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New Mexico State University URC Minutes - March 7, 2003

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Present: Daniel Dwyer, William Gould, Michael Hites, Stephen Horan, Becky Keele-Smith, Chuck Kozel, Marc Pruyn, William Quintana, Rudi Schoenmackers, Edmund Scribner, Elizabeth Titus, Mary Wolf

Absent: Eve Adams, Kurt Anderson, Everett Egginton, Kenneth Hacker, Nirmala Khandan, Linda Lacey, William Ogden, Rhonda Skaggs, Rasler Smith, James Strickland, Karl Wood

Guests: Neta Fernandez

1. Minutes - Minutes of February 7, 2003 were approved as corrected.

2. Update URC Roster

Dr. Michael Hites, Chief Information Officer for Information and Communications Technology, was introduced.

3. Electronic Research Administration (ERA) – Neta Fernandez and Dr. Dwyer

Dr. Dwyer updated the group on grants and contracts administration and the important challenges facing the University. External audits for the last four years have revealed problems with decentralization and oversight of grants and contracts and President Gogue asked that the audit findings be resolved. With the purchase of an Electronic Research Administration system (InfoEd), the Office of the Vice Provost for Research will begin to review all University proposals. The ERA system will allow researchers to develop proposals on their desktops, download appropriate forms from agencies, circulate proposals electronically for signatures, and forward them to the agency.

Ms. Fernandez distributed information about the InfoEd system. SPINPlus, a tool to find funding opportunities, and modules for Proposal Tracking and Proposal Development are being purchased. Future plans are to add the Compliance System and Project Management modules. A time line for implementing the new procedures indicates that proposal review and development should be available for faculty use by September 1, 2003. Additional contract administrators are being hired to review proposals, but not the technical scope of work. PI certification will be required for all faculty and staff involved in research. It was suggested that this information be provided to department heads and communicated throughout the University.

Dr. Dwyer remarked that a better financial system is needed to interface with InfoEd, one that can encumber salaries to better manage grants. Dr. Hites reported that some of his staff are going to the ICT Conference, the vendor of the financial records system (FRS) on campus. A report of findings will be forthcoming.

Ms. Fernandez distributed the Disclosure Statement Committee Report and noted their recommendations regarding justifications at the proposal stage, mandatory certification for all research faculty and staff, CAS template modifications, and no changes to the current DS-2.

4. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)/Export Control Training – Neta Fernandez

Additional training will be held for faculty and members of CORC. A tentative policy has been developed that places responsibility with the PI. An attorney in Albuquerque will handle difficult situations affecting national security.

5. Nominating Committee Report – Dr. Pruyn

Committee nominations were presented as follows:

Chair Elect – Rudi Schoenmackers
Faculty Representative – Chuck Kozel
Position Appointment – Elizabeth Titus

 

Due to lack of a quorum, elections will be held at the next meeting.

6. Committee Reports

URC Research and Creative Scholarly Activity Awards – Packets are due in the OVPR by Friday, March 14, 2003. Criteria was distributed through a faculty list serve.

Research and Creative Activities Fair – Ms. Keele-Smith and Dr. Horan will work with Dr. Schoenmackers. Corbett Center has been reserved for the Fair that will be held in September.

PI Certification – URC and CORC will be the test sites.

Faculty Surveys – Dr. Quintana attended the Role and Rewards meeting. They are not ready to proceed with a survey at this time. Dr. Horan distributed the list of issues that were recommended after the URC survey four years ago. Dr. Dwyer suggested an additional survey topic – Do you have issues or problems with the way release time is handled in your department/college?

Faculty Senate Report – Dr. Quintana reported that legislation to clarify how PIs involved in interdisciplinary research will be evaluated for promotion and tenure will be discussed at a March 11 committee meeting. Please contact Dr. Quintana if you would like a copy of the legislation.

SURP Proposals – Due date is July 1. A question and answer session with SURP representatives and interested faculty will be held in the near future.

The meeting adjourned at 4:50 p.m.

Minutes by Betty Lindsey