Screening phase
A. Potential new reserves or satellite lands
Potential new reserves or satellite lands to existing reserves are typically identified by members of the faculty, UC Nature Systemwide Office staff, or reserve managers. In some instances, lands that could become reserves are offered to the University by public or private agencies or individuals.
B. Requests for consideration of potential new reserve sites
Requests for consideration of potential new reserve sites should be provided to the UC Nature Executive Director who will coordinate the first visit(s) and initial screening of the site with a designated campus or campuses; campus screening is crucial, and the screening group should include knowledgeable individuals. UC Nature Systemwide Office staff and the designated campus will complete a preliminary investigation and background research on the site to determine if further evaluation is merited.
II. Evaluation phase
A. Campus Advisory Committee
If the UC Nature Executive Director determines that a site should receive further evaluation, s/he will notify the UCOP Vice Provost for Research, affiliated campus Chancellor and the Universitywide Advisory Committee. The UC Nature Executive Director will contact the affiliated campus and request that its campus UC Nature advisory committee (or equivalent) evaluate the proposed reserve from the campus perspective. That evaluation should be coordinated with appropriate UC Nature Systemwide Office staff. (Note: In certain instances, it may be necessary to involve more than one campus in the evaluation.)
At least one field investigation of the site will be made by the campus advisory committee, using the “Guidelines for Reserve Description” (Attachment A) as a basis for collecting data on the potential reserve. The committee will recruit whatever expertise is needed from its campus community to evaluate the proposed reserve. After completing its investigation, the committee will make a written recommendation to the UC Nature Executive Director, who will notify the campus Chancellor, campus UC Nature administrative officer, the Vice Provost for Research, and the Universitywide Advisory Committee on this action.
B. “Three-campus” committee
If the campus advisory committee recommends acquisition of the potential reserve (through purchase, acceptance of gift, lease, MOU, etc.), and the UC Nature Executive Director and Chancellor concur, the next step is a “three-campus” committee evaluation of the proposed reserve.
The UC Nature Executive Director, in consultation with the Chair of the Universitywide Committee and the affiliated campus representative, will recruit experts for the “three-campus” committee. The review committee should include (as possible) UC Nature campus representatives from both the affiliated campus and two other campuses. The committee should also include other faculty and staff experts as appropriate, and UC Nature staff as appointed by the UC Nature Executive Director. All efforts should be made to include a reserve manager. The three-campus committee will prepare a written recommendation to the Director following the criteria outlined in Chapter 8, Attachment B: Recommended criteria for three-campus committee reserve evaluation. The UC Nature Executive Director will present this to the Universitywide committee for review.
C. Universitywide Committee
The Universitywide committee will review the report and recommendation of the three-campus committee, as well as any appropriate background reports. These reports should be received by Universitywide committee members at least one week before the committee makes its final recommendation to the UC Nature Executive Director.
III. Approval phase
It is the current policy that “any new … reserves or additions to existing reserves will be approved only if financial support has been secured from either the associated campus or private sources. The Office of the President will not provide additional funding for the costs associated with managing and operating new reserves or additions to existing reserves.”1
In view of this policy, the UC Nature Executive Director will decide whether or not to proceed with the reserve approval process based on the fiscal and administrative resources of UC Nature, as well as academic needs from a systemwide perspective. The Chancellor will determine if the campus can commit the necessary personnel and funding for a new reserve, which would be affiliated with his/her campus.
If the UC Nature Executive Director, Chancellor and Vice Provost for Research agree that the property should be acquired as a new (or satellite) reserve, the UC Nature Director will prepare a recommendation for The Regents. That recommendation is first reviewed and approved by the Vice Provost for Research, campus Chancellor, General Counsel, Treasurer, Senior Vice President – Administration, and Vice President – University Relations. The recommendation is then reviewed by the appropriate Regents’ Committee(s) and finally the President, who presents it to The Regents. If approved, the reserve establishment process proceeds. In unusual circumstances, it may be necessary to follow other emergency or interim approval procedures.
IV. Reserve establishment
All real property and legal documents will be drafted and finalized by Office of the President staff (including UC Nature, UC Legal, and Treasurer’s Office), in close consultation with the affiliated campus during all phases. The University may begin use of the reserve once final transfer of the title or execution of license/lease/use agreements is completed.
- Letter from VP- ANR Gomes to NRS Director Glazer, February 16, 1999. ↩︎