ResearchandScholarshipCommitteeMeeting January17,2014
Present:MichaelHarold,GregoryMarinic,WynneChin,PradeepSharma,Haluk
Ogmen,MariaSolino,StuartLong,KarlTitz,MichaelZvolensky,AlessandroCarrera,
JackFletcher,GreggRoman,StuartDryer,AlanBurns,LuisTorres,George
Zouridakis,AllanJacobson,AbdelhakBensaoula,MarkClarke,MaryAnnOttinger,
ChristiePeters,RozlynReep,BrookeGowl
Absent:EzemenariObasi,GangbingSong,RobertPalmer,RandyLee,RichardBond,
JacquelineHawkins,RathindraBose,SelestaHodge,CrisMilligan
TheChaircalledthemeetingtoorderat1:36pm.
WelcomebytheChair:Dr.Haroldwelcomedeveryonetothemeeting.
ApprovalofDecemberMinutes:Dr.Haroldaskedforamotiontoapprovethe
minutes.Dr.Dryermadethemotionandtheminuteswereapproved.
StatusReportbyAssoc.VC/VPDr.Ottinger:
Dr.BosewasunabletoattendthemeetingsoDr.Ottingergaveastatusreportinhis
stead.Shestartedbysaying“thankyou”toDr.Torresandhissubcommitteefor
theirhardworkwiththeSmallGrantsandNewFacultyawards.
Dr.OttingercontinuedherreportbysayingsheandDr.Gowlaremeetingwith
AssociateDeansandfacultyacrossanumberofdepartmentsaswellassending
selectedgrantopportunities.SheaskedtheRSCtohelpbylettingherknowareasof
interestandpotentiallywithvisitsfordiscussingfundingopportunitiesaswellas
waystomakethesubmissionoflargecomplexgrantsrunmoresmoothly.
Dr.HaroldfolloweduponDr.Ottinger’sreportbythankingDORforalloftheirhard
workwithinternalgrants,especiallyDr.OttingerandRozlynReep.Heexpressed
thankstoDr.Torresandhissubcommitteefortheirtimeandworkonthis
importantprogramforfaculty.
Dr.Haroldtoldthecommitteetheyarerepresentingtheircollegestoadvise
administrationonresearch&scholarship.Ifthereareanyitemstheywouldliketo
raiseheaskedthattheydoso,especiallysinceRSCprovidesanexcellentforum.
SubcommitteeReports:
NewFaculty&SmallGrants:Dr.Torresstartedhisreportbysaying“thanks”tohis
subcommitteefortheirhardwork.Thetimeframetoreviewproposalswasvery
tightduetotheholidaysandfacultytraveling,buttheywereabletogeteverything
done.Dr.TorresgavespecialthankstoDr.OttingerandRozlynReepfortheir
support.
AccordingtothehandoutDr.Torresprovided,NewFacultyawardshadabudgetof
$156,000andSmallGrantshadabudgetof$90,000.TheNewFacultyprogramwas
abletofund26proposals.TheSmallGrantsprogramwasabletofund30proposals.
ThesubcommitteehadseveralrecommendationstogivetotheRSC:
1.)TravelGrants–AlargenumberoftheSmallGrantsproposalsaretocoverthe
costsoftraveltoconductresearch.Perhapstraveltoconductresearchshouldbe
seenasdifferentfromtheconductoftheresearchitselfandsubjecttodifferent
reviewcriteria.
2.)ExclusionofReviewers–InboththeNewFacultyGrantandSmallGrants
programs,exclusionofreviewerstoavoidpotentialconflictsofinterestisnowdone
attheCollegelevel.Thisdecreasesthelikelihoodthatatleastonereviewerhas
actualknowledgeofthefieldofstudytheproposaldealswithandcreateschallenges
forthereviewprocess.
3.)RankingSystem–Whilethereisa1‐5rankingsystemforreviewers(with5
beinghigher),thereisnoobjectivecriteriaforwhata“1”meansorwhata“5”
means.Similarly,therearenoclearcutcriteriaforwhatthereviewerisevaluating.
Asaresult,differentreviewersmightusedifferentcriteriathatareusedintheir
ownfields.
4.)StartupPackagesof$50K–TheNewFacultyGrantsandSmallGrants
instructionsnowincludelanguagetotheeffectthatfacultyreceivingstartup
packagesinexcessof$50Kareineligibletoapply.Thereweresomequestionsthat
emergedwiththeannouncementsuchas:A.)Howareweensuringthecriterionis
met?B.)DoesthisincludeRA/Post‐Docsupportinastartuppackage?C.)Doesthis
criterionexpire?
5.)MultipleAwards–Severalapplicantstobothmechanismspreviouslyreceived
theaward.Shoulditbepermissibletoreceivetheawardmultipletimes?
Thesubcommitteerecommendedthattheseissuesbediscussedandsomeclaritybe
provided.
Dr.Carreracommentedonthe5thpointthatwasraised.Hestatedthatpeopleapply
multipletimesbecausetherearenootheroutlets,especiallyforfolksinCLASS.
