Present: John Ronnau, Chair, Kurt S. Anderson, Jeffrey E. Brandon, Kathy Brook, Greg Butler, Bobby Creel (for Tom Bahr), Gary Cunningham, Tom Dormody, O. D. Hadfield, David Hasti, Eric Johnson, N. Khandan, Margaret Malamund, Harold Matteson, David Myers, Marilyn Pase, Tim Pettibone, Nellie Quezada-Aragon, David Rocks, Roy Rodriguez, Josie Stevens, Averett Tombes, Carol L. Walker

Guest: President J. Michael Orenduff

Item 1: Minutes from April 28, 1995 meeting

Minutes for the April 28, 1995 meeting will be distributed with the 8/25/95 minutes.

Item 2: Meeting schedule for the year

The following meeting schedule for the year was presented and accepted by the members. All meetings will take place in the Associates Room of the New Library. Appreciation was expressed to the library staff for their ongoing support of the URC.

President Orenduff thanked the Council for inviting him to the meeting. Dr. Orenduff discussed the importance of research to an academic institution.   He stated that research benefits all facets of academia, especially the students, which makes the university a full service institution. Dr. Orenduff also stated that due to smaller budgets in federal agencies, upper administration needs to support research.

Questions and comments from URC members included: concerns from principle investigator's regarding the Business Office's financial procedures (i.e., ordering supplies and equipment, purchase orders, and payments); more public relations needed to promote the University's mission; and the need to promote research activities through "Good News" articles and other means to the Board of Regents and public.

John Ronnau asked the Principle Investigator's Manual Task Force to continue its work. Vice President Tombes requested that the Task Force provide specific requests for support from his office, including cost estimates. URC members concurred that the PI Manual should be in three ring binder format to facilitate yearly updates and revisions. It was suggested that one copy of the manual be distributed to each department.

The PI Manual Task Force consists of: Kathy Brook (Chair), Maureen Camunez, John Kemp, and Gary Rayson.

Item 5: Unproductive and duplicative efforts among university departments in funding research

Tabled

Item 6: URC as a sounding board for proposed changes in policies of University financial offices.

There was considerable discussion regarding the impact of Business Office policies upon Principle Investigators and the overall university research process. Several members voiced the opinion that too often the polices impede research rather than facilitate it. It was noted that an internal policy review process is being undertaken by the Business Office which will include a faculty panel. However, URC members voiced the opinion that "front line" researchers should play a more significant role in the process.

It was suggested that the URC serve as a sounding board prior to the implementation of Business Office policies which effect the research process. It was also suggested that the URC provide suggestions to Executive Vice President Conroy on how researchers would prefer business financial issues be handled in the future.

Dr. Cunningham made a motion to set up a Task Force to establish a URC Sounding Board to review proposed Business Office policies which effect the research process. The motion was seconded and passed unanimously.

Item 7: Overview of research efforts by colleges

John Ronnau reported that each college has been invited to provide a thirty minute overview to the URC regarding its research efforts. The College of Ag. & Home Economics will make its presentation during the September 29th meeting.

Item 8: Next meeting and adjournment

The next URC meeting is scheduled for September 29, 3:30 P.M., Associates Room, New Library. The meeting adjourned at 5:00 pm.

Submitted by: Laura Maynez, Dept. of Social Work