Graduate Student Research Scholarship Committee Bylaws (GSRSC)
Return to GSRSC
The primary purpose of the Graduate Student Research and Scholarship Committee is to promote
research, scholarly, and creative activity of graduate students at Idaho State University. The
Committee shall allocate such state and other funds as it has at its disposal to eligible graduate
students for research, scholarly, and creative activities as categorized and explained below.
- Article I -- Membership
- Section 1. Standing Membership
- Section 2. Selection of Members
- Section 3. Resignation of Members
- Section 4. Ethics
- Section 5. Removal of Members
- Section 6. Duties of Members
- Article II -- Government and Officers
- Section 1. Meetings and Quorum
- Section 2. Officers, Terms of Office, and Election to Office
- Section 3. The Chair, or in his/her absence, the Vice- Chair shall:
- Section 4. Duties of the Vice Chair
- Section 5. Duties of the Secretary
- Article III -- Grant Procurement
- Section 1. Definition of Research
- Section 2. Eligibility
- Section 3. Responsibility
- Section 4. Research Grants
- Section 5. Submission Procedures
- Article IV -- Decision Process for Proposals
- Section 1. Proposal Review and Evaluation
- Section 2. Decision Review
- Section 3. Reconsideration and Resubmission of Proposals
- Article V -- Responsibilities of the Grant Recipients
- Section 1. Reports
- Section 2. Major Changes in Funded Projects
- Section 3. Publications
- Section 4. Other Responsibilities
- Section 5. Ethics
- Article VI -- Amendments to the Bylaws
ARTICLE I -- MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Standing Membership
The Committee shall be composed of ten voting members and a non-voting member whose method of selection and terms of service are described below. A graduate representative from the ASISU Student Senate will participate and vote only on ASISU Scholarship applications.
Voting Members. The ten voting members shall be appointed by the Dean of the College or Chair of the Department as appropriate. Voting members will be appointed to represent the following units:
- College of Business
- College of Education
- College of Health-Related Professions
- College of Arts and Sciences
- Biological Sciences
- Fine Arts and Humanities
- Mathematics and physical Sciences (Geology, Chemistry, and Physics)
- Social Sciences
- College of Engineering
- College of Pharmacy
- College of Technology
Each unit shall be entitled to one representative. The term membership for the appointed voting members is one year. Voting members may be re-appointed for a second year and serve on the Committee a maximum of two years. Appointments must be made no later than the first Monday in April. Additional appointments may be made when needed to fill unexpired terms.
Non-voting Members. A representative from the Office of Research will serve as the non-voting member.
Section 2. Selection of Members
Each of the ten members of the Committee shall be appointed by the Dean of the College or Chair of the Department which they will represent.
The Chair of the Committee will notify each Dean or Department Chair early in March that new appointments or re-appointments are needed. The notice shall list the requirements for membership in the Committee.
Following the completion of all appointments and re-appointments, the Chair of the Committee will provide a list of membership to all appropriate Deans and Department Chair and the Chief Research Officer.
Section 3. Resignation of Members
In the event that a voting member resigns from the Committee, the chair of the Committee will request the appropriate Dean of the College or Department Chair to appoint an eligible person to represent that college or department.
Voting members on the Committee are expected to represent the highest values of ethical and professional standards. Members are further expected to represent the interests of the graduate students in their unit and to cooperate in meeting the goals of the Committee.
Members may be removed from the Committee by a vote of at least 5 voting members obtained by secret ballot. The Chair of the Committee will send a confidential letter to the appropriate Dean or Department Chair explaining the reason(s) for removal of a member. An appeal may be made to the Vice President for Research. Replacements for members removed from the Committee shall be secured as outlined in Article 1, Section 3.
Members of the Committee shall participate in all of its activities. Specifically, Committee members shall:
-
Attend Committee meetings and inform the chair of any expected absence. In the event of an absence, the member must select a replacement from their unit. This person will have voice and vote. More than one absence without securing a replacement in one semester is grounds for removal.
-
Familiarize themselves with all the departments within the college they represent.
-
Where applicable and appropriate, solicit and represent the views of the graduate students in the units from which they are selected.
-
Inform the graduate students of the units they represent of relevant actions taken or anticipated by the Committee.
-
Provide advice concerning the preparation of proposals to potential applicants for research funds distributed by the Committee.
-
Conscientiously and justly review all proposals submitted to the Committee.
-
Aid in the drafting of written critiques of proposals rejected or not funded by the Committee, if so requested by the chair or vice chair.
-
Conscientiously and justly review all applications for scholarships for which the committee has jurisdiction and recommend awardees of such scholarships.
-
Return rejected proposals to the applicant from their unit and arrange for re-submission of the proposal.
