RESEARCH COORDINATING COUNCIL

Memorandum 144

October 17, 2002

 

 

Members Present: Sean Anderson, Curtis Anderson, Alok Bhushan, Clark Draney, Kay Flowers, Greg Green, Dianne Horrocks (presiding), Pamela Park, Malcolm Shields, Brian Williams, Dan Wolfley

 

Members Absent/Excused: John Bennion, Phil Blick, Steve Byers, Linda Deck, Deb Easterly, Larry Ford, Frank Harmon, Edwin House, Richard Inouye, Subbaram Naidu, Neill Piland, Kris Robinson, Keith Weber, Paul Zelus

 

Dianne Horrocks asked the Council members to introduce themselves and state which area they represent, as some new members were not at the previous meeting.  Following introductions, Ms. Horrocks declared a quorum was present.  

 

I.       It was MSC (9y,0n) to approve Memorandum #143.  Deb.Easterly asked Dianne Horrocks to share a point of clarification with the Council regarding II. J. stating that Larry Ford feels our proposals submitted to the NEH Summer Stipend Program are very competitive and have a good chance of being successful.  However, there is no guarantee that NEH will view them the same way.

 

II.       A.   Faculty Research Committee – Brian Williams reported for John Bennion.  He reported that the call for proposals is out with a November 4 deadline.  The committee has no new business and will meet November 22 to review proposals.

 

B.      Graduate Student Research and Scholarship Committee – Clark Draney reported that the     committee has set its meeting dates and he will have more to report after the proposal          deadline.

 

C.           Undergraduate Research Committee – Greg Green reported that the call for proposals went out late last month with a deadline of November 4.  Some students are submitting proposals for travel funds to travel to the NCUR conference on November 15, so the committee will try to make these awards in time to accommodate these requests.

 

D.           Humanities/Social Sciences Research Committee – Dianne Horrocks reported that the call is out with a November 11 deadline.  Awards can range from a minimum of $5,000 to a maximum of $24,000.  If you need information, please contact Kay Holm in the Office of Sponsored Programs.

 

E.   University Research Committee – A handout was distributed showing the awards made by this committee last spring for FY2003.  Dianne Horrocks reported this committee meets only in the spring semester and that the call for proposals will go out after the first of the year.

 

 

F.            Federal Initiatives – Dianne Horrocks reported that Larry Ford sent out the request to solicit new proposals for FY2004 to deans, directors, and department chairs with a target date of October 21, 2002.  This request is also listed on the faculty bulletin board.  Larry. Ford reported on this briefly at last month’s meeting.  If anyone has questions, please contact him at x4060. 

                       

Regarding progress on the FY03 federal initiatives, the Department of Energy bill is currently in the Senate. Included in this bill is $3.5 million for the Idaho Accelerator Center.  The VA-HUD bill is currently on the House side – in this bill is $360,000 for the Performing Arts Cener.  There is still some hope for the GIS Center in the VA-HUD bill. There is also still hope for monies for the Telehealth Project, including Family Medicine and Pharmacy under the Education, Labor and HHS bill.

 

The Department of Defense bill is complete and on its way to President Bush.  Included in this bill is $1.4 million for the Idaho Accelerator Center.  Also included in the DOD bill is $25 million for 25 different projects.  Dr. Peter Sheridan, Biological Sciences, has one of these projects.  Our lobbying firm, Cassidy and Associates, is hoping Dr. Sheridan will get between $600,000 and $1.2 million for his project. 

 

G.           Dianne Horrocks reported that last semester the Research Coordinating Council recommended that 2% of indirect costs collected on external grants be allocated to library support.  This recommendation went forward to the Faculty Senate and then on to the President.   The President has approved a 2% library allocation from the academic share of returned indirect/facilities and administrative costs.  The split is now 53% to the department and/or college who generated the monies, 45% to administration, and 2% to the library. 

 

Kay Flowers reported that the 2% is transferred by Grants and Contracts monthly to a separate library account.  It will probably be used to pay off part of the serial account.  Future consideration of these funds will, hopefully, be for special projects.

 

H.   No other reports were made.

 

III.       Council Business

 

A.   The Humanities and Social Sciences Research Committee submitted a minor change in their Guidelines for Proposals under Fringe Benefits, page 7.    The original wording for this paragraph was:  “Fringe benefits must be included as a budget item for all salary requests.”  The requested wording is “Information relating to fringe benefits can be obtained from the Office of Sponsored Programs.  Fringe benefits must be included as a budget item for all salary requests.  The amounts for fringe benefits will be included in the limit imposed on budget requests.  Please contact Sponsored Programs regarding any fringe benefits for salary you are requesting.”  It was MSC (9y, 0n) to approve the change.

 

B.     Ms. Horrocks informed the Council that Dr. House would like input on any barriers or obstacles to research at ISU.  He would like Council members perspectives, input, concerns, etc.  Ms. Horrocks opened the floor for discussion.  Issues brought forward:  1) many faculty members are teaching overloads plus maintaining a research lab and graduate assistant stipends are not competitive; 2) insufficient time to do research to be competitive, i.e. NIH fundable proposals take about 6 months of uninterrupted research to prepare; 3) need more sabbaticals available for research and sabbaticals need to be more easily obtained; 4) the Faculty Professional Policies Council is discussing mandatory leave after the 7th year for research, etc. but it is a question of available funds; 5) better support is needed for library journals for special topics so that faculty do not have to go to another university to do the research; 6) faculty turnover creates a problem with journal support as sometimes the individual conducting special research leaves and the related journal is no longer needed; 7) computer support for research is very good.  Ms. Horrocks asked Council members to take the question regarding barriers or obstacles to research at ISU to their colleagues and report back at the next meeting.

 

C.     There was no other Council business.

 

The meeting was adjourned at 3:30 p.m.