Research Task Force Report
Western College of Veterinary Medicine
June 2015
www.usask.ca/wcvm
Veterinary Medical
Centre
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WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
WCVM Research Task
Force Report
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June 2015
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On!behalf!of!the!WCVM!Research!Task!Force,!this!Report!is!submitted!to!Dr.!Douglas!
Freeman,!Dean!of!the!Western!College!of!Veterinary!Medicine.!
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.
Dr.!Baljit!Singh!would!like!to!thank!each!of!the!Task!Force!members:!Dr.!James!Carmalt;!Dr.!
Susan!Detmer;!Dr.!Maud!Ferrari;!Dr.!Janet!Hill;!Dr.!Susantha!Gomis;!Dr.!Daniel!MacPhee;!Dr.!
Joe!Rubin;!Dr.!Lynne!Sandmeyer;!Dr.!Liz!Snead;!Dr.!Cheryl!Waldner.!The!content!of!the!
report!is!a!rendering!of!opinions,!ideas,!and!information!provided!to!the!task!force!by!
faculty!at!the!WCVM!and!by!the!task!force!members!themselves.!!The!views!expressed!
represent!a!consensus!summary!of!all!information!provided!to!the!members.!All!Task!Force!
members!have!reviewed!and!provided!feedback!on!its!content.!!
We!would!like!to!thank!Dean!Freeman!for!reaffirming!the!importance!of!the!research!
enterprise!at!the!WCVM!through!the!inception!of!the!Research!Task!Force!and!permitting!
complete!autonomy!in!its!machinations.!Lastly,!we!thank!Karen!Mosier,!Research!
Facilitator,!WCVM,!for!formatting!and!proof!reading!the!report.!!!!!!!
Additional)Copies:)
Copies!of!this!report!are!available!for!download!on!the!WCVM!website!at!
http://www.usask.ca/wcvm/research/index.php!or!contact:!
Karen!E.!Mosier,!Research!Facilitator!
Research!Office,!Rm!4014.4,!WCVM!
University!of!Saskatchewan!
52!Campus!Drive!Saskatoon!SK!S7N!5B4!
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WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
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WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE!SUMMARY!…………………………………………………………………………….…………………….4!
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Summary!of!task!force!findings!related!to!specific!outcomes…………………..……………...5!
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Recommendations!relating!to!task!force!objectives…………………………………………….…6!
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STATE!OF!THE!WCVM!RESEARCH!PROGRAM!……………………………………......……….……………….9!
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RESPONSE!TO!PREVIOUS!TASK!FORCE!RECOMMENDATIONS…………………………....…….…….11!
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1. Changing!the!research!culture!–!making!research!a!priority…………………….……..12!
2. Reduce!and!refine!bureaucratic!processes!associated!with!doing!research…......15!
3. Graduate!student!training!and!support……………………………………………………….…15!
4. Interdisciplinary!collaborations………………………………………………………………….…17!
5. Strategic!investments……………………………………………………………………………………18!
6. International!collaborations!and!international!students…………………………………18!
7. Metrics!of!research!activity…………………………………………………………………………...19!
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SURVEY!METHODS!AND!OTHER!INFORMATION!SOURCES………………….………………...……….20!
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COLLEGE!FUNDED!RESEARCH!SUPPORT!POSITIONS…………….…………………………………..…..22!
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Technical!support!for!research…………………………………………………………………….…….23!
Administrative!support!for!research……………………….………………………………………….24!
Other!research!support!personnel……………………………………………………………………..25!
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SPACE!AND!INFRASTRUCTURE……………….……………………………………………………………….…...26!
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STARTdUP!AND!RETENTION!PACKAGES!FOR!RESEARCHERS……………..…………………………..28!
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Summary!of!available!information!on!current!startdup!packages………………………….29!
Summary!of!issues!related!to!faculty!retention……………………………………………………30!
List!of!potential!options!to!improve!faculty!retention!and!engagement!of!middcareer!
and!senior!faculty!in!research………………………………………………………………………….....31!
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GRADUATE!STUDENT!AND!POSTDOC!RECRUITMENT!AND!SUPPORT………….………………...33!
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CONCLUSIONS!AND!SPECIFIC!RECOMMENDATIONS……………………………………………………...37!
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APPENDIX!1!
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APPENDIX!2!
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WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
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WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
The!research!task!force!was!composed!of!two!members!from!each!of!the!Departments!of!the!
WCVM.!The!mandate!of!the!research!task!force!was!to!address!the!research!enterprise!at!the!
WCVM.!!As!part!of!this!report,!the!task!force!reviewed!the!progress!made!on!recommendations!
in!the!2011!task!force!report!and!provided!an!update!on!the!state!of!the!WCVM!research!
program.!The!specific!objectives!of!the!current!research!task!force!were!to!advise!the!Dean!of!
the!WCVM!in!the!following!areas:!1)!Use!of!collegeGfunded!research!support!positions;!2)!Space!
allocation!and!infrastructure!investment!and!renewal;!3)!StartGup!and!retention!packages!for!
researchers;!4)!Graduate!programs;!and!5)!Use!of!crossGcampus!research!and!funding!initiatives!
including!programs,!research!chairs,!and!institutes.!Below!is!a!brief!summary!of!each!of!these!
specific!objectives.!!
1.#Summary#of#Task#Force#Findings#Related#to#Specific#Objectives#
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College#Funded#Research#Support#Positions#
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There!is!a!lack!of!clarity!and!understanding!about!the!number!of!collegeGsupported!positions!
and!the!roles!of!these!staff!in!research.!Investments!such!as!the!research!facilitator,!microscopy!
technician!and!the!clinical!translational!research!technician!do!not!appear!to!be!maximized.!
Major!obstacles!to!research!that!were!identified!include!a!lack!of!technical!support!for!
research,!particularly!among!clinical!faculty,!the!administrative!burden!of!research,!and!the!lack!
of!a!biostatistician.!!
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Space#and#Infrastructure#
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Major!areas!where!improvements!to!infrastructure!are!needed!include!animal!care!and!housing!
facilities!(the!Animal!Care!Unit,!Paddocks,!Goodale!Farm),!access!to!the!Veterinary!Medical!
Center!(VMC),!and!services!provided!by!Prairie!Diagnostic!Services!(PDS).!Maintenance!and!
replacement!of!heavily!used!common!equipment!is!essential.!Limited!working!and!laboratory!
space!for!current!and!prospective!graduate!students!is!also!a!concern!and!a!limiting!factor!in!
increasing!research!intensiveness!at!the!WCVM.!!
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StartCup#and#Retention#Packages#for#Researchers#
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The!startGup!packages!for!new!tenureGtrack!faculty!at!the!assistant!professor!level!are!
summarized!in!this!report.!!The!startGup!packages!for!faculty!at!or!above!the!associate!
professor!level!with!tenure!could!not!be!assessed!in!detail,!as!these!are!variable!as!they!are!
negotiated!as!part!of!the!employment!contract.!Some!issues!were!identified!in!relation!to!a!lack!
of!followGup!on!additional!commitments!made!to!faculty!as!part!of!hiring!agreements.!A!
potential!to!develop!start!up!packages!better!tailored!to!the!needs!of!clinical!faculty!exists.!
Faculty!retention!was!not!recognized!as!a!serious!problem!at!the!WCVM.!Rather,!maintaining!
engagement!of!faculty!in!research,!and!preventing!loss!of!research!momentum!requires!
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WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
evaluation,!particularly!as!more!senior!faculty!are!asked!to!take!on!increasing!teaching,!clinical,!
and!administrative!responsibilities.!
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Graduate#Programs#
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The!numbers!of!graduate!trainees!at!the!WCVM!have!been!stable.!The!major!obstacle!for!
increasing!graduate!student!numbers!is!financial!support;!the!cost!of!graduate!stipends!is!a!
significant!financial!burden!on!supervisors.!Lack!of!time!to!supervise!graduate!students!is!also!a!
factor.!!Recruitment!of!high!quality!trainees!at!all!levels!is!a!priority.!Outcomes!assessment!of!
graduate!students!should!be!developed!and!the!value!of!our!graduate!programs!in!career!
development!should!be!highlighted!and!advertised.!!A!systematic!review!of!the!graduate!
training!program!is!required!and!a!Graduate!Program!Review!will!take!place!in!2015/16,!which!
provides!an!excellent!opportunity!to!evaluate!our!programs.!!!
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Use#of#crossCcampus#research#and#funding#initiatives##
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Support!for!the!idea!of!chair!positions!in!the!college!is!limited.!High!profile!positions!such!as!
CRC!chairs!are!seen!as!a!threat!to!smaller!research!groups.!However,!there!may!be!an!
opportunity!for!development,!and!a!clearly!distinguished!local!chair!program!could!be!a!benefit!
in!retaining!senior!faculty!research!momentum!at!the!WCVM.!!
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2.#Recommendations#Relating#to#Task#Force#Objectives#
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Evaluate#and#invest#in#strategic#areas#of#research#support#
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Technical!support!for!research:!A!college!wide!inventory!of!research!support!positions,!job!
descriptions,!and!skill!sets!is!needed.!Investment!in!a!research!nurse!with!recognized!skills!in!
veterinary!medicine!to!assist!clinical!research!is!a!high!priority.!A!booking!or!application!system!
to!access!the!services!of!core!personnel!is!needed.!!It!is!important!to!retain!and!support!
technical!staff!doing!a!good!job.!!
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Administrative!support!for!research:!Further!investment!in!administrative!support!positions!
may!be!required.!The!capacity!of!current!staff!to!support!and!manage!the!administrative!
workload!of!grants,!including!addressing!newly!implemented!regulations!and!guidelines!must!
be!evaluated.!Clarification!of!the!role!of!the!current!research!facilitator!is!needed.!An!up!to!
date!research!resources!website!would!be!a!valuable!tool!to!facilitate!research!in!all!
departments.!!
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Other!research!support:!Access!to!a!biostatistician!is!an!essential!and!urgent!priority!of!the!
WCVM.!Various!models!to!support!this!position!should!be!evaluated.!The!impact!of!recent!
changes!to!the!WCVM!library,!particularly!in!relation!to!graduate!student!resources,!requires!
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WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
evaluation.!Opportunities!for!training!faculty!and!graduate!students!to!effectively!utilize!the!
services!of!the!library!should!be!developed!further.!
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Invest#in#development#and#maintenance#of#research#infrastructure#
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Research!facilities:!Assess!ability!to!increase!space!and!develop!infrastructure!at!the!ACU!in!
level!1!and!2!areas.!Invest!in!improvements!to!and!maintenance!of!the!facilities!at!the!WCVM!
and!Goodale!Farm.!Renovate!underutilized!or!inefficiently!used!space!for!new!laboratories!or!
graduate!student!offices.!
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Research8related!services:!Assess!the!potential!for!development!and!maintenance!of!research!
colonies!for!companion!animal!research.!Negotiate!with!the!VMC!and!PDS!for!improved!access!
and!reasonable!costs!associated!with!research.!!
