for recruiting students
to the Certificate Program from CERC institution membership rolls.

Objective 24.
By February 2002, CERC staff will provide the Management Committee with a business plan
for the Certificate Program that will provide the following information: descriptions offive-
week modules, student demand for evening non-degree courses, instructor interest and
availability; projected administrative costs and revenues.

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Strategic Plan, January 2002
 Objective 25.
By June 2002. CERC 40 full-time student equivalents (full-time student equivalent
will enroll
= six modules) in the Certificate Program, including 5 employees and 2 field associates from
CERC institutions. By June 2003, the Certificate Program will support SO PTEs, including
10 employees and 2 field associates.

Science Teacher Environmental Education Program

Preparing the next generation of environmental leaders also requires training the teachers
who are the first to instill environmental values and scientific principles in children and
adolescents. CERC's Science Teacher Environmental Education Program (STEEP) focuses
on teachers in the New York City public school system and other science educators in New
York's cultural institutions. Student teachers learn the fundamentals of conservation biology
and work closely to examine several subjects in the context of the Hudson River ecosystem
during a five-week summer course. This program helps teachers accrue the professional
credits they need toward certification in the public school system and career advancement. It
also provides a framework grounded in locally relevant environmental science issues and is an
important way of reaching middle and high school students through the "multiplier effect" of
training their teachers with the latest theory and methods of environmental conservation.

Objective 26.
By February 2002. CERC will conduct a needs assessment to determine the demand among
the New York City teacher community for a summer environmental science training program

a Objective 27.
By June 2003, CERC will graduate 30 teachers from the Science Teacher Environmental
Education Program (STEEP). (This number may be revised in February 2002 in accordance
with the results of Objective 26.)

High School Students Summer Program

Through a partnership with Columbia University's Division of Special Programs and with the
cooperation of the High School for Environmental Studies, a New York City Public School,
CERC is able to offer a summer school program for upper level high school students. During
this course, students are engaged by teachers from the CERC faculty to grapple with critical
biological and policy issues. They visit nearby protected areas and meet CERC staff as part of
the course. In this way, the information they get is given life and they can begin to identify
potential role models and career paths. This program is consistent with CERC's mission and
has no direct costs to CERC's budget.

Objective 28.
By February 2002, CERC will assess the extent to which this program helps CERC to achieve
its mission and places demands on CERC resources.

Objective 29.
Based on annual enrollment levels to date, CERC will continue to enroll approximately 25
students each year.

Goal 9 : Promote collaborative education and training of staff and associates of

CERC and practice of biodiversity conservation.
institutions in the theory

The Environmental Leaders Forum

Sustainable biodiversity conservation relies on the effectiveness and commitment of
conservation professionals around the world. Many important conservation leaders are

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Strategic Plan. January 2002

professionals in developing countries that harbor much of the Earth's biodiversity. However,
these individuals do not have the same access and intellectual and
to financial resources
professional symposia as their counterparts in more economically developed countries. To
address this, CERC hosts a forum that brings together scientists and high-ranking officials
from Asia, the Americas, and Africa to address critical environmental topics chosen by
CERC's Management Committee. The goal of the forum is to facilitate networking among
these officials and to encourage the exchange of ideas, solutions, and concerns in an open,
collegial setting. The immediate outcome of each forum is a "Morningside Declaration"
(named after the location of Columbia University's main campus, Morningside Heights) and
represents a call to action on the major issues and initiatives addressed during the Forum.

Objective 30.
CERC will host 15 to 20 environmental leaders from over a dozen countries each year. By
June 2003, CERC will have an alumni network of over 120 participants in the Environmental
Leaders Forum program.

The Visiting Scholars Program

The CERC consortium provides access network of international research and
to a
conservation scientists in developing countries who are working on important research and/or
scientific publications. CERC offers these scientists office space and full access to the
resources of the Columbia University Library and IT systems. In exchange, CERC Visiting
Scholars conduct seminars and hold office hours for CERC students and help to strengthen
the international networks of the CERC partner institutions.

Objective 31.
CERC will support one Senior and one Junior Visiting Scholar each semester.

Practical Training for International Conservation Practitioners

One of the most important needs in biodiversity conservation is to have sufficient numbers
of trained local professionals, working in countries with high levels of biodiversity.
Unfortunately, in many developing countries there is a lack of in-country educational and
training opportunities for conservation practitioners. As one response to this problem, CERC
offers fellowships to CERC institution associates who come to New York to enroll in
certificate trainingmodules and work on a short-term basis at one of the CERC institutions.
This is an important way for them to increase their knowledge of conservation science, as
well as to expand their professional networks. This program has remained relatively small due
to funding limitations. However, it has already had a profound impact on the individuals who
have completed the training.

