The mission of CARS, organized and led by faculty, librarians, and staff, is to foster the development of research, scholarship, and creative endeavors for faculty and librarians. CARS promotes individual, collaborative, and interdisciplinary scholarship activities, and provides resources for the creation of knowledge that reflects and supports the strategic goals of the institution, when appropriate.
CARS provides internal grants that assist with faculty and librarian scholarship, creative endeavors, and travel. Currently the three main research grants range from $2,000.00 to $8,000.00 and over 30 are awarded annually. The outcomes of these grants can be seen in faculty colloquia, workshops, exhibitions, and other public presentations. The travel grant program supports faculty attendance and participation in professional conferences. CARS works collaboratively with the Office of Teaching and Learning (OTL) by facilitating dialogues on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), and shares resources with other faculty initiatives. Annually, CARS organizes and hosts a two-day celebration of the scholarly activity and works of faculty and librarians, as well as presentations on teaching and campus policies.