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Increase#and#refine#access#to#financial#support#for#new#faculty#developing#research#programs##
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Financial!support!for!research:!Develop!startGup!packages!that!can!be!better!tailored!to!the!
needs!of!clinical!faculty.!Develop!a!means!to!access!bridge!funding!for!new!faculty!needing!
financial!support!once!startGup!funds!are!exhausted.!Develop!access!to!funding!for!generation!
of!pilot!data.!Help!find!increased!funding!for!graduate!students.!Assist!faculty!in!the!
development!of!individual!websites!to!increase!the!profile!of!their!research!and!increase!the!
potential!to!develop!collaborations.!!
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Focus#on#maintaining#support#for#and#increasing#engagement#of#established#faculty#in#
research#
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Engaging!faculty!in!research:!Evaluate!the!impact!of!departmental,!college,!and!university!
administrative!responsibilities!on!the!ability!to!engage!in!research.!Provide!a!means!by!which!
faculty!may!be!relieved!of!administrative!duties!to!engage!in!professional!development!and!
participate!in!new!research!opportunities.!Acknowledge!the!pressures!of!competing!priorities!
for!clinical!faculty!and!work!to!find!solutions!to!address!the!balance!of!
teaching/research/clinical!duties.!Make!provision!of!adequate!faculty!complement!in!the!
clinical!departments!a!priority!to!allow!faculty!adequate!relief!from!clinical!duties!to!engage!
and!develop!research.!Provide!opportunities!for!faculty!to!expand!skills!in!experimental!design!
analysis!and!grant!writing.!Review!the!administrative!requirements!of!research!operation!for!
opportunities!to!refine,!reorganize!and!reduce!the!workload!for!researchers.!!
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WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
Focus#on#recruitment#of#high#quality#graduate#students#and#increase#funding#for#graduate#
students##
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Graduate!student!recruitment:!Develop!outcomes!assessment!for!graduate!programs.!
Standardize!the!DVMGMSc!training!program.!Make!changes!to!the!WCVM!website!to!advertise!
our!graduate!training!opportunities!including!highlighting!the!value!of!graduate!training!in!
career!development.!!
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Graduate!student!stipends!and!scholarships:!Development!of!greater!financial!support!from!the!
college!for!academically!excellent!trainees.!Establish!a!process!to!identify!graduate!students!
that!are!appropriate!applicants!for!external!stipend!support!and!facilitate!application!for!this!
support.!Develop!a!process!to!assist!in!securing!funds!to!support!nonGCanadian!and!nonGDVM!
graduate!students.!Increase!funding!for!postdoctoral!fellows.!!
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STATE OF THE
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PROGRAM
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On!October!8,!2014,!the!Associate!Dean!of!Research,!Dr.!Baljit!Singh,!provided!an!update!on!the!
state!of!research!at!the!WCVM!to!faculty,!staff!and!members!of!the!Research!Task!Force.!The!
detailed!presentation!is!included!in!pdf!format!in!Appendix!1.!!
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Briefly,! the! WCVM! is! one! of! the! healthiest! and! strongest! veterinary! schools! in! Canada.!
ResearchGfunding!levels!at!the!College!are!the!highest!among!Canadian!Veterinary!Schools!with!
over!$13!million!in!funding!acquired!in!2013G14.!There!has!also!been!research!growth!through!
strategic!alignment!and!collaborations!such!as!with!the!creation!of!an!NSERC!CREATE!program!
in!Infectious!Diseases,!Food!Safety,!and!Public!Policy!and!the!completion!of!two!NSERCGfunded!
workshops! (Biomarker! Development! and! Frontiers! of! Hybrid! Medical! Imaging! Technology)! to!
promote!interGdisciplinary!collaborations.!!International!collaborations!have!also!been!fostered.!
For!example,!17!fully!funded!ELAP!students!participated!in!research!at!the!WCVM!from!2012G
2014! from! Sao! Paulo! State! University! and! the! University! of! Sao! Paulo.! Faculty! and! student!
exchanges!have!occurred,!such!as!through!the!One!Health!Network!with!the!Free!University!of!
Berlin.! New! and! existing! faculty! also! have! additional! core! research! support! available! with! a!
Research!Facilitator!and!two!core!technicians!in!microscopy!and!clinical!–translational!research,!
respectively.! This! coincides! with! continued! additions! to! core! research! facilities! such! as! the!
imaging! facility! with! two! new! electron! microscopes,! an! ultrasound! bioGmicroscope! and! timeG
lapse!live!cell!microscope!systems!that!are!now!operational!and!available!for!use.!
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For!the!production!of!this!report,!the!mandate!of!the!Task!Force!was!to!address!what!additional!
updates,! changes! and! novel! ideas! need! to! be! considered! to! improve! the! research! enterprise!
and! ultimately! the! success! of! the! WCVM.! This! mandate! is! particularly! important! with! a! tight!
budget! environment! for! the! College! and! the! University! as! a! whole.! The! discussions! and!
considerations! reflected! in! this! report! are! focused! on! research! activities.! Evaluation! of! other!
important! activities! at! the! WCVM! (i.e.,! teaching,! clinical! service,! and! administration)! was!
beyond! the! scope! of! the! Research! Task! Force! and! was! not! addressed.! We! fully! recognize! the!
importance! of! other! mandates! within! the! College,! and! acknowledge! that! priorities! will! be!
different! among! the! Departments! of! the! WCVM.! We! emphasize! at! the! outset! that! the!
comments!and!recommendations!herein!are!intended!to!foster!the!research!enterprise,!and!in!
no!way!minimize!the!importance!of!other!scholarly!activities.!
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RESPONSE TO
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PREVIOUS
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RECOMMENDATIONS
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WCVM Research Task Force Report – April
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Below!are!the!headings!under!which!the!major!recommendations!made!by!the!2011!!
Research!Task!Force!were!summarized.!!For!each!of!these!headings!there!is!a!summary!!
of!the!progress!that!has!been!made!since!2011.!!
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1. Changing!the!research!culture!G!making!research!a!priority!!
2. Reduce!and!refine!bureaucratic!processes!associated!with!doing!research!!
3. Graduate!student!training!and!support!!
4. Interdisciplinary!collaborations!
5. Strategic!investments!!
6. International!collaborations!and!international!students!
7. Annual!metrics!of!research!activity!!
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1.#Changing#the#research#culture#C#making#research#a#priority##
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The!2011!report!stated!that!the!most!influential!factor!for!enabling!the!research!enterprise!at!
the!WCVM!is!to!reaffirm!our!commitment!to!the!value!and!pursuit!of!research,!particularly!at!
the!Executive!level.!!With!such!a!culture!shift!or!change!in!priority!given!to!research!it!was!
hoped!that!this!would!directly!influence!the!lack!of!time!and!energy!for!research!activities,!
especially!within!the!clinical!departments!where!research!takes!a!back!seat!to!meeting!the!dayG
toGday!demands!of!teaching!and!service.!!!
a. New!faculty!recruitment!should!emphasize!identifying!individuals!who!are!"research!
oriented!and!capable",!expectations!of!research!activity!must!be!made!clear!to!new!faculty!
(with!appropriate!changes!to!standards).!!The!specific!goals!outlined!were:!
• Give!preference!to!hiring!faculty!with!a!PhD!even!with!the!clinical!departments
LACS!–!some!new!faculty!have!a!PhD!(Drs.!Montgomery,!Fabienne!
Uehlinger);!SACS!G!new!hires!do!not!have!necessarily!have!a!graduate!!
degree!beyond!their!specialty!diplomate!status!(Drs.!Cathcart,!Sakals)!G!
some!have!an!MVetSc!(Drs.!Gaunt,!Sathya);!Vet!Path!G!the!recent!hires!all!
have!PhDs!(Drs.!AlGDissi,!Detmer,!Wobeser).!
• Increasing!the!proportion!of!new!hires!under!Category!4!rather!than!5!!
This!is!not!currently!the!case,!but!this!plan!may!not!be!realistic!in!LACS!and!
SACS.!One!recent!hire!that!does!some!clinical!teaching!in!Veterinary!
Pathology!was!under!category!4!not!5!(Dr.!Detmer).!
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• Increasing!the!tenure!expectations!for!research!under!category!5!(at!the!assistant!
Professor!Level!currently!only!one!publication!is!required).!
No!changes!to!date,!but!this!could!be!dictated!by!the!WCVM!Standards!for!
Tenure!and!Promotion.!!
b. A!mentorship!program!for!existing!faculty!is!in!place.!The!specific!goals!outlined!were:!
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• Formalize!and!make!the!current!program!more!effective!
• Allow!or!encourage!a!6Gmonth!paid!period!for!new!faculty!to!work!with!a!mentor!so!
that!they!become!ensconced!in!a!research!framework!
• Recognize!challenges!that!faculty!encounter!while!establishing!a!research!program!in!
terms!of!merit,!tenure!and!promotion!evaluations!and!through!the!provision!of!
institutional!support!in!the!form!of!startGup!funds!and!provision!of!appropriate!
technical!support.!
Progress#on#these#specific#goals#since#2011:#
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1. Startup!fund!packages!for!people!hired!under!category!4!have!been!increased!to!help!
support!new!faculty!with!the!development!of!their!research!program.!!!
These!funds!have!the!potential!to!include:!
• Research!grants!for!preliminary!experiments:!$25000!
• Equipment!Grant:!$30,000!plus!up!to!$300,000!match!for!CFI!grants!
• Student!support!totals!up!to!$150,000!!
• Shared!lab!space!and!equipment!in!Research!Wing!
• Research!Mentorship!committee!support!for!junior!faculty!!
• Total:!of!up!to!~$500,000!plus!funds!from!the!Provost’s!Office
2. Research!Mentorship!Program:!there!is!a!more!formal!mentorship!program!for!new!
faculty.!!The!Associate!Dean!of!Research!currently!also!meets!with!all!new!faculty!in!
the!first!few!years!of!their!appointment!annually!to!review!their!research!goals!and!
plans.!A!formal!mentorship!program!exists.!!!
3. Junior!Faculty!are!also!given!preference!for!CAHF!and!EHRF!funding!provided!their!
grants!are!competitive.!
c. Recruitment!System:!the!U!of!S!with!all!its!recent!investment!in!research!related!
infrastructure/facilities!is!well!positioned!to!allow!us!to!competitively!recruit!the!best!
scientists!in!the!world.!!A!specific!goal!of!the!last!report!was!to!develop!an!aggressive!
recruitment!plan.!
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WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
Progress#on#this#specific#goal#since#2011:#
1. Better!startup!package!(see!above)!and!very!successfully!group!hiring!in!VBMS!with!
advertising!in!very!high!profile!journals!such!as!Nature,!Science.!!This!was!very!
successful!for!hiring!new!energetic!faculty!for!the!basic!sciences!department.!!
d. Research!leadership!–!in!the!last!report!it!was!recognized!that!there!was!a!clear!disconnect!
between!the!priorities!of!the!U!of!S!and!the!activities/decisions!at!the!department!level.!!
Specific!goals!included:!!
!
• Department!heads!need!to!make!research!a!priority,!and!that!this!needs!to!be!
supported!by!the!Executive.!!!
