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Governance Minutes ArchiveSeptember 23, 1992
Minutes COMMISSION ON RESEARCH October 14, 1992 206 Sandy Hall 3:30 p.m. MEMBERS PRESENT: T. Brandon, H. Doswald, P. Edwards, P. Eyre, J. Johnson, A. McNabb, R. Olin, J. Pinkerton, P. Rasnick, R. Reneau, E. Stout, J. Tank, J. Wightman, T. Wildman MEMBERS ABSENT: J. Eaton, C. Flora, H. Kriz, J. Lee, R. Lytton, E. McNeil, M. O'Brien, P. Scanlon INVITED GUESTS: S. Trulove 1. ANNOUNCEMENTS. Drs. McNabb and Lee have been asked to serve on the Search Committee for the Vice Provost for Research and Dean of the Graduate School. Peggy Rasnick has also been asked to serve as a clas- sified staff representative. On November 11 Mr. D. Shelton will talk about the FRS budgeting process and Dr. Carlisle will talk about the research mission of the university. Dr. McNabb added an additional item to the agenda - Personnel Services Decentralization - Linda Woodard. 2. MINUTES OF SEPTEMBER 23. Dr. McNabb asked for a motion to approve the Minutes of September 23. Dr. Doswald motioned approval. Dr. Eyre sec- onded. Minutes were approved as distributed. 3. COMMONWEALTH CENTER PREPROPOSALS UPDATE. Dr. Johnson reported that 14 preproposals had been submitted. The internal screening committee met and selected four which are being revised to send to SCHEV by October 23. One proposal was from Arts and Sciences, 1 from Forestry and Wildlife, and 2 were from Engineering. Dean Doswald asked for the ti- tles of the successful proposals. Dr. Johnson responded - Computer Science (Information Access Center), Forestry and Wildlife (Endangered Species), Civil Engineering (Water Quality Research), and Mechanical Engineering (Intelligent Structures). 4. FORMAT OF COMMISSION ON RESEARCH MINUTES. Dr. McNabb asked the member- ship if they want detailed Commission minutes. Dr. Stout stated that prior to his becoming chair there were two sets of Minutes (the actual Minutes and the Discussion Summary). After he became chair the Dis- cussion Summary was dropped. Dr. Pinkerton suggested that the Minutes be a summary and that the tape be kept. Dr. Wightman motioned approval of the shorter version. Dr. Doswald seconded as well as Dr. Wildman. The shorter version was approved. Dr. McNabb asked Dr. Stout about earlier requests for an agenda committee. Dr. Stout stated that when they started restructuring the governance system there were complaints from faculty members about an administrative person chairing the Commission and having control of the agenda. The previous COR membership had unanimously voted against the need for an agenda committee. After discussion the membership agreed that an agenda committee was unnecessary. She stated that toward the end of the year she would like to try to have a set of items for next year's Commission. Dr. Olin suggested that perhaps mid-year the membership should look at what progress has been made toward the goals they established in the beginning of the year. Dr. Edwards mentioned that perhaps we would add new goals. 5. RESOLUTION TO THE COMMISSION ON GRADUATE STUDIES ON GRADUATE STUDENT FUNDING. After discussion and minor changes a draft resolution in sup- port of efforts by CGS to seek additional tuition scholarships for graduate students was approved. Moved by Dr. Eyre, seconded by Dr. Edwards. Motion approved. 6. OWNERSHIP OF DATA. Dr. Olin gave an update and indicated the document has been rewritten and will be brought to the next Commission meeting for approval. Legal Counsel said there is no state statute which deals with research data. The issue of control of destruction of data was discussed briefly but no additional changes were requested. 7. REPORT FROM THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH. Dr. Wightman provided an update on the committee's October 12 meeting. Dr. Scanlon was elected chairperson. A proposal to establish a Center for Wild and Domestic Animal Genetics from Dr. S. Boyle and colleagues was reviewed and returned for resubmission with the changes to meet guide- lines for establishing centers. The status of center reviews started in 1991-92 (C. for Environ- mental and Hazardous Materials Studies, C. for Gerontology, Spatial Data Analysis Lab. and Systems Research C.) was reviewed. All the re- views have been completed and drafts of the reports are at different stages and will be discussed with the center director by Dr. Stout. The subcommittee will review reports, then bring them to the Commis- sion. The centers to be reviewed in 1992-93 are: C. for Adhesive and Sealant Science, the Interdisciplinary C. for Applied Math and the Powell River Project. After discussion of future reviews it was moved that in the future the center should be notified in the spring of the upcoming review. (Moved by Dr. Doswald, Dr. Olin seconded, motion passed.) Dr. Eyre asked about an overlap with the proposed Center for Wild and Domestic Animals and the approved center on endangered spe- cies. He stated that that needs to be looked at. Dr. Stout stated that at this point it is not an approved center. If it is one chosen for a full proposal, then Dr. Stout stated Dr. Boyle and Dr. Nielsen will need to get together. He stated that the two groups are aware of each other and that there is one person who is common to both. Dr. Stout stated that when both groups approached him he had told them that clearly there was a good deal of overlap and that they were told that only one center would be approved. Dr. McNabb asked Dr. Wightman for a projected timetable of when the reports from last years activities will be ready. Dr. Stout responded that the overlapping proposals for cen- ters and the need for communication between units was discussed. The report on the SDAL is ready but Dr. Stout has not talked with the di- rector who should have opportunity to read the report before it goes back to the COR subcommittee. The other three reports should go to the committee before Thanksgiving. The centers to be reviewed this year will be contacted soon and those to be reviewed in 1993-94 will be no- tified in spring 1993. 8. DECENTRALIZATION OF PERSONNEL SERVICES. Ms. Woodard provided an update to the membership on where Personnel Services stands in relation to de- centralization. She stated that there are some initiatives from the state. She described efforts designed to streamline personnel proce- dures and discussed some of the pros and cons of the University having its own autonomous personnel system. The main advantage of an auton- omous personnel system is that the University could create a system to meet the needs that are unique to higher education. However, the eco- nomic burden of administering an autonomous system would be significant and it seems unlikely that the state would provide new money. Ms. Woodard emphasized that Personnel is attempting to focus on service to the University community rather than on their policing function. A number of general issues and specific types of personnel problems were discussed. Ms. Woodard requested feedback from the Commission on is- sues that needed to be addressed. 9. ADJOURNMENT. Meeting adjourned at 4:55PM. FMAM/php
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