Membership Agreements

Penn State's industry membership program is designed to provide for fundamental research, enhance the flow of information between the university and the industry members, provide the members with access to students as potential future employees, keep members informed of promising technology developments, and provide other potential benefits as a result of ongoing contact between creative individuals. The program objectives and descriptions are detailed in membership agreements that govern the membership program. Because the nature of these programs offer the potential for diversion of academic objectives, it is important that membership-supported research programs be organized and maintained in ways that preserve both the independence and integrity of the university.

Industry membership programs should not be used to perform sponsored research to provide unique or preferential benefits to individual members. Separate sponsored research agreements shall be used to perform research with specific costs, schedules, and/or deliverables that benefit individual member(s) rather than all members.

Requests to establish an industry membership program should be directed in writing to the Vice President for Research, with the concurrence of the Department Chair/Director and/or Dean. The request should include the following:

1. Name of the individual who will coordinate the program
2. Brief description of the proposed program
3. Specific benefits to be offered to members
4. Anticipated number of faculty and graduate students who will participate
5. Draft of the proposed membership agreement(s)
6. Anticipated number of members by category
7. Person responsible for invoicing and collecting membership fees

The Office of the Vice President for Research will retain a listing of all approved Industry Membership Programs.