• Department!Heads!were!encouraged!to!set!goals!for!their!research!enterprise!and!to!
have!the!ability!to!provide!incentives!to!their!faculty!that!are!actively!engaged!in!
research!and!have!annual!retreats!to!discuss!progress,!initiatives!and!strategies.!!!
• The!Associate!Dean!of!Research!(ADR)!actively!promotes!the!value!of!research!in!the!
halls!of!provincial!and!federal!governments.!!!
• Enlisting!the!guidance!and!input!from!research!leaders!within!the!WCVM!in!matters!of!
policy,!process!and!strategic!direction!was!also!recommended.!
Progress#on#these#specific#goals#since#2011:#
#
1.
Creation!of!a!$375,000!ADF!grant!for!undergraduate!research!in!food!&!large!animals.!
2. The!ADR!regularly!meets!with!funding!agencies!in!the!provinces!of!SK!and!AB!and!is!
actively!promoting!interdisciplinary!research!projects!to!grow!the!research!agenda.!!!
3. The!ADR!meets!with!graduate!chairs!on!a!regular!basis!to!discuss!improvement!in!the!
overall!graduate!student!program.!
4. The!ADR!meets!with!all!the!departments!yearly!to!provide!updates!from!the!
Associate!Dean!of!Research!office.!
5. Through!consultation!with!the!Faculty!the!ADR!identified!5!International!Universities!for!
focused!international!collaboration.!!!
e. Research!information!sessions!for!faculty.!!Specific!goals!identified!were:!
• To!promote!a!Veterinary!Science!Series!to!raise!awareness!around!research!activities!
within!the!WCVM!and!to!provide!information!about!research!opportunities!and!
processes!(granting!agencies,!NSERC!and!CIHR!opportunities,!etc.),!
!
14!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
• To!provide!information!to!faculty!on!the!range!of!existing!research!facilities!and!
equipment.!!!
• To!provide!advice!and!venues!for!interactions!between!research!scientists!in!the!form!
of!informal!“Research!Coffees”.!!!
!
!
Progress#on#these#specific#goals#since#2011:###
1. Please!see!the!above!points!as!many!are!applicable!here.!
#
____________________________________________________________________________#
2. Reduce#and#Refine#Bureaucratic#Processes#Associated#With#Doing#Research#
#
A!commonly!identified!barrier!to!research!among!faculty!was!coping!with!the!everGincreasing!
red!tape!associated!with!such!endeavors.!!Specifically!the!increasing!paperwork!and!complexity!
related!to!satisfying!the!requirements!of!the!new!Research!Ethics,!Animal!Care!and!Use!
Committee,!and!Biosafety.!!In!addition!the!increasing!workload!associated!with!new!
responsibilities!on!faculty!for!accounting!and!financial!management!associated!with!grants!was!
identified.!!Specific!goals!that!were!identified!by!the!2011!task!force!to!help!combat!this!
problem!included:!
a. Ensure!support!for!dealing!with!administrative/procedural!hurdles!that!cannot!be!avoided!
(animal!use,!safety,!financial!reporting).!
b. Encourage!participation!of!WCVM!faculty!on!decisionGmaking!bodies!both!at!the!U!of!S!and!
beyond!(BPAC,!AREB,!UCACS,!CCAC,!etc.).!
c. Review!the!necessity/effectiveness!of!numerous!Animal!Training!Courses!for!licensed!
veterinarians.!
!
Progress#on#these#specific#goals#since#2011:#
#
1. The!office!of!the!ADR!hired!two!new!financial!officers!at!the!College!level!to!provide!
support!to!researchers!in!management!of!their!research!accounts.!It!appears!this!
initiative!has!been!helpful.!
2. The!College!recruited!a!research!facilitator!to!support!research!endeavors.!!The!role!of!
this!individual!is!to!help!identify!sources!of!funding,!to!help!connect!potential!
collaborators!and!to!review!grants!prior!to!submission!to!external!granting!agencies.!!
3. The!ADR!has!had!discussions!with!the!VP!of!Research!and!the!Chair!of!the!Animal!Care!
Committee!when!specific!issues!have!been!raised.!!More!progress!is!needed!here!and!
strong!recommendations!from!the!task!force!will!be!helpful!here.!!!!
3. Graduate#student#training#and#support#
#
!
15!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
In!recognition!that!graduate!student!training!is!a!vital!and!important!driver!of!the!research!
enterprise,!and!that!graduate!students!tend!to!seek!out!active!and!well!publicized!research!
programs,!the!following!specific!goals!were!made:!
a. Increase!graduate!student!support!–!specifically!the!minimum!stipends!for!both!Master’s!
and!PhD!students!should!be!increased!to!keep!pace!with!the!cost!of!living!so!that!attaining!a!
graduate!degree!is!possible!
b. Establishing!an!overarching!set!of!goals!for!research!training!among!departments!and!
programs!
c. Harmonization!of!graduate!programs!G!standards!for!degrees,!credit!unit!requirements.!!This!
will!reduce!the!wide!variation!in!terms!of!expectations!for!obtaining!a!graduate!degree!
within!the!different!disciplines!within!SACS!and!ensure!that!the!course!credit!requirements!
for!a!Master’s!and!PhD!degree!are!consistent!between!the!various!WCVM!departments.!
d. More!investment!in!internal!funding!programs!!
e. Review!the!effectiveness!of!a!courseGbased!MVetSc!program!in!providing!research!training!
and!critically!evaluate!the!quality!of!the!research!training!experience!within!the!combined!
Master’s!VetSc/Clinical!residency!training!programs.!!Specifically!it!was!suggested!that!the!
objectives!of!the!research!training!component!of!this!combined!program!be!defined!so!that!
clinical!training!does!not!happen!at!the!expense!of!the!research!training!portion!of!this!
degree.!!!
f. Initiate!joint!DVM/MSc/PhD!program,!PhD/Residency!program.!!These!are!becoming!more!
popular!at!other!NA!Veterinary!Colleges.!!!
g. Improve!the!existing!Website!to!promote!awareness!among!faculty!and!students!about!the!
availability!of!sources!of!graduate!student!support.!
h. Establish!a!systematic!graduate!student!recruitment!plan!using!a!Website!as!the!primary!
portal!for!providing!information!on!available!opportunities.!!Composing!promotional!
materials!for!each!research!group!or!department!to!include!on!this!website!was!suggested.!!
Establishing!a!WCVM!Research!Directory!for!faculty!and!Students!was!recommended.!
!
!
Progress#on#these#specific#goals#since#2011#
.
1. A!NSERC8CREATE!program!in!Infectious!Diseases,!Food!Safety!and!Public!Policy!has!been!
established.!
2. CREATE!courses!are!now!core!courses!for!the!One!Health!Graduate!Certificate.!
3. Major!increase!in!postGdoctoral!fellows:!From!6!(2011/12)!to!10!(2014/15).!!
4. Continued!Merial!Funding!support!since!2004!for!undergraduate!research!support.!
5. 4!DVMGMSc!student!positions!created!–!one!completed.!
6. More!money!(~33%!increase!per!year)!is!now!allocated!to!our!graduate!enhancement!
fund!compared!to!2011!(i.e.,!except!for!2014!when!allocations!were!equal!to!2011).!
!
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WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
7. Equine!surgery!has!eliminated!the!MVetSc!degree!in!favor!of!an!MSc!degree.!
8. ELAP!students!from!Central!and!South!America!have!been!recruited!and!this!will!hopefully!
lead!to!recruitment!of!some!of!these!students!as!future!graduate!students.!!
_____________________________________________________________________________#
4..Interdisciplinary#Collaborations!
!
The!WCVM!is!recognized!as!being!uniquely!positioned!to!play!an!active!role!in!research!in!a!
minimum!of!three!of!the!six!signatures!areas!of!research!identified!by!the!U!of!S,!which!include:!
• Aboriginal!Peoples!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!•!!Agriculture!
• Energy!and!Mineral!Resources!
!!!!!!!!•!!OneGHealth!
• Synchrotron!Sciences!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!•!!Water!Security!
Currently!this!activity!takes!place!in!many!forms!of!collaboration!and!some!specific!goals!were!
identified!to!allow!the!WCVM!to!continue!to!capitalize!on!this!opportunity!to!build!on!our!
research!strengths!in!these!and!other!areas.!Specific!goals!that!were!made!included:!
a. Increase/Encourage!interdisciplinary!collaboration!with!other!Colleges/Divisions!
b. Increase/Encourage!inGhouse!collaboration,!particularly!between!clinical!and!science!
researchers!
c. Establish!a!funding!program!to!support!students!enrolled!in!a!combined!residency/graduate!
degree!program!with!the!stipulation!that!the!student!is!coGsupervised!by!a!clinician!and!a!
basic!scientist!(NSERC!Collaborative!Research!and!Training!Experience!program!–!CREATE).!
!
!
Progress#on#these#specific#goals#since#2011:#
.
.
1. One!Health!–!established!an!NSERCGCREATE!program!in!Infectious!Diseases,!Food!Safety!
and!Public!Policy.!
2. CREATE!courses!are!now!core!courses!for!the!One!Health!Graduate!Certificate.!
3. One!Health!Network!application!to!the!Networks!of!Centres!of!Excellence!!
10!final!applications!out!of!82!Letters!of!Intent.!
4. Organized!three!NSERCGfunded!industry!engagement!dinners!i.e.,!Food!Safety,!One!
Health,!Biomarker!Development.!!
5. Two!major!NSERCGfunded!workshops!to!develop!interGdisciplinary!collaborations!(i.e.,!
Frontiers!of!Hybrid!Medical!Imaging!Technology,!Biomarker!Development).!
6. Fedoruk!Canadian!Centre!for!Nuclear!Innovation!Grant!(~$400,000).!!
7. SHRFG!Phase!I!grant!(Infectious!Diseases,!E!Jenkins)!$30,000;!Phase!I!grant!(One!Health!
Imaging,!B!Singh)!$30,000;!SHRFGPhase!II!grant!(Prostate!Cancer,!M!Buhr!–coG!applicants!J!
Montgomery,!L!Snead,!J!Singh)!~$500,000!,!SHRFGPhase!II!Grant!(Safe!Water,!C!Waldner!&!
L!Bharadwaj~$300,000).!!
!
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WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
8. Nuclear!imaging!infrastructure!grant!to!CFI!(~$10!million)!–!submitted.!
!
9. Synchrotron!imaging!grant!to!CFI!(~$10!million)!–!submitted.!
10.!Molecular!Imaging!proposal!to!Fedoruk!Canadian!Centre!for!Nuclear!Innovation!
!!!!!100%!research!faculty!position!in!imaging!for!WCVM!–!Successful!–!a!fully!funded!!!!!
Imaging!position!for!SACS!for!5!yrs!is!funded.!
11.!Molecular!Imaging!UnderGdevelopment:!new!PDF!program!for!WCVM!in!collaboration!
with!Health!Sciences!–!new!PhD!scholarships.!!!
!!!!12.!Additional!sources!of!graduate!student!stipend!funding!have!been!provided!at!the!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!department!level.!
.
5.#Strategic#investments!!