Objective 32.
By June 2002, CERC will evaluate the opportunities and feasibility for developing a short,
intensive 5-week training program for international conservation practitioners.

Objective 33.
By June 2003, CERC will have trained 30 CERC international conservation practitioners.

Self-training Opportunities
CERC provides learning opportunities for employees of the partner institutions. Not only is

this goodfor morale among the staff who make these organizations run, it also has a
significant human resources impact. In the past, CERC organized and supported "Career
Days" that brought together key staff and experts in particular areas to demonstrate what is

being done within the institutions, share knowledge, and make known opportunities for
collaboration. These events will continue, but CERC will integrate additional means as well.

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Strategic Plan, January 2002
 Objective 34.
Bv June 2002. CERC will identify key people and resources at each CERC institution for
"
participation in consortium-wide "in house training initiatives.

Objective 35.
By June 2002, CERC will evaluate the idea of modifying, the existing CERC non-degree
training programs to better meet the needs of CERC staff and international field associates.

C. Research

CERC researchers focus on the science of the patterns and processes of biological
diversification, the impacts of human use on the biotic environment and the societal
implications of managing biological resources at three different scales: 1) the ecosystem
level; 2) the species level; and 3) the gene level. Collectively, the consortium advances
society's understanding of the planet's living resources by transferring the knowledge gleaned
from inter-disciplinary research into the multi-tiered education and outreach infrastructure of
the consortium. CERC research focuses on themes having important management
implications at each scale and on complex problems that require broad-based collaboration
between institutions and across disciplines.

CERC will expand its core staff to include an Assistant or Associate Director for Multi-
institutional Research Initiatives. The Assistant or Associate Director will be responsible for
working with CERC scientists and external agencies to advance the following research goals
of the consortium:

Goal 10 : Develop large, multidisciplinary, multi-institutional, long-term research

projects that integrate rigorous science and conservation practice.

The patterns, processes and consequences of the loss of biodiversity are so complex and
interrelated that they must be examined at a number of scales and through a variety of
disciplines. The best scientific research on biodiversity loss will result from a process that
includes the most perspectives. No single scientific or professional discipline holds the key to
solving the critical biological, political, social, and economic questions that will improve
society's ability to prevent the loss of organisms or otherwise to adapt to the planet's
inevitably diminished biological resource base. Each institution in the CERC consortium
pursues a research agenda according to their organization's mission and with funds from their
institutional budgets. Where CERC adds value is in bringing together the scientists from
individual initiatives to forge innovative conservation research programs across disciplines
and institutions. Fundamental to the CERC research enterprise, as with the training and
education programs, is to strengthen infrastructure in the countries where the CERC
consortium institutions work and conduct research.

There are a number of funding sources that are looking to solve large-scale problems in
biodiversity conservation by supporting multi-lateral programs - where the whole is
perceived to be greater than the sum of the parts.

Objective 36.
By February 2002, CERC will hire an Assistant or Associate Director for Multi-Institutional
Research Initiatives.

Center for Environmental Research and Consenation

13
Strategic Plan. January 2002
 Objective 37.
By June 2002, CERC will identify common research themes and will set strategic thematic
priorities.

Objective 38.
By December 2002, under the leadership of the new Assistant or Associate Director for Multi-
Research Initiatives, multidisciplinary, multi-institutional research teams will be
Institutional
assembled to implement at least 3 pilot collaborative projects.

Objective 39.
By December 2003, CERC will secure significant resources for at least two major multi-
Any multi-institutional research program, in addition to
institutional research activities.
strengthening collaboration among CERC scientists, must also include a substantial effort to
strengthen research infrastructure overseas in developing countries.

Goal 11 : Enable and facilitate new conservation research initiatives between

individual scientists at different CERC institutions.

Objective 40.
By February 2002, the Assistant or Associate Director for Multi-Institutional Research
Initiatives will bring together CERC scientists in a series of meetings to discuss mutual
interests and potential collaborations.

Objective 41.
Each year, CERC will provide seed money through a small grants program for development
of multi-investigator projects.

Since 1996, CERC has been awarding seed money and training funds through a small grants
program for development of multi-investigator projects. Awards assist in the development
of research teams and the collection of preliminary data that would leverage research on a
much larger scale. There are three types of awards for which any two or more scientists from
two or more CERC institutions are eligible: 1) Research planning projects for budgets up to
$6,000; 2) Preliminary implementation projects for budgets up to $20,000; and 3) Research
training projects for international trainees on budgets up to $10,000. By June 2001, CERC
had spent approximately $450,000. Several of these projects leveraged major National
Science Foundation grants. CERC will maintain allocation commitment levels of roughly
$100,000 per year. CERC will strive to underwrite the annual budget for this program
through Indirect Cost Recovery from individual research and through private funding sources.