ARTICLE II -- GOVERNMENT AND OFFICERS
Section 1. Meetings and Quorum
The Committee shall meet at least three times per semester to consider scholarships and proposals. Other business may be conducted at any of these meetings and additional meetings may be called if needed. Five voting members shall constitute a quorum. Unless otherwise indicated in these or future bylaws, meetings shall be conducted under Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
Section 2. Officers, Terms of Office, and Election to Office
The officers of the Committee shall consist of a chair and a vice-chair, who shall have full powers to carry out the actions of the Committee. Officers shall serve one year terms and be elected from the eligible membership of the Committee. Election shall be by secret ballot and majority vote of the entire membership of the Committee. In the event that an officer resigns before the end of the term, the entire Committee shall elect a successor to serve the balance of the unexpired term as specified above. Officers may be removed from office by majority vote of the voting membership of the Committee.
The Committee shall elect one of its members to serve on the Research Coordinating Council and a different member to serve on the Graduate Council.
Section 3. The Chair, and in his/her absence, the Vice-Chair shall:
- Preside at all meetings.
- Sign all documents or correspondence pertaining to the actions of the Committee.
- Coordinate the calls for proposals to be received by the Committee with the secretary in the Office of Research.
- Review and sign all letters notifying applicants of the actions of the Committee.
- Review and sign all letters reminding recipients of dates for abstracts, reports, and special documents.
- Assign an ad seriatim number to all proposals and notify recipients of these numbers for use in correspondence and resulting publications as specified in Article V, Section 3.
- Take action on all initial requests received from grant recipients for extensions of time or funded projects.
- Prepare and submit to the President of the University an annual report which summarizes:
- File reports by year to library archives.
- Maintain a file of all Committee correspondence including proposal awards and scholarship awards.
- Notify the Vice President for Research of fund recipients who fail to submit final reports to the Committee.
Section 4. Duties of the Vice Chair
The vice-chair shall temporarily perform the duties of the chair in the event of the latter's inability to act, or resignation prior to election of a successor. Additionally, the vice-chair shall:
- Maintain a record of the award recipient's anticipated graduation dates and prepare letters to recipients regarding the required final reports.
-
Prepare a report for the chair on the status of previously funded projects.
Section 5. Duties of the Secretary
These duties will be performed by a secretary who is appointed by the Vice President for Research. These duties include taking minutes of all meetings of the Committee and maintaining a file of all grant proposals submitted to the Committee, actions taken on these proposals, abstracts and reports received subsequent to funding of proposals and minutes of Committee meetings.
ARTICLE III -- GRANT PROCUREMENT
Section 1. Definition of Research
In accord with its purpose and with the procedures and conditions described below, the Committee allocates monies to eligible graduate students within the University for the purpose of conducting research. As defined by the Committee, research is any degree related or extracurricular activity of an intellectual or professional nature which extends knowledge, understanding, and appreciation, or facilitates the extension of knowledge, or contributes something of a scholarly value. This definition is understood to include those activities which involve or are preparatory to the production or exhibition of creative works.
Any part-time or full-time graduate student who is currently enrolled and working toward a graduate degree at Idaho State University at the time of application may apply for grant funds administered by the Committee.
Applicants for monies allocated by the Committee are expected to adhere to the highest professional and ethical standards in development and implementation of their research. It is required that each applicant meet eligibility requirements and strictly follow the guidelines in the development and submission of proposals.
Section 4. Research Grants
Research Grants are awarded on a competitive basis for research, production, or exhibition to be conducted or directed by eligible persons. The research should have potential for publication, production, or public exhibition. Monies available under this category are intended to be used for expenses incurred by the individual in the course of doing research. These include but are not limited to equipment, expendable supplies, computer time, food, lodging, and transportation (as allowed by the State regulations) incurred while the investigator is traveling. They may not be used as compensation or direct payments for services for time spent by the applicant. The Committee will not approve proposals for the continuation of projects which it has previously funded or from investigators who have not completed final reports on previous projects.
Section 5. Submission Procedures
As soon as possible after the approval of these bylaws, the Committee shall establish a format for proposals in the categories described above, and dates for the submission of such proposals. These shall be published in the GSRSC's Specific Guidelines to be Submitted to the Graduate Student Research and Scholarship Committee of Idaho State University (hereinafter referred to as the Guidelines).
Format for Proposals. The Committee will consider only those proposals whose format conform to that outlined in the Guidelines effective on the date of application. Should an applicant need to deviate from the specified format, a written statement describing the extent of the deviation and giving the reasons for it must accompany the proposal.
Approval of the Proposal. The applicant must have the approval of her/his major advisor prior to submission of the proposal to the Committee. The major advisor must be a full-time or emeritus faculty member, research associate, or person holding faculty rank or the faculty equivalence. In addition, the applicant must have the approval of the department chair prior to submission of the proposal to the Committee.