!
Within!this!area,!the!specific!goals!identified!were:!
a. To!promote!the!availability!of!facilities!and!support!personnel!for!research!activities!within!
the!VMC!to!help!clinical!faculty!conduct!research.!
b. Create!Research!Associates!in!the!Signature!Areas!of!Research!to!promote!continuity!of!
research!and!to!help!initiate!and!write!research!grants.!
c. Provide!collegeGbased!technical!support!in!both!core!and!individual!research!labs.!
d. Recruit!a!collegeGbased!biostatistician!to!provide!help!with!respect!to!experimental!design,!
power!calculations!and!data!analysis.!!This!was!viewed!as!a!high!priority.!
e. Recruit!a!college!Based!Research!Facilitator.!
f. Emulate!success!and!promote!success.!
g. Growing!or!more!fully!exploiting!potential!sources!of!funding.!!
!
Progress#on#these#specific#goals#since#2011:#
.
1. Research!Facilitator!hired!in!2011!to!provide!support!with!funding!opportunities.!
2. Core!technician!recruited!in!2012!for!microscopy!support.!With!resignation!last!fall!this!
technician!spot!is!being!reGfilled.!
3. Core!technician!recruited!in!2014!for!support!to!clinicalGtranslational!research.!!!
4. Two!technicians!working!with!Agriculture!and!AgriGFood!Canada!scientists.!
6..International#collaborations#and#international#students##
#
The!specific!goals!identified!included:!
!
!
18!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
a. Create!an!environment!in!which!faculty!members!involved!in!international!research!activities!
are!given!appropriate!support!and!recognition.!
b. Strengthen!support!systems!to!increase!faculty!awareness!of!international!opportunities!and!
to!encourage!them!to!participate!in!international!research.
c. Encourage!increased!international!training!and!research!for!graduate!students!whenever!
appropriate!or!possible.!
!
Progress#on#these#specific#goals#since#2011:#
.
1. Strategic!examination!by!a!committee!and!identification!of!five!universities.!
2. Multifaceted!and!deep!collaborations!with!several!universities!worldwide!have!been!
established!including!Free!University,!Berlin!Germany;!Makerere!University,!Uganda;!Sao!
Paulo!State!University!and!University!of!Sao!Paulo,!Brazil;!and!the!University!of!
Melbourne,!Australia.!!!
3. Formalized!international!undergraduate!experience!(e.g.,!VWB!or!Global!Vets).!
#
#
7.#Metrics#of#research#activity###
!
Specific!goals!identified!included!the!following:!
!
a.!Development!of!a!standardized!Report!of!Research!Activity!–!this!would!allow!research!
activity!to!better!tracked!from!year!to!year!and!allow!meaningful!comparisons!to!other!
veterinary!colleges.!!Creating!electronic!CV!updates!to!gather!information!for!a!database!on!
research!activities!was!proposed.!
b.!Take!advantage!of!the!opportunity!to!shape!institutional!reporting!capabilities.!
!
Progress#on#these#specific#goals#since#2011:#
.
1. The!number!of!graduate!and!undergraduate!students!within!the!college,!extramural!
funding!and!number!of!publications!from!each!department!are!tracked.!!!
2. Faculty!specific!data!is!being!gathered!–!their!funding,!graduate!student!and!
undergraduate!students,!conference!presentations!and!impact!factors!of!individual!
publications.!!!
3. These!metrics!allow!us!to!compare!our!success!to!that!of!other!comparable!institutions.!
!
!
19!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
SURVEY
METHODS
AND OTHER
INFORMATION
SOURCES
!
!
!
20!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
The!survey!was!conducted!electronically!using!the!Fluid!Survey!tool!available!to!us!through!
Information!and!Communications!Technology!(http://www.usask.ca/ict/index.php).!The!entire!
list!of!survey!questions!can!be!found!in!Appendix!2.!!The!survey!invitation!was!delivered!to!
individual!faculty!eGmail!addresses,!which!were!obtained!manually!from!the!onGline!faculty!
directory!(http://www.usask.ca/wcvm/wcvm_people/index.php).!Two!rounds!of!reminder!eG
mails!were!then!sent!over!an!approximately!10Gday!period!to!those!individuals!who!were!
invited!but!had!not!completed!the!survey.!
!
Overall,!data!for!the!completion!of!this!report!was!gathered!from!a!meeting!of!the!committee!
with!Dr.!Baljit!Singh,!Associate!Dean!of!Research,!WCVM,!and!the!following!sources:!
!
!
Sources#
Contact#Person#or#Office#
Fluid!Survey!Tool!
ICT!Services!and!Support,!
http://www.usask.ca/ict/index.php!
Research!Office,!WCVM!
Ms.!Elise!PainchaudGRattai,!WCVM!
uView!
Information!and!Communications!
Technology!(ICT),!Reporting!and!Data!
Services,!http://www.usask.ca/isa/!
WCVM!Research!Task!Force!Report!2011!
Office!of!the!Associate!Dean!Research,!
WCVM,!University!of!Saskatchewan.!
!
!
!
!
!!!Figure!1:!Survey!Participation!by!Department!
!
Figure!2:!Survey!Participation!by!Career!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Stage,!Tenure!Status!and!Appointment!Type!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
21!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
!
!
!
!
!
!
COLLEGE
FUNDED
RESEARCH
SUPPORT
POSITIONS
!
!
#
!
22!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
#
_____________________________________________________________________________#
#
Technical#Support#for#Research#
#
At!the!WCVM!there!are!a!number!of!college!funded!research!support!positions!whose!
mandate,!and!scope!of!practice!varies.!Staff!filling!these!positions!are!reportable!to!individual!
faculty!members,!departments!or!college!level!administration.!Across!the!college!it!was!clear!
from!the!results!of!the!survey!there!is!a!lack!of!clarity!and!understanding!about!the!number!of!
college!supported!positions!and!the!role!that!those!staff!play!in!research.!Among!a!substantial!
proportion!of!the!faculty!there!seems!to!be!the!perception!that!the!distribution!of!college!
funded!technical!support!is!not!equitable.!!
!
Recent!investments!have!been!made!into!technical!support!accessible!to!the!entire!WCVM!!
community!including!a!position!in!the!microscopy!unit![2012]!that!is!currently!being!reGfilled!
and!a!“clinical!translation!technician”!(2014).!Unfortunately!the!impact!of!these!!!
new!investments!does!not!appear!to!have!been!maximized!for!a!number!of!reasons.!For!the!
microscopy!technician,!although!this!is!a!college!resource,!it!is!regularly!used!by!a!relatively!
small!segment!of!the!WCVM!research!community.!According!to!the!task!force!survey,!only!4%!
of!faculty!have!utilized!this!facility!in!the!previous!year!and!73%!have!never!used!it.!It!is!
important!to!point!out,!however,!that!it!was!not!fully!operational!and!additional!equipment!has!
since!been!installed!to!replace!old!infrastructure.!In!the!Department!of!Veterinary!Pathology,!
the!microscopes!were!utilized!by!31%!of!respondents!and!56%!had!never!used!the!equipment.!
With!respect!to!the!clinical!translational!research!technician,!the!job!description!for!this!
position!is!unclear.!There!is!no!clear!scope!of!competencies!(what!does!this!person!know!how!
to!do,!and!what!training!expectations!are!reasonable?),!active!supervisory!support!is!not!
present,!and!there!is!no!formal!system!to!request!the!services!of!this!person!nor!a!mechanism!
to!determine!whether!the!proposed!project!is!a!good!use!of!his!time.!!
!
Results!of!the!survey!indicate!that!additional!funding!of!technical!support!is!a!high!or!moderate!
priority!for!~80%!of!respondents!and!that!a!lack!of!technical!support!was!listed!as!a!major!or!
moderate!obstacle!to!research!for!~67%!of!respondents.!This!need!is!reported!to!be!particularly!
acute!among!category!5!faculty.!The!breadth!of!research!activities!in!the!college!is!tremendous!
and!many!existing!staff!have!highly!specialized!skills;!thus,!oneGsizeGfits!all!approaches!are!
therefore!unlikely!to!be!successful.!Two!major!themes!in!the!desire!for!technical!support!were!
evident!from!the!survey:!first,!a!desire!for!'more!technical!support'!without!specific!direction!
was!frequently!expressed.!Second,!technical!support!with!specialized!clinical!skills!(a!research!
nurse!model!employing!a!registered!veterinary!technician)!was!also!a!clear!priority!of!the!
faculty.!!
!
Among!clinical!faculty,!frustration!was!expressed!about!VMC!administration!as!a!substantial!
obstacle!to!research.!Highly!skilled!clinical!technicians!employed!by!the!VMC!are!not!allowed!to!
help!with!research!during!their!workday!because!this!is!not!part!of!their!prescribed!clinical!
!
23!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
duties.!A!research!nurse!was!therefore!identified!as!an!important!investment!priority!by!clinical!
and!nonGclinical!faculty.!This!position!would!be!responsible!for!helping!with!clinical!research!
(for!example!performing!medical!procedures!and!caring!for!animals!in!studies!with!advanced!
requirements!such!as!maintaining!chest!tubes),!evaluating!incoming!clinical!cases!to!identify!
patients!who!may!be!candidates!for!any!ongoing!research!and!obtaining!consent!from!owners!
for!participation!and!collection!of!clinical!samples!(swabs,!blood!etc.).!In!the!future!this!person!
may!have!a!role!in!the!management!of!a!dog/cat!colony,!which!was!identified!as!an!important!
priority!for!increasing!clinical!research.!!!
!
One!clinical!faculty!member!suggested!that!a!user!pay!system!of!funding!a!clinical!technician!
may!be!an!option.!Under!this!model,!the!technician's!salary!would!presumably!be!paid!by!the!
college!and!partially!recovered!on!a!fee!for!service!type!basis!at!a!subsidized!rate.!This!model!
would!allow!clinical!faculty!who!may!require!technical!support!to!employ!skilled!labour,!
without!the!requirement!of!a!long!term!or!full!time!commitment!which!is!cost!prohibitive.!
!
Recommendations:#
.
1. INVEST#C#A!research!nurse!with!recognized!clinical!skills!in!veterinary!medicine,!such!as!a!
registered!veterinary!technician,!is!a!high!priority!for!investment.!!
2. MAINTAIN#C#Retain!and!support!those!technical!staff!who!are!doing!a!good!job.!
3. ASSESS#C#A!college!wide!inventory!of!positions,!job!descriptions!and!skill!sets!will!help!us!to!
establish!"where!we!are"!so!that!resources!may!be!targeted!towards!the!most!urgent!
gaps.!
4. INVEST#C#Develop!a!booking!or!application!system!to!access!the!services!of!core!personnel.!
.
Administrative#Support#for#Research#
!
At!the!WCVM!there!are!a!number!of!college!and!departmentally!funded!administrative!support!
positions!that!enable!and!enhance!research!activities.!In!the!survey,!the!increasing!
administrative!burden!of!research!was!frequently!identified!as!an!obstacle.!Additional!
administrative!support!for!fund!management!was!listed!as!a!high!or!moderate!priority!for!
investment!by!55%!of!respondents!and!financial!management!was!reported!as!a!major!or!
moderate!obstacle!by!69%!of!survey!respondents.!
