How to Join

Process

Prospective partner organizations to the CA-CESU, whether solicited or unsolicited, must provide the application materials described below. Based on these materials, the current partners will determine whether or not to proceed with an interview.

The prospective partner organization must have a sponsor that is currently a CA-CESU partner.

Required Application Materials

1.  A federal agency seeking membership must submit a letter of interest stating that their agency is a current member of the CESU Council, and that they are prepared to fulfill their responsibilities as a federal agency member of the CA-CESU, including payment of the one-time assessment of $10,000 to the host university.

2.  A non-federal organization seeking membership as a partner institution must submit a letter of interest confirming that they have reviewed the general CESU descriptive materials as well as the CA-CESU Cooperative and Joint Venture Agreement, and that they agree to abide by all the responsibilities and expectations of partner institutions.

In addition, a prospective new academic partner institution must submit the following ten elements:

• Contact person, along with their title, address, phone number, fax, and email address;
• List of programs relevant to federal land management, environmental and research agencies, including the degrees offered and the number of graduate students in each program;
• List and brief description of faculty with expertise in disciplines and interdisciplinary work relevant to federal land management, environmental and research agencies (do not submit vitae);
• List and brief description of relevant facilities and equipment;
• List and brief description of relevant experience in research, technical assistance, and education linked to CESU Network objectives (such as previous grants, special project awards, etc.);
• List and brief description of current formal and informal relationships with federal land management, environmental and research agencies;
• Description of services to be provided to the participating federal agencies and federal employee(s) by the university
• Description of the actual, assessed overhead rate (not to exceed 17.5%) to be charged, and cost items to which the rate is applicable for activities conducted through the CESU, including research, technical assistance and educational services;
• Description of administrative support, including the ability (and administrative charges, if any) to transfer, subcontract, and receive funds between CESU partners and through the national CESU network; and
• Staff, faculty time, educational services, and other commitments the university wishes to offer the CESU, including the amount, kind, dollar value and duration of assistantships, work-study funds, clerical support, etc.

Interview

If the majority of the partners agree that the nomination appears to have merit, the appropriate official of the entity requesting membership will be asked to be available for the next annual meeting. The invitation provides an opportunity for the proposed new partner to make a presentation to the existing members, followed by a question and answer session.

Admission

The partners will discuss the merits of the proposal and put the nomination to a vote. Federal agency nominees and other partner institution nominees are elected to membership by consensus of the partners.

If the new partner is accepted, then the following steps will take place:

1.  The CA-CESU host university informs the CESU National Coordinator that the CA-CESU wishes to add a new member to the CA-CESU, and forwards the requested letter and other necessary materials in support of the petitioner.

2.  The CESU national office sends the necessary amendment, with the original signed CESU agreement, to the campus official of the petitioner for signature(s) and to ensure that they are aware of the agreement to which they are signing on.

3.  Once the amendment is signed and returned, all current partners need to sign the amendment to signify their wishes regarding the petitioner.

4.  The partners are given 45 days to sign the amendment. If they do not sign and/or return the necessary amendment, the amendment is approved at the end of the 45 day time period.

5.  The amendment is signed by the national CESU office and copies are sent to all CA-CESU partners by the national CESU office.