Regulatory Committee Approval. All research proposals involving controlled substances, radioactive materials, human beings, or animals must be cleared with the appropriate University compliance committee(s) before a proposal is considered in order to assure compliance with existing regulations. Letters of such clearance(s) and approval(s) or a letter from the applicant's advisor stating that no such approval is required must be included with the proposal. In addition, projects involving the use of controlled substances must be co-sponsored by a permanent faculty member who is properly licensed by the appropriate State/Federal agencies and the necessary license information and/or identification must be noted on the proposal copies.
Submission Dates for Proposals. The Committee will receive proposals for Research Grants and Dissemination Funds twice annually, once in the fall and once in the spring. Proposals submitted for funds under these two categories must be received by the time and dates specified below:
Fall Semester
-
Call for proposal goes out last Monday in September.
-
Proposals due to Graduate Student Research and Scholarship Committee second Monday in November.
Spring Semester
-
Call for proposal goes out First Monday in February.
-
Proposals due to Graduate Student Research and Scholarship Committee third or fourth Wednesday in March.
ARTICLE IV -- DECISION PROCESS FOR PROPOSALS
Section 1. Proposal Review and Evaluation
The Committee will review and evaluate all research proposals it receives in a sequence of at least two meetings. In the review and evaluation, the Committee will abide by the criteria published in the Guidelines effective on the date of the application. After each proposal deadline, the chair will supply each member of the Committee with one copy of each proposal. Committee members will adhere to the procedures and criteria for review and evaluation. The Committee will discuss each proposal and eliminate any which do not fall within the Committee's definition of research and funding categories described above.
Upon majority vote, submissions which fail to meet guideline criteria will be returned to applicants by their unit representative after the first review. Applicants will have five calendar days to make necessary changes and resubmit the proposal to the Office of Research. Only those revisions requested by the Committee will be considered. If additional changes are submitted, the proposal will be disqualified. Should an applicant need to deviate from the specified format, a written statement describing the extent of the deviation and reasons for it must accompany the proposal. Resubmission will then be reviewed by the Committee.
In the event that the proposals/scholarships under review include a proposal/scholarship submitted by a member of the Committee, that person will leave the discussion of that proposal and shall abstain from any vote concerning approval or funding of the proposal scholarship.
Any applicant who fails to receive funding may request a written evaluation of the proposal or a statement of the reasons for its rejection.
Section 3. Reconsideration and Resubmission of Proposals
Except in the case of a clerical error, the Committee's decision to approve, reject, or not fund any proposal will be considered final, and no proposal will be reconsidered except by a majority vote. However, any proposal which is rejected or not funded by the Committee may be resubmitted under any subsequent call for proposals. Applicants whose proposals are rejected or not funded may request a decision review in accord with Article IV, Section 2.
ARTICLE V -- RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE GRANT RECIPIENTS
- Any applicant for research funds who requests further funding for the continuation of a project must attach a written report to the new application describing the current status of the previously funded project and how awarded funds were utilized.
- No later than thirty days before a recipient's graduation date, a written final report documenting the findings or results of funded research (regardless of the semester in which the funds were awarded) must be submitted to the Committee or a hold will be placed on the recipient's records.
- Requests for Extensions of Time. Should it appear that a funded project will not be completed within the expenditure of the grant, the grant recipient(s) must submit a written request for an extension of time. This request must be submitted before the ending date and must include: (1) a brief description of the work completed, (2) a brief description of the work yet to be completed, and (3) a new proposal ending date. Initial requests for such an extension can be approved by the Chairperson of the Committee. Subsequent requests for extension must be approved by two-thirds vote of the Committee. No funds may be expended after the ending date of the grant unless a request for an extension of the funding period is submitted and approved.
Section 2. Major Changes in Funded Projects.
Any major change in topic or budgetary shift of more than 15% must be approved by the Committee or its Chair. Accordingly, recipients are required to notify and request approval from the Committee or its Chair of any changes in research topic and budgetary shifts.
Any publications, production, or exhibition arising from research conducted with funds awarded by the Committee must carry or display the following acknowledgment:
"This research was (partially) supported by Grant No.____from the Graduate Student Research and Scholarship Committee of Idaho State University, Pocatello, Idaho."
In addition, grant recipients are required to submit to the committee one copy of any publication resulting from research funded by the Committee.
Section 4. Other Responsibilities
Additional responsibilities of grant recipients may be pertinent depending on the nature of the funded project. A complete list of such responsibilities is contained in the Committee's Guidelines.
Grant recipients are expected to represent the highest values and ethical and professional standards. In the case of conviction of research fraud, the grant recipient is required to reimburse all funding provided by the Graduate Student Research and Scholarship Committee fund for that research up to the full amount.
ARTICLE VI -- AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS
These bylaws may be amended by majority vote of the Committee. Proposed amendments shall be submitted to all members of the Committee at least one week prior to any such vote.
A proposed amendment may be presented by any member of the Committee. Proposed amendments should be presented in writing.