!
Research!facilitation!and!help!with!grant!writing!was!raised!by!a!number!of!survey!respondents.!
Within!this!area!there!were!two!main!themes;!first,!infrequent!utilization!and!a!lack!of!
satisfaction!with!current!research!facilitation!activities.!Second,!was!the!lack!of!access!or!lack!of!
college!level!support!for!professional!grant!writers.!
!
!
24!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
Since!2011!the!college!has!invested!in!a!research!facilitator.!A!number!of!respondents!
commented!that!the!current!facilitator!is!not!working,!citing!the!failure!to!provide!accurate!and!
helpful!information.!More!generally,!these!opinions!were!perhaps!reflected!by!the!high!
proportion!of!respondents!(48%)!identifying!a!research!facilitator!as!a!low!priorityGor!not!a!
priority!for!investment.!
!
Recommendations:#
.
1.#ASSESS#C#Capacity!of!staff!to!support!and!manage!the!administrative!workload!of!grants!
currently,!particularly!since!new!regulations!and!guidelines!are!being!implemented!(e.g.!TriG
Agency!Funding)!and!how!to!best!address!these!additional!requirements!and!whether!further!
investment!is!required.#
2.#ASSESS!G!The!activities!of!the!current!research!facilitator,!attributable!research!outcomes!
(successful!grants!as!an!example)!and!identify!whether!or!not!research!facilitation!is!a!worthy!
priority!or!if!monies!should!be!reallocated.!!
.
.
Other#Research#Support#Personnel#
.
Other!research!support!personnel!that!were!identified!as!either!present!or!aspirational!
included!a!biostatistician!consultant!and!the!WCVM!library!(and!presumably!the!staff).!
!
From!the!survey,!it!is!clear!that!WCVM!faculty!feel!that!having!a!staff!biostatistics!consultant!is!
an!urgent!priority.!68%!of!survey!respondents!listed!a!biostatistician!as!a!high!or!moderate!
priority!for!investment.!The!presence!of!a!biostatistician!would!likely!have!broad!demand,!
addressing!an!important!knowledge!gap!experienced!by!researchers!across!the!college.!Funding!
for!this!position!could!include!a!number!of!models!from!fully!college!supported!to!college!
supported!with!a!fee!for!service!costGrecovery!component.!See!the!appended!example!of!a!job!
description!for!a!staff!biostatistician!from!the!BC!Women's!Hospital.!
!
The!impact!of!recent!changes!to!the!library!on!the!WCVM!research!enterprise!is!ill!defined.!
Among!survey!respondents,!57%!reported!using!the!library!in!the!previous!year!while!20%!
reported!that!they!never!use!the!library.!Have!changes!at!the!library!affected!the!availability!of!
resources!for!graduate!students!such!as!courses!on!effectively!utilizing!search!engines!to!find!
papers!or!citation!management!software?!
!
Recommendations:#
.
1.#INVEST#–#A!staff!biostatistician.!!
2.#ASSESS!–!Impact!of!recent!changes!to!the!WCVM!library!to!college!level!research.!!!
!
25!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
.
!
!
SPACE
AND
INFRASTRUCTURE
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
#
#
!
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WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________#
#
Space#!!
!
No!new!office!space!is!available!for!prospective!graduate!students!in!many!departments.!
This!will!be!a!limiting!factor!in!increasing!research!intensiveness!at!WCVM.!The!College!needs!to!
renovate!some!underutilized!or!inefficiently!used!space!for!graduate!student!space!or!new!
laboratory!space.!!!!!
!
_____________________________________________________________________________#
!
Infrastructure#
!
The!following!areas!were!highlighted!by!many!faculty!members!as!major!infrastructure!needed!
to!improve!research!intensity!at!the!WCVM.!!
!
• Insufficient!availability!of!space!at!the!Animal!Care!Unit!(ACU)!was!recognized!by!at!
least!half!a!dozen!faculty!members.!Space!availability!was!not!adequate!in!both!Level!1!
and!Level!2!areas.!Unavailability!of!infrastructure!such!as!a!wastewater!effluent!system!
at!the!ACU!was!noted.!Inadequate!facility!at!the!paddocks!for!large!animal!clinical!
research!was!also!identified.!!!!!
!!
• A!majority!of!researchers!use!PDS!and!it!was!recognized!as!the!major!resource!for!
research!projects.!Excessive!cost!associated!with!services!provided!by!the!PDS!was!
recognized!as!a!major!obstacle!for!research!activities!at!WCVM.!!!!!
!!
• Inadequate!maintenance!of!infrastructure!at!the!Goodale!farm!was!recognized!by!
many!researchers.!!!!
!!
• Lack!of!support!and!limited!accessibility!to!VMC!was!recognized!by!many!researchers!
especially!researchers!conducting!clinical!research.!!!
!!
• Unavailability!and!high!cost!associated!with!research!dogs!and!cats!were!highlighted!by!
many!researchers!as!a!barrier!in!companion!animal!research.!!!!
!!
• Many!researchers!have!highlighted!that!heavily!used!common!equipment!is!needed!to!
be!maintained!and!replaced!on!regular!basis!to!maintain!research!demand.!!!!
!
!!
!
!
!
27!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
START-UP AND
RETENTION
PACKAGES
FOR
RESEARCHERS
#
#
#
!
28!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
#
_____________________________________________________________________________#
!
Summary#of#available#information#on#current#startCup#packages#
#
#
The!startGup!packages!for!faculty!at!or!above!the!associate!professor!level!with!tenure!are!
negotiated!as!part!of!the!employment!contract,!and!are!quite!variable!based!on!the!faculty!
member.!!The!lack!of!transparency!around!this!process!is!an!issue!of!concern!for!some.!!!
!
The!startGup!packages!for!new!tenureGtrack!faculty!at!the!assistant!professor!level!include:!!!
• $30,000!in!a!startGup!equipment!fund!
• $15,000!from!the!Vice!Provost’s!office!and!$15,000!match!from!WCVM!
• $5,000!in!a!startGup!operational!research!fund!from!the!Vice!Provost’s!office!!
• $15,000G18,000!from!the!CGSR!new!faculty!graduate!student!support!program.!This!is!
matched!by!the!Associate!Dean!of!Research!for!the!second!year!of!study.!
!
The!departmental!administrators!provide!this!information!to!assist!faculty!with!these!
applications.!Several!of!the!new!faculty!did!not!use!the!CGSR!new!faculty!graduate!student!
support!program.!This!was!primarily!because!they!recruited!students!that!received!the!IPGF!
graduate!student!funding!or!other!support.!Some!of!the!research!track!faculty!have!also!
received!a!$25,000!research!startGup!fund!from!the!WCVM!to!collect!preliminary!data!and!
overlap!funding!as!grants!are!started.!!A!few!of!the!new!faculty!have!also!received!matching!
funds!for!CFI!grants!and!assistance!with!applications.!!!
!
Issues!related!to!start!up!packages!reported!to!the!task!force:!
• Need!for!better!follow!up!on!commitments!to!provide!help!for!spouses!relocating!to!
Saskatoon.!!!
• !!Need!identified!for!follow!up!financial!support!to!help!new!researchers!secure!renewal!
of!their!first!operating!grant!e.g.,!the!potential!for!a!small!additional!!
research!grant!or!technical!support!after!startGup!funding!has!been!exhausted!
• !!Potential!to!develop!start!up!packages!better!tailored!to!the!needs!of!clinical!faculty!
e.g.,!the!current!graduate!student!stipend!does!not!benefit!all!faculty!because!of!
access!to!IPGF.!
• !!Issues!identified!by!early!term!clinical!faculty!in!starting!their!research!programs!that!
are!not!covered!by!current!packages!include:!the!availability!and!cost!of!research!
animals,!availability!and!cost!of!ACU!facilities,!lack!of!nursing!care!for!research!
projects,!lack!of!research!nurse(s)!to!help!recruit!clients!and!manage!clinical!studies,!
lack!of!dedicated!time!for!grant!writing,!need!for!help!writing!and!editing!grant!
applications,!and!need!for!peer!culture!within!clinical!departments!that!is!supportive!of!
taking!time!for!research.!!
• !!One!faculty!member!suggested!the!need!to!develop!and!provide!ongoing!support!for!a!
specific!personal!research!plan!for!preGtenure!clinical!faculty!in!conjunction!with!
department!head,!peer!mentor!committees,!and!higher!levels!of!administration.!!!!
!
!
!
29!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________#
!
Summary#of#issues#related#to#faculty#retention##
!
There!was!substantially!less!understanding!among!the!task!force!and!those!surveyed!of!what!
has!been!done!by!the!WCVM!to!retain!midG!and!later!career!faculty!than!there!was!!
regarding!start!up!packages.!Not!all!faculty!recognized!that!we!have!a!serious!problem!with!
faculty!leaving!the!WCVM!for!other!positions.!!
!
However,!the!more!important!message!resulting!from!discussion!of!the!retention!issue!was!the!
need!to!redefine!the!problem!of!retention!to!focus!on!maintaining!and!increasing!engagement!
of!faculty!in!research!after!they!have!completed!the!requirements!for!tenure!and!promotion.!
How!do!we!retain!faculty!momentum!in!research!throughout!their!career?!Loss!of!research!
momentum!is!a!very!real!threat!as!more!senior!faculty!are!asked!to!take!on!increasing!teaching,!
clinical,!and!administrative!roles.!!!
!
There!is!a!strong!negative!feedback!relationship!between!increasing!research!success!and!
increasing!administrative!responsibilities!both!within!the!researcher’s!program!and!other!
responsibilities!assigned!at!the!departmental,!college!and!university!level.!!!
!!
Some!faculty!report!frustration!and!feeling!that!they!are!“punished”!for!increasing!the!size!and!
scope!of!their!research!programs.!The!more!they!succeed!the!more!work!there!is!to!find!
funding!and!space!for!graduate!students,!more!forms!to!fill!out!for!human!and!animal!ethics!
and!biosafety,!more!time!to!access!animals!for!use!in!research!and!negotiate!space!in!the!ACU,!
and!more!time!required!for!financial!oversight.!!
!
There!were!a!number!of!faculty!that!reported!feeling!overwhelmed!by!competing!priorities!and!
the!need!to!perform!at!a!high!level!in!all!aspects!of!academia!(research,!teaching,!
administration).!This!was!noted!most!often!by!clinical!faculty!who!have!the!added!and!
important!responsibility!of!maintaining!caseloads!and!in!some!cases!reversing!declining!
caseloads!trends.!Several!of!those!who!responded!to!the!survey!reported!peer!pressure!to!!
limit!research!and!focus!more!time!on!clinical!service.!
!
