Present: Jeff Brandon, Kathy Brook, Jack Burns, Greg Butler, Richard Colbaugh, Jim Cowie, Gary Cunningham, Jeanette Holmes (for Nellie Quezada-Aragon), Nirmala Khandan, Donald Lindsey, Joaquin Loustaunau, Margaret Malamud, Marilyn Pase, Tim Pettibone, John Ronnau, Tracy Sterling, Averett Tombes, Charles Townley, Santosh Venkatraman, Mike Wolf, Charles Wood (for Larryl Matthews), Walter Zachritz (for Rudi Schoenmackers)

1. Introductions

2. Approval of Minutes

Minutes of the meeting of April 26, 1996 were approved as circulated.

3. Report on the Research Roundtable Discussions

V.P. Tombes provided background information on the invitation that NMSU received to participate in the Roundtable discussions and comments were solicited on the draft (dated August 1996) which had been distributed prior to the meeting. A variety of concerns were expressed about the report including its length, the appropriateness of material about issues internal to NMSU, and the audience to which the document is addressed. It was agreed that a more recent version of the report (dated September 1996) would be distributed to the council members and that comments should be returned to Kathy Brook by October 9.

4. Statement on the Role of Research

Jack Burns distributed a statement which he had drafted concerning the role of research in a research university. The statement was written to express concerns about the limited support for research in terms of infrastructure (laboratories, library and computer facilities) and the lack of public understanding of the impact of research on the economic, social and environmental well-being of society. The discussion focused on modifications which could be made to strengthen the document, including a statement of the need to include representation of the research role in the strategic planning process. A motion (Ronnau/Malamud) to endorse in principle the statement titled “On the Role of Research in a Research University” was approved without objection.

5. Report of the Committee on Improving the Proposal Management Process (previously the Committee on Unproductive and Duplicative Efforts)

The report of the committee was discussed as were the recent modifications in procedures instituted by the Office of Sponsored Programs. A motion was made by Gary Cunningham to endorse the current procedures with such modifications as V.P. Tombes and Sponsored Programs may find appropriate and to review the procedure in a year. The motion was approved without objection.

6. The next URC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 24, at 3:30 p.m. in the New Library Associates Room.

7. Meeting adjourned at 4:45 p.m.

Minutes submitted by Mary Hickman, Bureau of Business Research and Services