CSCAR
CSCAR Update
Research universities do amazing things. They save lives, create opportunity, and improve quality of life for people all over our state, across the nation, and around the world. The Office of the Vice President for Research provides a wide range of essential services to principal investigators of externally funded research grants to help the University of Michigan do groundbreaking, life-saving work in so many areas.
As you may also know, research universities like ours operate in an increasingly challenging environment. Terminations, investigations, and new regulations are just some of the new realities that we must manage. In light of funding challenges associated with these changes, the research office had to review its entire portfolio of services to clarify the things for which we are primarily responsible at this moment. Part of this review examined benchmarking statistical and data services across campus and listening to members of our community who offer or receive these services in different ways. As a result of this review, the office made the decision to wind down its financial support of CSCAR over the coming year.
In past decades, CSCAR was the only campus source for statistical consulting. That is no longer the case. So, since earlier this year, we have been coordinating with campus partners and others to identify ways for participating units to share the costs of CSCAR or to take it over. We have not been successful. While we are able to offer continuing support to researchers currently working with CSCAR on grants for the duration of those grants, we have turned our focus to finding alternative options for others to find statistical and coding advice. There are many sources available on campus and online. In the coming weeks, we will roll out detailed information on how to find them. We are grateful to everyone involved in this effort.
Making decisions like this is difficult. At the same time, these decisions are essential for the research office to manage challenges to funding environments that have arisen in recent months — and to focus on areas where OVPR has the primary responsibility to protect and advance the university’s research mission.
Statistical Consulting Options – Updated as New Resources Emerge
Schedule a Consultation
Please use our Request Assistance form to set up an appointment.
You will be scheduled to meet with a CSCAR consultant. Please share a brief description of your research aims and what software you will be using; let us know what you wish to accomplish during the consulting appointment.
CSCAR Areas of ExpertiseUM researchers are encouraged to make use of CSCAR services as needed; We typically limit each researcher to one appointment per week.
Graduate students are available for consultations at our office in 3560 Rackham.
You may sign up directly for a walk-in consultation (usually same-day) with graduate students. These can be in-person or remote.
Walk-ins are welcome Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm except for Tuesday from 12-1. Walk-ins are helped on a first come, first served basis.