One!of!the!frequently!suggested!solutions!for!increasing!research!productivity!is!to!ask!
researchers!to!engage!in!team!science.!However,!there!is!a!lack!of!confidence!in!how!team!
participation!is!rewarded!at!the!institutional!level.!There!is!a!strong!perception!that!it!is!only!
the!team!leader!that!is!recognized!and!rewarded!by!the!institution!rather!than!the!members,!
regardless!of!members’!relative!contributions!to!the!final!product.!Similarly,!!
simply!asking!faculty!who!have!let!their!own!programs!lapse!to!join!interdisciplinary!!
research!teams!does!not!solve!the!problem!of!low!productivity.!Each!individual!has!to!be!able!
to!bring!ideas!to!the!group!and!the!resources!to!deliver!on!their!commitment.!Encouraging!
team!science!and!interdisciplinary!research!will!not!work!unless!all!members!of!the!team!are!
committed!and!have!real!enthusiasm,!relevant!experience,!and!the!capacity!to!deliver.!!
#
!
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WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________#
!
List#of#potential#options#to#improve#faculty#retention#and#engagement#of#midCcareer#and#
senior#faculty#in#research##
#
Faculty!maintenance!is!critical!for!maintenance!and!growth!of!research!productivity!within!the!
WCVM!and!University!of!Saskatchewan.!!
!
There!are!several!strategies!that!could!be!employed!to!keep!faculty!actively!engaged!in!
research!and!to!avoid!burnout!and!loss!of!momentum.!!
!
1.!Incentives!for!research!engagement!such!as!funding!to!generate!pilot!data!for!new!
research!ideas!or!for!faculty!trying!to!refocus!their!research!to!a!more!productive!
direction!!
2.!Relief!of!duties!to!allow!faculty!to!engage!in!professional!development!that!will!enhance!
their!capacity!to!refocus!their!research!programs!and!participate!in!new!research!
opportunities!!
3.!Opportunities!for!interested!clinical!faculty!to!expand!their!skills!in!experimental!design,!
analysis,!and!grant!writing!!
4.!Options!to!address!administrative!tasks!associated!with!animal!and!human!ethics!
applications!and!renewals,!biosecurity!applications!and!renewals,!communications!with!
ACU!and!PDS,!and!oversight!of!research!funds.!!!
!
!
There!were!two!nonGmutually!exclusive!options!suggested!by!faculty!to!address!the!ever!
increasing!burden!of!administration!related!to!research!success:!!
!
• !!A!comprehensive!review!of!programs!on!campus!to!find!parts!of!each!process!that!can!
be!reorganized,!reduced!or!eliminated!to!decrease!work!required!by!active!
researchers.!!
• !!Support!for!research!associates!that!could!deal!with!some!of!the!research!associated!
administrative!burden!placed!on!faculty!members.!!
!
!
5.!Assistance!to!help!secure!funds!for!nonGCanadian!or!nonGveterinary!graduate!students.!
6.!Assistance!to!identify!appropriate!space!for!graduate!students.!!
7.!Access!to!technical!writers!to!help!with!grant!writing!and!formatting/editing!papers!for!
submission!to!peerGreviewed!journals.!!
8.!Support!for!development!of!individual!faculty!websites!so!that!we!can!more!effectively!
market!who!we!are!and!what!we!do!to!assist!in!getting!outside!grants!and!peer!
!
31!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
recognition.!
9.!Opportunity!to!schedule!dedicated!research!time!for!clinical!faculty!that!want!to!do!
research.!!
10.!Encouragement!and!support!to!use!sabbatical!leaves!to!revitalize!and!regenerate!
research!momentum.!There!are!too!many!people,!especially!in!clinical!departments!that!
are!not!using!their!sabbaticals.!!
11.!Find!ways!to!improve!morale!by!increasing!communication!between!clinical!and!!!primary!
research!faculty.!
!
There!is!a!need!to!address!concerns!raised!in!the!surveys!that!one!group!is!working!harder!for!
less!recognition!than!the!other.!It!is!difficult!to!get!people!to!work!together!when!there!is!a!
culture!of!resentment.!!
!
One!of!the!most!successful!ways!of!getting!people!to!do!research!together!is!to!start!by!
teaching!together.!While!this!is!being!done,!perhaps!there!are!more!opportunities!that!could!be!
explored!at!both!the!undergraduate!and!graduate!levels.!!
!
12.#Administrative!assistance!to!identify!funding!to!replace!aging!equipment!!
13.#WCVM!Research!Chair!positions#
!
!
While!there!wasn’t!wide!support!for!the!idea!of!chair!positions!in!the!results!of!the!survey,!!
it!may!be!because!the!question!did!not!clearly!distinguish!a!local!chair!program!from!other!
programs!on!campus!such!as!the!CRC!chairs.!!Many!of!these!high!profile!positions!are!seen!as!a!
threat!to!smaller!research!groups!on!campus!as!institutional!resources!and!recognition!are!
diverted!away!from!other!programs!and!teaching!and!administrative!duties!not!addressed!by!
higher!profile!chair!positions!are!downloaded!onto!existing!faculty.!!
!
!
A!named!chair!positions!can!be!a!great!benefit!when!midG!or!later!career!faculty!are!applying!
for!external!research!funding.!!A!named!chair!position!brings!recognition!of!expertise!in!a!
particular!research!area.!These!positions!are!common!in!other!campuses!and!are!also!found!in!
other!units!at!the!University!of!Saskatchewan!(Thorvaldsen!Chair!in!the!Department!of!
Chemistry).!!!
!
!
Development!of!named!research!chair!does!not!necessarily!have!to!cost!a!lot.!A!rotating!
position!(every!3!or!5!years)!with!a!modest!research!allowance!and!graduate!student!or!
research!associate!stipend!could!help!bring!external!recognition!to!the!WCVM!for!a!!
relatively!minor!investment.!
#
!
32!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
GRADUATE
STUDENT
AND POSTDOC
RECRUITMENT
AND SUPPORT
!
33!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
Graduate!student!and!Postdoctoral!
recruitment!and!funding!are!key!
elements!of!maintaining!and!
increasing!research!productivity.!!
Small!fluctuations!have!occurred!in!
PhD,!MSc!and!MVetSc!numbers!from!
2007G2014,!but!overall!the!total!
numbers!of!graduate!trainees!have!
been!relatively!stable.!There!are!4!
DVMGMSc!trainees!within!the!College!
as!of!2014/15!and!the!number!of!
postdoctoral!fellows!(PDFs)!has!
increased!from!6!(2011/12)!to!10!
(2014/15).!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
Figure!3.!Total!WCVM!Graduate!Student!Numbers!2007G2014.!
!
Of!those!survey!respondents!supervising!graduate!trainees,!the!median!number!of!graduate!
students!supervised!was!1.!Of!note,!almost!80%!of!respondents!with!primary!graduate!students!
(n=35)!indicated!they!would!take!more!graduate!students!if!they!could!afford!it.!!The!cost!of!
graduate!stipends!can!be!a!financial!burden!on!a!supervisor(s)!with!small!research!grants!and!
more!than!35%!of!faculty!supported!at!least!one!trainee!from!their!operating!funds.!In!fact,!
based!on!survey!responses,!17%!of!current!graduate!trainees!are!supported!100%!by!their!
supervisor’s!research!funds.!!As!a!result,!it!was!not!surprising!that!one!of!the!high!priority!
investments!identified!by!the!majority!of!respondents!was!graduate!student!funding.!
Specifically,!43!out!of!44!respondents!selected!graduate!student!funding!as!a!high!or!moderate!
priority!making!this!one!of!the!only!items!mutually!agreed!upon!in!the!survey!results.!
!
!
Approximately!23%!of!survey!respondents!do!not!act!as!sole!or!primary!supervisor!of!any!
graduate!trainees!and!~10!%!do!not!supervise!or!coGsupervise!any!trainees.!!In!total,!they!
represent!a!group!of!faculty!who!may!need!some!additional!resources!and/or!collaborative!
support!to!bring!them!into!the!graduate!training!process!in!a!more!direct!role.!!For!example,!
those!respondents!who!were!involved!in!graduate!training!but!did!not!want!more!trainees!
indicated!a!lack!of!time!as!the!prime!reason!for!not!participating!more!extensively.!
!
34!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
!
!
!
Figure!4.!Total!Number!of!Graduate!Students!
Supervised!or!CodSupervised.!
Figure!5.!Total!Number!of!Graduate!
Students!Solely!Supervised!!
!
!
!
!
With!the!importance!of!graduate!student!and!postdoctoral!fellow!training!to!faculty!and!the!
College!in!the!pursuit!of!greater!research!productivity,!the!following!proposed!actions!should!
be!considered:!
!
• A!systematic!review!of!the!Graduate!training!program!is!still!required!after!several!years!
of!proposing!such!a!review.!!Important!questions!cannot!be!adequately!addressed!
without!this!process!including:!What!are!we!failing!to!accomplish!and!how!can!we!
improve!our!graduate!training?!Are!all!available!funding!sources!for!graduate!trainees!
and!PDFs!being!identified?!Additional!points!below!are!also!related!to!information!that!
needs!to!be!collected!from!a!Review.!Fortunately,!a!Graduate!Program!Review!will!take!
place!in!2015/16!(http://www.usask.ca/gpr/index.php).!!This!is!an!excellent!opportunity!
that!must!not!be!missed!to!address!graduate!training!in!our!many!departments.!
!
• Continue!to!focus!on!increasing!the!financing!of!graduate!student!stipends!including!
consideration!of!100%!financial!support!(e.g.!stipends,!scholarships)!for!academically!
excellent!trainees!(e.g.,!>85%!average)!by!the!College!to!free!up!operating!funds!for!
additional!reagents,!tools,!and!collaborations!that!will!facilitate!completion!of!more!
research!projects!at!a!faster!pace.!!Even!if!full!scholarships!or!stipends!were!provided!
more!frequently!to!a!greater!number!of!top!trainee!applicants!in!the!College,!this!could!
still!free!up!financial!resources!for!supervisors!to!take!on!additional!quality!trainees!
(e.g.,!<85%!average)!with!a!25:75!contribution!between!faculty!and!the!College,!
respectively.!
!
• The!channeling!of!top!graduate!student!applicants!to!apply!for!external!stipend!support!
(e.g.,!NSERC!PGS,!among!others)!should!be!a!priority.!Potential!trainees!are!too!
frequently!unaware!of!these!financial!resources!and!a!process!should!be!established!
!
35!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
•
•
•
!
(e.g.,!within!the!Graduate!Education!Committee)!to!identify!appropriate!applicants!and!
ensure!they!apply!to!these!sources!of!stipend!support.!
!
Since!total!graduate!student!trainee!numbers!have!not!significantly!increased,!it!is!
important!to!determine!how!this!can!be!addressed.!Currently,!graduate!student!training!
on!the!WCVM!website!lacks!a!definitive!page!on!the!values!of!graduate!training!to!
careers!in!veterinary!medicine,!academia,!biotechnology,!industry,!etc.!This!must!be!a!
priority!in!an!environment!where!students!are!constantly!evaluating!how!valuable!their!
program!will!be!in!getting!them!employed.!The!number!of!graduate!trainees!who!will!
follow!a!pipeline!into!academia!is!small,!yet!we!encourage!graduate!training!without!
providing!sufficient!guidance!on!additional!career!paths.!!If!the!value!of!the!training!is!
better!highlighted!and!promoted!this!may!encourage!more!applicants!to!the!program.!