V. DEVELOPMENT GOALS
The three components of CERC's strategic plan for development are:

Establishing a unique public relations identity that will be highly recognizable

among environmental, education and research organizations
Fundraising to support programs
Revenue generation from tuition-based programs

A. Public Relations Identity

As CERC its multi-lateral governance and development, each of the member

strengthens
institutionsmust be comfortable with the mission and identity of the consortium to which
they belong. Developing a unique identity, therefore, requires ensuring that the identities of

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Strategic Plan, January 2002
the individual institutions arc not blurred, while creating a powerful tool to promote the
overall consortium. In the end, the identities of the individual institutions should be
enhanced by their participation in the programs and activities of the consortium.

Coal 12 : Develop an identity for CERC that is compelling and yet easily
distinguishable from the identities of the consortium institutions.

CERC staff will explore opportunities for retaining pro-bono assistance from an expert in the
C olumbia Business School who specializes in creating identities for newly formed
conglomerates without damaging the identities of constituent companies with long histories
and established "brand recognition". CERC will also engage experts in public relations and
marketing to develop strategies for using the newly coined identity to achieve greater
recognition for the Consortium and its programs.

u Objective 42.
By June 2002, the Executive Director, in consultation with the Management Committee, and
outside experts will develop the contours of CERC's "new" identity and present it to the
Board of Directors for approval.

u Objective 43.
By June 2002, the Executive Director, in consultation with the Management Committee and
outside experts, will develop a public relations strategy for CERC to be approved by the
Board of Directors.

Objective 44.
By June, 2002, the Executive Director, in consultation with the Management Committee and
outside experts, will develop a marketing strategy for CERC to be approved by the Board of
Directors.

B. Fundraising

CERC's operating budget comprises education programs, professional development and

outreach programs, conservation research programs, and the central operations to support
these. Beyond tuition and other revenue income, CERC's overall funding target is determined
by the amount of support the programs require.

Most of the support for CERC's programs will continue to come from
central operations and
individuals, corporations, foundations and government sources with a demonstrated interest
in conservation and conservation education, both nationally and internationally. The
remaining funding necessary to meet CERC's budget needs will come either from individual
CERC institutions through specific program involvement (bi-lateral support), or by
consortium-wide fundraising efforts (multi-lateral support).

In order to achieve the goals and objectives outlined below and to prevent any confusion
between CERC-related fundraising and the fundraising efforts of CERC institutions, CERC will
adhere to a three-step process for engaging the institutions and donors in fundraising requests.
The purpose of this approach is a) to identify CERC activities that are appropriate for
fundraising, b) approve appropriate sources of funding, and c) ensure that there will be no
negative effects on individual institutional fundraising efforts.

/. The Board of Directors will approve the program under consideration.

Each program will be reviewed on an annual basis by the Management Committee and
submitted to the Board of Directors for final approval at the June Board meeting.

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Strategic Plan, January 2002
2. The Board of Directors will approve the plan for support.

For each approved program, the Management Committee will also submit a financial plan
to the Board of Directors. The Board will review the financial plan in its June meeting,
modify it if necessary, and ultimately reject or approve it.

3. CERC's development staff will submit to the Board of Directors a list of significant
prospects for support of CERC who are also known to be supporters of CERC Institutions.
Significant prospects will be defined as individuals, foundations and corporations with
the potential of making gifts to CERC of $10,000 or more.

Goal 13 : Continue fundraising efforts for core CERC operating expenses

(unrestricted support).

CERC has a central administrative core that must be underwritten through unrestricted
support. It is comprised of the Executive Director, the Deputy Director, an Assistant

Director, and the Executive Assistant, along with associated overhead costs.

To support the general operations of CERC, as well as to provide support for programs that
need additional funding beyond revenue and restricted support, an annual giving program will
be continued. The program is comprised mostly of contributions from individual supporters,
and CERC will inform the Board of Directors of significant prospects consistent with the
outline above.

Objective 45.
By June 2002, CERC will present a plan to maintain the ongoing fundraising efforts to
secure unrestricted support, including lists of potential prospects for gifts of $10,000 or more,
for CERC operations to the Board of Directors.

Goal 14 Increase fundraising

: activities for CERC education and training programs
and operations

There are two approaches for achieving this goal:

Bi-lateral fundraising : The degree to which each CERC institution becomes involved in the
various programs will dictate the level of bi-lateral support required, based upon existing
agreements. For example, if a CERC institution wishes to sponsor a student in the doctoral
program, that institution would be responsible for 50% of the associated tuition, stipend and
fees for that student, once admitted. It is up to the administration of each CERC institution
to decide if this involvement requires additional fundraising, or can be supported from
existing resources.