Inreferencetothe1stpoint,Dr.Dryersaidheisnotconcernedwithmoneybeing
usedfortravelaslongasit’sessentialandspentonakeypartoftheapplicant’s
research.Dr.ClarkeagreedwithDr.Dryer.Hesaidthatiftravelrequiresyoutodo
yourresearch,it’svalid.
Dr.Torressaidittakestimetoevaluatetheproposalsandreviewershavetoask
howmuchtimeisbeingspentinordertomakeadecisiononwhetherit’sabout
travelandnottheresearch.Dr.Dryerrespondedbysayingtravelandresearchare
closelytied.
Dr.Haroldbroughtuppoint2whichis“ExcludingReviewers.”Hebelievesit’sa
reasonablerequest.
Dr.Haroldbroughtuppoint3whichisthe“RankingSystem.”Hebelievesthe
rankingisinthepurviewofthesubcommitteeandtheyshouldcomeupwith
suitablelanguage.
Dr.Haroldbroughtuppoint4whichis“StartupFunds.”Dr.Haroldsaidthereis
nowa$50,000thresholdanditshouldbeanaggregatestartuppackagewhetherits
equipmentorpeople.
Dr.Sharmastatedthatafterfacultypurchaseamachineforexample,alloftheir
startupfundsaregone.Theyhavenofundsleftovertopublishabook,etc.Hewas
abletogetaSmallGrant&NewFacultygrantafterusinghisstartupfundswhich
wasveryhelpful.Dr.Sharmabelievesthe$50Krequirementisamistakeandthe
committeeshouldmakeadecision.
Dr.Haroldsaidtheargumentisthere’sonlysomuchmoneytogoaround.Thereare
manycollegesthatdonotgetmuchintermsoffunds.Dr.Fletcherfollowedupby
sayingthatthepreviouscommitteebroughtupthisissueandfeltthereneededtobe
mechanismsforpeoplewhodidnotgetstartupfunding.
Dr.Dryeraddedthathedoesnotthinkitwouldbeunreasonabletoexcludesummer
salaryfromthestartuppackage.Newfacultymembershavetomakedecisionswith
discretionalspendingandinternalgrantsaretheonlyaccesssomecollegeshavefor
funding.
Dr.HaroldsaidtherearemorefundstogoaroundinEngineeringandScience
becauseofIDC.
Dr.CarreratoldthecommitteeheisfromCLASS,acollegewherethereisno
discretionarymoneyorfundsfortravelandresearch.Thismakesinternalgrants
importanttofacultysuchashimself.
Dr.Torresmadethecommentthatasareviewerhedoesnotwanttohavetomake
thedecisionofrankingproposalslowbecausetheyhavelargestartuppackages.
Dr.Ottingersuggestedthatthesubcommitteeprovidethepreferredwordingforthe
$50,000startuppackage,especiallyforthosewhoexceedthe$50,000limit,sothe
requirementisunderstoodmoreclearly.Dr.Dryeralsosuggestedanexpiration
dateforstartuppackagerestriction.
Dr.Haroldraisedthelastandfinalpointwhichwas“MultipleAwards.”
Dr.Fletchersaiditisperfectlylegitimateforpeopletohavemultipleawardsaslong
astheyshowthey’reuse.Dr.Torresagreedandsaidthataslongasapplicantsare
showingscholarlyactivity,heisokwithmultipleawards.
Dr.HaroldtoldDr.Torrestoputtogetherdetailsforeachrecommendationthatwas
discussedandprovideinformationatthenextmeeting.Dr.Torressaidhewilltalk
withhissubcommitteeanddevelopadraft.
Dr.OttingermentionedtherewasasuggestionforaQ&AsectionontheDOR
websitetoprovidemoreguidanceforinternalawards.Theideawillcontinuetobe
explored.
OldBusiness
Dr.HaroldintroducedJoanNelson,ExecutiveDirectorforHumanResourcesto
discussthehiringpracticesforPostDocsandResearchAssociatesaswellasthe
ReductioninForcePolicy.
JoanNelsongreetedthecommitteeandintroducedSabrinaHassumani,Executive
Director,AcademicBudgets&Administration.
Ms.NelsonbeganbysayingHRisresponsibleformanagingandensuringthatpolicy
andproceduresareadheredto.ResearchandPostDocpositionsfallunderstaff
positions.Forpostdocs,theirjobsareunique,butbylawtheystillhavetopost
positionsbecausetheyarestillqualifiedasstaffpositions.HRwillworkwith
departmentstoaddressissuessuchas“whydoIneedtopostapositionwhenI
knowwhoIwant?”TherehavebeencaseswhereHRwilldoabroadbandposting
wherefacultycansendcandidatestoapplyforaposition.Candidateswhoare
highlyqualifiedcanhavetheirresumespulledfromtheposting.
Every2yearstheUniversityisauditedbyeithertheTexasWorkforceCommission
ortheOfficeofFederalContractsandCompliancePrograms.Theyarelookingto
ensurethattheUniversityisrecruitingandattractingpeopleinaccordancewith
policy.Iftheyexemptagroup,theyhavetoprovideclearjustificationastowhythe
groupwasexempt.