An!outcomes!assessment!related!to!current!careers!of!past!graduate!students!from!the!
WCVM!would!be!very!valuable!to!help!potential!new!recruits!seek!a!graduate!program.!
The!results!of!the!assessment!could!be!included!in!the!WCVM!website.!
!
A!similar!problem!exists!with!the!information!provided!on!the!website!for!the!DVMGMSc!
training!stream.!!In!fact,!it!needs!to!be!standardized!into!a!definitive!program!if!it!is!to!
be!taken!seriously!and!within!appropriate!timeframes.!A!description!of!how!graduate!
training!may!enable!a!DVM!to!accomplish!goals!in!his/her!career!should!also!be!
emphasized!more!clearly.!!There!is!no!clear!process!for!potential!candidates!to!follow!if!
they!wish!to!apply!to!the!DVMGMSc!stream.!Candidates!for!this!program!may!not!yet!
have!completed!an!undergraduate!degree!for!instance,!yet!they!may!wish!to!enter!the!
program;!however,!the!pathway!to!follow!for!this!is!undefined!on!the!WCVM!website.!
!
It!is!critical!to!continue!to!increase!funding!for!recruitment!of!postdoctoral!fellows.!
These!are!highly!trained,!extremely!productive!individuals!and!mentors!for!graduate!
trainees!in!the!laboratory.!The!collaboration!between!the!WCVM!and!Health!Sciences!
should!be!expanded!if!possible,!but!other!groups!(e.g.,!veterinary!related,!biotechnology!
related)!should!be!approached!for!funding!partnerships/relationships!to!provide!diverse!
channels!for!PDF!funding!to!faculty!in!the!WCVM.!!
36!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
!
!
!
CONCLUSIONS
AND SPECIFIC
RECOMMENDATIONS
!
37!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
_____________________________________________________________________________#
#
CONCLUSIONS#
!
In!conclusion,!the!WCVM!is!one!of!the!healthiest!and!strongest!veterinary!schools!in! Canada.!
ResearchGfunding! levels! at! the! College! are! the! highest! among! Canadian! Veterinary! Schools.!!
Completion! of! new! core! research! facilities,! acquisition! of! new! research! infrastructure,!
aggressive! research! priority! setting,! and! recently! established! international! collaborations! has!
strategically!positioned!our!college!to!further!foster!the!research!enterprise!to!make!research!a!
priority! and! create! a! vibrant! research! niche! to! propel! existing! research! strengths! to! new!
heights.!
!
_____________________________________________________________________________#
.
SPECIFIC#RECOMMENDATIONS#
!
College#Funded#Research#Support#Positions##
#
• Hire! a! dedicated! research! nurse! to! coordinate! and! assist! with! clinical! research!
projects.! The! primary! duties! of! such! a! position! might! include! identifying! potential!
study! participants! from! daily! appointment! lists,! obtaining! consent! from! owners,!
basic! sample! collection! and! data! compilation! and! providing! clinical! technical!
assistance! to! researchers! (animal! handling,! blood! collection,! medication!
administration!etc.).!This!position!requires!the!specialized!clinical!skills!possessed!by!
a!registered!veterinary!technician.!A!committee!of!clinical!faculty,!and!other!faculty!
conducting!clinical!research!should!be!established!to!oversee!the!hiring!process!and!
management!of!this!position!to!ensure!that!research!needs!are!met.!The!purpose!of!
this! position! is! to! facilitate! conducting! clinical! research! throughout! the! College,!
therefore! depending! on! the! number! of! requests! for! assistance! by! individual!
researchers! this! technician! may! not! be! available! at! all! times! when! their! help! is!
requested.!!A!booking!system!would!need!to!be!set!up!and!managed!through!the!
proposed! Research! Resource! website.! This! persons! schedule! would! be! posted! in!
advance! to! allow! individual! researchers! to! request! help! around! open! spots! in! the!
schedule.!
• Maintain!and!support!research!technical!staff!that!are!doing!a!good!job!
• Complete! an! accessible! college! wide! inventory! of! positions! (e.g.! available! on! the!
resources!website)!so!that!resources!can!be!targeted!to!the!most!urgent!gaps.!
!
Administrative#Support#for#Research#
#
• Further! develop! capacity! of! staff! to! support! and! manage! the! administrative! load!
i.e.,!triGagency!funding,!including!establishment!of!best!practices!across!the!WCVM.!
!
38!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
•
•
•
•
Clarify!the!role!of!the!research!facilitator!as!part!of!the!resources!for!research!at!the!
WCVM.!
Conduct!a!survey!of!faculty!technical!support!needs.!
As!a!matter!of!urgency,!invest!in!a!staff!biostatistician!dedicated!to!the!WCVM!at!
the!Research!Associate!level!with!a!defined!process!for!access.!
Determine! the! impacts! of! recent! changes! to! the! WCVM! library! to! college! level!
research.!Create!a!resource!list!identifying!training!for!library!services.!
!
Space#and#Infrastructure#
#
• Increase!the!availability!of!appropriate!space!to!house!animals!for!research!studies!
and!update!the!facility!to!current!bioGcontainment!guidelines.!
• Renovate! underutilized! or! inefficiently! used! areas! for! graduate! student! space! or!
new!laboratory!space!to!increase!research!intensiveness!
• Alleviate!excessive!costs!and!red!tape!associated!with!using!PDS!for!research!
projects!and!ensure!accountability.!
• Improve!access!to!both!VMC!infrastructure!and!technical!staff!for!researchers!at!a!
cost!recovery!basis!including!a!defined!fee!schedule.!
• Develop! a! new! cost! effective! source! of! dogs! and! cats! (e.g.! colony)! for! clinical!
research!and!teaching.!
• Implement! a! plan! for! regular! maintenance! and! replacement! of! heavily! used!
research!equipment.!
• Develop! a! comprehensive,! current! research! resource! website! to! clarify! roles! of!
technicians/support! staff,! for! booking! technicians! or! equipment,! and! general!
research!assistance.!
.
StartCup#and#Retention#Packages#for#Researchers#
!
• Implement! incentives! to! engage! faculty! in! research! to! avoid! burn! out! and! loss! of!
momentum! i.e.,! funding! for! pilot! data,! relief! from! duties,! skills! enhancement!
training,!address!administrative!task!overload.!
• Encourage! greater! diversity! in! Mentorship! Committees,! especially! for! clinical!
faculty,! to! increase! awareness! of! other! funding! opportunities,! collaborative!
opportunities!and!overall!knowledge!of!the!research!enterprise.!
• Provide! greater! clarity! on! the! composition! of! competitive! minimum! startup!
packages!for!clinical!and!nonGclinical!appointments.!!
• Conduct! a! comprehensive! review! of! research! support/reporting! programs! (e.g.!
animal!care,!research!office,!ethics!integration)!on!campus!to!reorganize,!reduce!or!
eliminate!duplications!and!decrease!work!required!by!active!researchers.!
• Expand!scope!of!current!and!future!research!associates!and/or!technicians!to!assist!
faculty!with!administrative!burden.!!!
• Find! more! funding! to! acquire! graduate! students! and! assist! in! finding! appropriate!
space!for!students.!
!
39!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Increase!number!of!support!staff!for!development!of!individual!faculty!websites!to!
improve!exposure!of!faculty!for!student!recruitment!and!research!collaborations.!
Provide!a!mechanism(s)!to!increase!research!time!for!clinical!faculty!(e.g.!increase!
number!of!clinical!faculty!to!decrease!individual!caseload).!
Encourage!and!actively!support!sabbatical!leaves!to!promote!research!momentum!
Improve! communication! between! clinical! and! primary! research! faculty! to! improve!
collaboration!and!develop!innovative!research!projects.!
Give!and!promote!fair!recognition!of!research!achievements!for!all!research!groups.!!
Provide!administrative!assistance!to!identify!funding!to!replace!aging!equipment.!
Fund!internal!WCVM!Research!Chair!positions!to!recognize!research!success.!!!
.
Graduate#Student#and#PostDoc#Recruitment#and#Support#
#
• Conduct!a!systematic!review!of!the!Graduate!training!program!to!see!how!we!can!
improve!our!graduate!training.!
• Implement!ways!to!increase!financial!support!for!graduate!student!stipends.!!
• Channel!top!graduate!student!applicants!to!apply!for!external!stipend!support!(e.g.,!
NSERC!PGS)!as!potential!trainees!are!often!unaware!of!these!financial!resources.!!
• Provide! a! training! workshop! to! clinical! faculty! to! increase! awareness! of! different!
funding!avenues!and!the!student!recruitment!process.!
• Investigate! why! the! total! number! of! graduate! student! trainees! numbers! in! the!
WCVM!has!not!significantly!increased.!!
• Implement! changes! to! the! WCVM! website! providing! information! on! the! values! of!
graduate! training! to! careers! in! veterinary! medicine,! academia,! biotechnology,!
industry.!If!the!value!of!the!training!to!future!employment!is!better!highlighted!and!
promoted!this!may!encourage!more!applicants!to!the!program.!
• Implement! a! clearer! process! for! applying! for! the! DVMGMSc! training! stream! and!
conduct!an!outcome!assessment!of!the!current!students!to!establish!best!practices!
for!the!future.!
• Increase!funding!for!recruitment!of!PDFs.!
• Improve!flexibility!in!graduate!student!funding!to!better!tailor!to!the!needs!of!the!
researcher.!!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
!
40!
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
Appendix 1
!
41!
WCVM Research Update
Baljit Singh
October 08, 2014
!   www.usask.ca/wcvm
Recrui'ng*the*Best:*WCVM*Faculty*Start9up*Package*
!  Research grants for preliminary experiments: $25000
!  Equipment: $30,000 plus up to $300,000 match for CFI grants
!  Student support totals up to $150,000
!  Shared lab space and equipment in Research Wing
!  Research Mentorship Program
Total: ~$500,000 plus funds from the Provost’s Office
Under9development**
!  WCVM*Research*Chairs**
Increased*Core*Research*Support!
!  Research!Facilitator!hired!in!2011!to!provide!support!with!funding!opportuni9es!
!  Core!technician!recruited!in!2012!for!light!microscopy!support!
!  Core!technician!recruited!in!2014!for!support!to!clinical>transla9onal!research!
!  Two!technicians!working!with!Agriculture!Agri>Food!Canada!scien9sts!
!   www.usask.ca/wcvm
Core Research Facilities
Centre for Translational Research?
or
Centre for Biomedicine?
Core Imaging
Facility
Core Cell and Molecular
Biology Facility
Confocal
Microscopy
Electron
Microscopy
Ultrasound
Bio-microscopy
Nucleic acid and
protein analyses
Intravital
Microscopy
MRI
Optical Coherence
Tomography
Goodale Farm & Native
Hoofstock Centre
CT
Nuclear
Scintigraphy
New Light Microscopy
System
Animal Care Unit and
WCVM Paddocks
Research*Funding!