Multi-lateral fundraising : This approach is employed for support of programs in which all

CERC To continue the example above, the CERC institutions,

institutions are involved. at
the suggestion of the Management Committee and with the approval of the Board of
Directors, may decide that a joint effort should be made to raise support for doctoral
students. The goal would be to raise sufficient funds to enable each institution to participate
in the program without committing its own institutional resources.

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Strategic Plan, January 2002
 Objective 46.
By February 2002, the Executive Director and the Management Committee will present to the
Board of Directors a plan for identifying individual, foundation, government, and corporate
prospects for multi-lateral support of CERC educational and training programs and for
establishing lines of communication with them through newsletters, mailings, and events.

a Objective 47.
Bv June 2002, the Executive Director, in consultation with the Management Committee, will
present a plan for either bi-lateral or multi-lateral fundraising for each Board approved
program, including lists of potential prospects for gifts of $10,000 or more.

Objective 48.
By June 2002, funding proposals will be created and appropriate prospects for solicitation
will be identified and submitted for approval of the Board of Directors.

Goal 15 : Secure support for CERC multi-institutional research projects

An underlying assumption in multi-lateral fundraising is that for a finite set of potential

donors, a solicitation for a large scale, multi-institutional project will yield greater support to
each CERC institution from that prospect than would result from single-institution
solicitations.

This "finite set of prospects" should include government agencies, private foundations,
corporations, and individuals. CERC staff must ensure that any approach to a prospect of
the capacity required for a multi-million dollar proposal would not jeopardize or confuse
relationships between that prospect and a CERC institution. Identified prospects in this
group will, therefore, be shared with CERC's Board.

To accomplish the above, these projects will have to be approved by CERC's Board and
probably by each CERC institution's CEO, which will in turn make it clear to each
institution's development office that the project is one of that institution's priorities.

CERC's Management Committee and full Board of Directors will be involved in every

Consortium-wide research proposal. Prospects will be identified in the process of developing

the proposal, and these will be shared with each CERC institution through the Management
Committee, as stated above. Depending on the current involvement of those prospects with
each CERC institution, strategies to cultivate and solicit them may then need to be reviewed
with that CERC institution's development staff.

Objective 49.
By June 2002, the Executive Director and the Management Committee will identify multi-
institutional research initiatives with potential for multi-lateral fundraising and present these
to the Board of Directors for approval. (See Objective 39)

Objective 50.
By October 2002, CERC staff will identify prospects, beginning with government agencies
and private foundations, willing to support large multi-institutional research projects and will
present these to the Board of Directors for approval.

Objective 51.
By February 2003, CERC will develop consortium-wide committees to prepare solicitation
proposals for approved projects, to be approved by the Board of Directors.

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Strategic Plan. January 2002
Goal 16 : Determine if an Advisory Board should be created for CERC.

An Advisory Board, composed of prominent individuals who would become substantively

involved in CERC, could play a significant role in helping CERC find support for its
education, training and research programs. Nonetheless, there are a number of potential
implications to involving individuals from outside of the consortium, even in an advisory
capacity, that CERC needs to evaluate before making a commitment to recruit such an
Advisory Board.

Objective 52.
By June 2002, the Management Committee will assess the feasibility of creating an Advisory
Board and will submit a recommendation to the Board of Directors. If the recommendation
favors creating a Board of Advisors, then it will be presented with a plan for establishing such
a Board. The plan will outline recruitment methods and goals for membership. This
recommendation and plan will be reviewed by the Board of Directors at the June 2002
Board Meeting.

C. Revenue-generating Programs

and restricted funds for programs, CERC has an

In addition to raising unrestricted
opportunity to produce income through direct revenue from tuition and fee-based programs.
This income can then provide a "revenue stream" for the support of other programs that
must rely on fundraising. In this way, increased revenue generation can release pressure on
our fundraising activities, or at the very least redirect those efforts toward new programs.

Goal 17 : Develop revenue sources to support training and education programs.

CERC's revenue generating programs (the undergraduate field ecology program and the
Morningside Institute Certificate Program in Conservation Biology) are unique to CERC as a
consortium and are not replicated in the CERC Institutions. In consultation with the
Management Committee, the Executive Director and CERC staff will develop plans to
expand these programs.

Objective 53.
By February 2002, CERC will prepare a plan to expand the non-degree Certificate in
Conservation Biology to maximize the revenues it generates. (See Objective 24)

Objective 54.
By June 2002, CERC will prepare a business plan for expanding the undergraduate field
ecology program (SEE-U) to maximize the revenues it generates. This plan will be submitted
to the Board to help determine the feasibility of continuing the SEE-U program (See
Objective 20).

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Strategic Plan, January 2002