The Eastern Michigan University Office of Research Development (ORD) serves and supports faculty and staff engaged in sponsored activities that promote basic and applied research, public service, teaching, learning, scholarship, and artistic expression. The ORD protects professional and academic rights of faculty and staff and keep them apprised of regulations, policies, and procedures that affect sponsored projects. The ORD ensures that all areas of regulatory compliance are followed and appropriately managed,they represent EMU fairly and accurately in all negotiations and communications in issues of academic freedom, rights in intellectual property, and appropriate stewardship of external funds, and provide functions related to sponsored-project development and administration. The ORD also facilitate improvements of internal processes for administrative management of sponsored projects, provide timely communication regarding funding opportunities, and facilitate intra- and inter-institutional collaborations in sponsored programs. [Administrative History from the ORD website--http://www.emich.edu/ord/about/about_subdir/ord_mission.html]