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New Mexico State University URC Minutes - January 13, 2005

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Present: Dana Christman, Barbara Coppola, James Cowie, Wynn Egginton (Birx), Sam Fernald, Inigo Garcia-Bryce, James Herndon, Nirmala Khandan, Jennifer Kreie, Ken Martin, Bernard McNamara, Martha Mitchell, Enrico Pontelli, Marc Pruyn, John Roberts (Hites), Rudi Schoenmackers, Pam Schultz, Rhonda Skaggs, Karl Wood

Absent: Lisa Dalton, Everett Egginton, Mike Fisher, Stephen Horan, Linda Lacey, Elizabeth Titus

1. Minutes - Minutes for December 6, 2004 were approved.

2. Committee Reports

URC Incentive Committee - Volunteers include Inigo Bryce, Dana Christman, Ken Martin, and Rhonda Skaggs. Dr. Skaggs gave a report on the College of Agriculture’s faculty incentives noting 5 basic areas:
- tenure and promotion
- access to overhead funds
- start-up packages
- administrative support
- alternative salary

She reported that it is difficult to find incentives for involvement of CAHE faculty in external research because they are on 12-month contracts and cannot receive additional compensation for taking on more work. The College is discussing this issue and looking for a way to provide an incentive to faculty that is acceptable to the NMSU Administration.

Dr. Khandan spoke about the College of Engineering’s faculty incentives:
- three additional summer month’s compensation (if grant allows)
- rebate of overhead funds for P.I.s to use for legitimate expenses (includes self payment to the maximum above)
- other research incentives on ad hoc basis

The other colleges’ faculty research incentives will be discussed at the next meeting.

Award Committee – Volunteers include Nirmala Khandan, Barbara Coppola, Sam Fernald, Bernard McNamara, and Enrico Pontelli. It was suggested this committee include representatives from all the colleges. Rudi Schoenmackers asked council members to ask for volunteers from their colleges for this committee. Additional members will be announced at the next meeting.

Executive Committee – At President Martin’s request, the Executive Committee met in January to discuss ways to make URC a more proactive council. The formation of three subcommittees will look at multiple issues. The subcommittee for Campus-wide Research Management and Infrastructure composed of Jim Cowie, Martha Mitchell, Marc Pruyn, Pam Schultz and Karl Wood will work on such issues as:
- solidifying the NMSU Research Proposal
- requesting that President Martin make a decision on the Vice Provost for Research position
- asking for a decision on management of IDC and other resources
- clarity on centralization (which functions will remain decentralized)
- basic infrastructure improvements
- alternative fiscal strategies (state legislative support for research; funding distribution, metrics; fiscal structure to support research; research library support)

The second subcommittee for Resource Management of Research Assistants composed of Barbara Coppola, Ken Martin, and Michael Hites will look at:
- baseline data – data & facts
- how are they being used
- allocation process

The third subcommittee for URC Membership composed of Sam Fernald, James Herndon, Jennifer Kreie, and Enrico Pontelli, will work on issues such as:
- criteria for member selection/appointment
- diversity in gender/ethnicity/academic discipline
- recognition for service on URC/prestige
- utilizing campus resources and expertise in colleges and administration.

3. Federal Initiatives – Wynn Egginton

A finalized draft of Book I of the Federal Initiatives will be complete by February 1, 2005. The initiatives will be organized by research clusters. The hope is to have initiatives that address real world problems, connect to current concerns in Washington, and propose work of regional and national significance. It was mentioned that anyone lobbying with our congressional staffs in Washington should be lobbying for funding for broad initiatives that benefit the University and not just for single-PI projects.

The meeting adjourned at 4:46 p.m.

Minutes by Frances Schumacher