The Office of Research, Evaluation, and Policy Studies (REPS) began in September 1988 as the centralized research and evaluation unit of NIU's College of Education. Under the direction of Brent E. Wholeben, Ph.D., REPS is a 12-month resource-services operation that provides college-wide research and evaluation assistance to administration, faculty, and staff. In addition, the Office contracts with other academic and support service units within the university to assist with research and evaluation objectives on a cost-recovery basis. REPS competes for or collaborates as a partner in extramural grant activities with state, regional, and national agencies, including the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health.