Year*
Total*
*
2010911*
*
$17,999,576*
*
2011912*
*
$20,019,080*
*
2012913*
*
$13,424,264*
*
2013914*
*
$13,072,315*
These*numbers*make*us*#1*among*Canadian*veterinary*schools!
Research*Growth*Through*Alignment*and*Collabora'on!
One!Health!!
!Organized!NSERC>funded!events!to!bring!researchers!together!
"!
NSERC>CREATE!program!in!Infec9ous!Diseases,!Food!Safety!and!Public!Policy!
CREATE!courses!are!now!core!courses!for!the!One!Health!Graduate!Cer9ficate!
"!
!One!Health!Network!applica9on!to!Networks!of!Centres!of!Excellence!!
! !!(10!final!applica9ons!out!of!82!LOI;!results!in!November)
"!
$375,000!ADF!grant!for!undergraduate!research!in!food!&!large!animals!
"!
Canada!Research!Chair>Tier!II!for!One!Health!Economics!
!   www.usask.ca/wcvm
Research*Growth*Through*Alignment*and*Collabora'on!
Imaging>Oncology!
Two!major!NSERC>funded!workshops!to!develop!inter>disciplinary!collabora9ons!
"*
Fedoruk!Canadian!Centre!for!Nuclear!Innova9on!Grant!(~$400,000) *
SHRF>Phase!II!grant!(~$500,000)
"*
Nuclear!imaging!infrastructure!grant!to!CFI!(~$10!million)>submi\ed!
Synchrotron!imaging!grant!to!CFI!(~$10!million)>submi\ed!
"*
Molecular!Imaging!proposal!to!Fedoruk!Canadian!Centre!for!Nuclear!Innova9on!
100%!research!faculty!posi9on!in!imaging!for!WCVM!
*
Research*Growth*Through*Alignment*and*Collabora'on!
Commercializa9on!
!
!  Intellectual!property!protec9on!
!  Entrepreneur>in>Residence!Program!
!  ILO!staff!housed!in!WCVM!
!  Co>funding!of!projects!that!have!poten9al!for!commercializa9on!
!  Each!department!has!such!projects!on!the!go*
Interna'onal*Collabora'on!
!  Strategic*examina'on*by*a*commiWee*and*iden'fica'on*of*five*universi'es*
!  Mul'faceted*and*deep*collabora'ons*
!  *Formalized*interna'onal*undergraduate*experience*ie.*VWB*or*Global*Vets*
University*
Ac-vity*
Free*University,*Berlin,*Germany*
Guru*Angad*Dev*Veterinary*and*
Animal*Sciences*University,*India*
NSERC9CREATE:*201292018*
Interna'onal*Partnership*Project*
Faculty*and*student*exchange*
One*Health*Network*
Makerere!University,!Uganda!
Formalizing!the!student!exchanges!
State*University*of*Sao*Paulo*and*
University*of*Sao*Paulo,*Brazil*
17*fully*funded*ELAP*students*2012914*
University!of!Melbourne,!Australia!
UG!student!rota9on!exchange!this!year!
Under9development**
!  Interna'onal*collabora'on*seed*grants*
!   www.usask.ca/wcvm
Student*Training*!
!  Major*increase*in*post9doctoral*fellows**
!  *Con'nued*Merial*Funding*since*2004**
!  4*DVM9MSc*students*
!  Limi'ng*factor*is*graduate*student*s'pend*
Year*
Graduate*Students*
PDF*
Undergraduate*
Research*Students*
2014915*
145*
10*
39*
2013>14!
146!
7!
38!
2012913*
149*
5*
46*
2011>12!
141!
6!
35!
Under9development**
!  New*PDF*program*for*WCVM*in*collabora'on*with*Health*Sciences*
!  Addi'onal*sources*of*graduate*student*s'pend*
!   www.usask.ca/wcvm
Research*Task*Force:*2011*Recommenda'ons!
Changing*the*Research*Culture:*Make*Research*a*Priority*
Faculty*Recruitment*&*Mentorship*
*✔*
Research*Leadership*
*✔*
Research*Informa'on*Sessions*
*✔*
Reduce*and*Refine*Bureaucra'c*Processes*
The*OVPR*
X*
AREB*and*UCACS*
X*
WSEP*
X*
Financial*Accoun'ng*and*Repor'ng*
*✔*
Graduate*Student*Training*and*Support*
Systema'c*Review*of*Graduate*Training*Programs*
*X*
Graduate*Student/Resident*Recruitment*
*✔*
✔*
Revamp*Research*Opportuni'es*Sec'on*on**WCVM*website*
www.wcvm.com
Research*Task*Force:*2011*Recommenda'ons!
Interdisciplinary*Collabora'on*
WCVM*Contribu'ons*to*Signature*Areas*
*✔*
Build*on*Research*Strengths*through*Collabora'ons*
*✔*
Encourage*Basic*and*Clinical*Science*Collabora'ons*
*✔*
Reduce*and*Refine*Bureaucra'c*Processes*
?*
Strategic*Investments*
Core*Facili'es*
*✔*
Research*Associates*in*Signature*Areas*
X*
College9funded*Technicians*
*✔*
www.wcvm.com
Core*Research*Support!
#  !Large!grants!
# Government!rela9ons!
# Infrastructure!grants!
# Group!building:!fedorum,!imaging,!new!lab,!poten9al!for!new!posi9on!
# One!Health:!CREATE,!OHN,!CRC,!Graduate!Cer9ficate>One!Health!
# Interna9onaliza9on!
# Goodale!Farm:!Major!concern*
!   www.usask.ca/wcvm
Key*Developments!
# New*Research*Task*Force*for*a*roadmap*for*201592019*
# Electron*microscopes*installed*
# Interna'onal*Partnerships:**
! *India!and!Germany!collabora9ons!ac9ve!
! !Melbourne!University!student!exchange!ac9ve!
! !Brazilian!ini9a9ve!underway:!12!ELAP!students!in!2013>14!
! !DVM!summer!students!from!India!and!Germany!
! !Uganda!program!underway!
# Undergraduate*summer*research*program**
# Integrated*Experien'al*Learning*Program:*Community!Service!Learning!&!Discovery!!
# 4*DVM9MSc*students*in*pilot*dual*degree*program*
! www.usask.ca/wcvm
WCVM Research Task Force Report – June 2015
Appendix 2
!
43!
!
!
WCVM Faculty Research Survey
1. What percentage of your time do you estimate that you spent on each of the
following activities in the 2013-2014 academic year?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Research
Clinical Service/Undergraduate Teaching
Clinical Service/Graduate Teaching
Clinical Service
Didactic Teaching (Undergraduate)
Didactic Teaching (Graduate)
Administration
2. What percentage of your time do you WISH that you spent on each of the
following activities?
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Research
Clinical Service/Undergraduate Teaching
Clinical Service/Graduate Teaching
Clinical Service
Didactic Teaching (Undergraduate)
Didactic Teaching (Graduate)
Administration
3. How many graduate students do you currently supervise as primary or sole
supervisor?
!
4. How many graduate students do you currently co-supervise?
!
5. Which of the following sources of support (not including your research contracts
or grant funds) do any of your students receive toward their stipend?
!
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Interprovincial Graduate Fellowship
University of Saskatchewan Scholarship (non-devolved)
University of Saskatchewan Scholarship (devolved, allocated through your
department)
WCVM Graduate Teaching Assistantship
WCVM Graduate Teaching Fellowships
Tri-council graduate scholarship (NSERC/CIHR)
University of Saskatchewan Dean's Scholarship
WCVM Graduate Education Enhancement Fund
CAHF Fellowship
EHRF Fellowship
Other (separate multiple items with semicolons)
WCVM Faculty Research Survey
1
!
!
6. How many of your current graduate students are supported entirely by your
research grants?
!
7. If you could afford it, would you supervise more graduate students?
If you answered NO to this question, why?
!
8. Check the appropriate box(es) to indicate which WCVM facilities you use in
your research program.
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
PDS
VMC (equipment, facilities, staff)
Veterinary Medicine Microscopy Unit (VMMU)
Molecular Microbiology Laboratory (1st floor Research Wing)
Westgen Research Suite (2nd floor Research Wing)
Animal Care Unit
Goodale Research Farm
Veterinary Medicine library and staff
WCVM Research Facilitator (Karen Mosier)
Native Hoofstock Centre
Vet Pathology microscopy facility
9. Have you submitted samples to a commercial (fee for service) laboratory as part
of your research program?
!
If you answered Yes to this question, where did you send the samples?
10. Do you currently hold research grants or contracts (i.e. are co-investigator or coapplicant) with collaborators outside your home department?
If you answered yes to this question, how many of these grants or
contracts are with investigators
!
"
"
"
"
In another department at WCVM
In another college at U of S
At another university or institution in Canada
At another university or institution outside Canada
11. Have you applied for research funding from the Companion Animal Health Fund
in the last 3 years?
!
Were you provided with sufficient information regarding the review
process for your application?
!
WCVM Faculty Research Survey
2
!
!
Did you receive feedback on your application beyond a funded/not-funded
decision?
!
If you received feedback, was it helpful to you in revising your application
or finding an alternative funding opportunity?
!
12. Have you applied for research funding from the Equine Health Research Fund in
the last 3 years?
!
Were you provided with sufficient information regarding the review
process for your application?
!
Did you receive feedback on your application beyond a funded/not-funded
decision?
!
If you received feedback, was it helpful to you in revising your application
or finding an alternative funding opportunity?
!
13. Use the drop-down menus to rate the following according to how important an
obstacle they are to you in your research program
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Animal Research Ethics Board (AREB) approval process
Biosafety permit/protocol approval process
Obtaining approval signatures for grant applications and contracts
Management of funds shared by co-PIs and co-investigators across
different units at the U of S and different institutions
Obtaining Intramural Funding (EHRF, CAHF, etc.)
Obtaining Extramural Funding
Graduate student funding
Graduate student recruitment
Access to necessary equipment
Access to technical support
Access to clinical case material
Financial reporting/Fund management
Please list any other moderate or major obstacles that are not included in
the list above
If you identified any of the above as moderate or major obstacles, do you
have any suggestions on how they might be reduced or removed?
14. Rate the following according to how important an investment priority they are for
research productivity and quality at WCVM
"
"
Funding for graduate student support
Funding for postdoctoral fellows
WCVM Faculty Research Survey
3
!
!
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
"
Maintenance of current infrastructure
Administrative support for research fund management
Biostatistics consultant service
Purchase of new equipment
Additional technical support personnel
Internal research funds (CAHF, EHRF)
Research facilitator
Renovation or expansion of research space
Research chairs
15. Please tell us about your thoughts on investment priorities for research at WCVM.
16. Indicate the best description of your faculty appointment.
Clinical (i.e. you are considered for the purposes of tenure and promotion
under Category 5, "Practice of Professional Skills")
Research (i.e. you are considered for the purposes of tenure and promotion
under Category 4, "Research and Scholarly Work")
17. Are you tenured?
!
18. How long have you been in your current faculty position?
!
19. Do you have any other suggestions about how to increase research productivity
and the quality of our associated research training environment at WCVM?
WCVM Faculty Research Survey
4