Present:

Frank Abboud, Ed Folsom, Vicki Hesli, Richard Hichwa, Boyd Knosp, Johna Leddy, George Malanson, Tom Sharpe, Siddharth Singh, Linda Snetselaar and Sarah Vigmostad

Leddy called the meeting at 3:00 PM.

The Research Council reviewed and approved the minutes from the January 24, 2007 Research Council Meeting.

Membership and composition of Research Council

Michael Mackey updated the Research Council on the subcommittee report regarding the membership and composition of Research Council.   The charge to the subcommittee was to review the sections in the Operations Manual that prescribe the make up of the Research Council and to provide comment as to possible change both in the composition and organization of the Research Council.  The subcommittee met twice over the course of the last five months.

There were two recommendations to improve representation of Research Council:

1. Reorganize the Research Council to create a large represented advisory group that would be appointed based on academic discipline (focusing on interdisciplinary research) versus collegiate unit.  The advisory group would appoint an executive committee that would meet monthly with representatives from the Office of the Vice President for Research.  Each member of the advisory group would head a subgroup with research focus in an interdisciplinary area.
2. Increase the number of representatives and composition of the Research Council.   Specific recommendations include:
   • The creation of ad hoc positions (to help with subcommittee work), assigned by chair of the committee.
   • Adding four faculty members, two from clinical science and two from medical sciences
   • Eliminating the two at-large positions.
   • Add one undergraduate student to the council (possible involve the Honor's program in the selection process)
   • There were no changes in staff, emeritus or ex-officio representation.

There was discussion of recommendation #2 to decrease the representatives from the basic science in CLAS and College of Engineering.   Leddy will work with Michael Mackey to refine the recommendations and report back at the next meeting.

Conflict of Interest (COI) policy

Sharpe and Hichwa addressed issues that were brought up regarding the Conflict of Interest (COI) policy.  Leddy shared several concerns related to Conflict of Interest policies on campus.  Currently four different units manage conflicts related to time commitment, purchasing, employment, and research.   From a faculty perspective, the current process is time consuming and difficult to navigate. 

Hichwa and Sharpe outlined ways they are working to improve this process.  OVPR is working to improve the disclosure forms, provide more examples as templates, and to give faculty more guidance on how to fill out the form related to COI in research.  In addition, a new half time person has been hired to help manage the COI process. Sharpe outlined protocols that would provide appropriate guidance on conflicts related to economic development. No plans were outlined to develop an umbrella website that would guide faculty in how to deal more efficiently with the various types of COI that are overseen by different units of the University.

Policy on Research Data (RDP)​

Twila Reighley met with the Research Council to discuss a draft of the Policy on Research Data (RDP).  A RDP is needed to handle issues of grant compliance, ownership when researchers leave the University, and questions of research misconduct.  The draft policy focuses on issues relating to the ownership and management of research data.  A fourteen member committee was appointed by the Office of the Vice President for Research and reviewed several issues associated with ownership of date, the definition of the research data, who has access to the data, rights and responsibilities of the PI, how data is transferred and dispute resolution.  An email will be sent to the research council members to solicit comments about the draft before it is vetted through the constituent groups.

The meeting was adjourned at 4:25 pm.