This management position is usually held by an ERC faculty member. The tasks of the Education Director or Coordinator vary across the centers, but often there is a staff person who fills this role in coordination with the faculty. As with the technology transfer function, it is imperative that whoever has this responsibility work closely and well with the ERC faculty. This first point of contact is tremendously important and the position demands professional judgment and intelligence. Many centers have experienced problems trying to find and keep good people in these posts.
Some centers successfully supplement regular staff with student help.
ERC orientation and training are critical for all staff. Most centers have found they need a dedicated staff position for daily accounting and payroll operations. Staffing this function adequately may be pivotal to a smooth-running center over the long haul. As an ERC matures, computer systems save valuable time and enable a small, coordinated ERC team to handle growing demands and constant change. Some centers have added system administrators to their staff.