Forindividualswhohaveapositionwithastart&enddate,theyarenotposted
becausetheyareconsideredtemporaryandnon‐regularpositions.Therearesome
temporarypositionsthatcanbebenefitseligible.
Ms.Hassumanitoldthecommitteethey(Ms.Hassumani’sdepartment)canpublish
guidelinesbywhichpositionscanbecreatedandutilizedappropriately.
Dr.Clarkeaskedwhattheunderlyingissuewasinregardstogeneratingaseparate
categoryforPostDocs.
Ms.NelsonstatedthatmostResearchandPostDocsareinadifferentcategory.If
it’sconsideredaregularposition,itstillhastofollowstandardguidelines.
Dr.FletchersaidthatPostDocsarenothiredtobeResearchAssistantsandtheyare
broughttothelabtotrain.HestatedthepolicyiswrongandPostDocsshouldbe
exempted.Dr.HaroldaddedtoDr.Fletcher’scommentsbysayingPostDocsare
hiredforspecificneedsandshouldnotbeconsideredasnon‐regularemployeesand
ineligibleforbenefits.Hestatedthatthereneedstobeanothercategory.Ms.
HassumanirespondedbysayingthatifyoudiscloseupfrontthatyouwantaPost
Doctemporarypositionwithastartdateandenddate,theycanbebenefitseligible,
butaretreateddifferently.
Ms.Nelsonrepeatedtothecommitteewhatshewashearingfromitsmembers,
whichwasPostDocsare:1.)Non‐regulartemporarypositions.2.)Theywillhavea
startdate&enddate.Whentheyreceiveanofferletter,itwillhaveanenddate
withtheunderstandingthatthereisapossibilitythatitcouldendsooner.
Accordingtolaw,ifapositionislongerthan4.5months,theyhavetobebenefits
eligible.Forthosewhoarebenefitseligible,theyhavea90daywaitperiodbefore
theyarecovered.Fortemporarypositions,aftertheypass4.5months,theremay
stillbeanother90daywaitperiodbeforetheycanreceivebenefits.Soifyousay
youwantPostDocstohavebenefitsbutbetemporaryaswell,youcannothaveboth
atthesametime.
Dr.Sharmasaidthatotheruniversitiesencounterwhatthecommitteejust
discussed.TherearePostDocsthatarebenefitseligible,butiftheydon’tperform
theycanbefired,andthenthefacultymembercanfillthepositionquicklywithout
havingtospendmoremoneyfromtheirgrant.
Dr.FletchermentionedtheUniversityofTexasasanexample.HecouldhirePost
Docswithoutposting,hecouldfireorputthemonResearchtrack,andtheywere
benefitseligiblewhentheywalkedthroughthedoor.Dr.Nelsonsaidshewilllook
intohowtheUniversityofTexashandlestheprocessandwillreportbacktothe
committee.
Ms.NelsonaddressedDr.Dryer’sissuewiththeRIFprocess.Shestatedthatwhena
positioniseliminatedandopensagainwithin6months,accordingtopolicyyou
havetoofferthejobtotheindividualwhowasRIF’d.Butifthejobhaschanged
(criteriachanged)thenHRwillmakeappropriateexceptions.
Dr.DryerstatedacolleagueofhishadRIF’danindividual,andhe(Dr.Dryer)
attemptedtocreatethesamejob,andaccordingtoHRitwasthesamejob;however,
hisworkisdifferentfromhiscolleague’s.Ms.HassumanitoldDr.Dryerthatshe
consideredittobeanewpositionbecauseitwasnotthesameastheonethatwas
RIF’d.ButaccordingtoDr.Dryer,itwasstilltreatedasthesamejobbyHR.He
thankedMs.Nelsonforsolvingtheproblem,butsaidheshouldnothavehadtogoto
Ms.Nelsoninthefirstplace.
Ms.Nelsontoldthecommitteeshehopeseveryonefeelsliketheycancometoher
withissuessuchastheoneDr.Dryerencountered.Shealsosummedupher
understandingofwhatsheheardfromthecommitteemembers,whichisPostDoc
positionsareseenasbeingverydifferent,andarecurrentlyaregularstaffjob.She
believesitcanberesolved(she’lldoherresearch)ifitcanbeseenasatemporary
positionforaspecificamountoftime(sofacultycanrehireifneedbe),inwhichcase
theobligationfortheUniversitywillbedifferentthanthatforaregularstaff
employee.Ms.NelsonwillfollowupwithDr.Haroldregardingtheissuesdiscussed.
SubcommitteeReports:
Excellence&Research:Dr.Haroldsaidtheawardwasannouncedandencouraged
committeememberstoworkwiththeircolleaguestoidentifystrongcandidates.
Dr.Burnssaidaboutayearagothecommitteehadaloosediscussionaboutnot
receivingenoughnominationsforthisaward.Someonerecentlyraisedthepointof
whetherapersonwithexternallettersforsupport(fortenure)canalsousethe
letterswhennominatingacandidate.ThepointwasraisedwithDr.Leeviaemail
andhisanswerwas“no”,externalpromotionletterscannotbeused.Accordingto
Dr.Burns,facultyshouldnothavetogobackandchangeletters.
Dr.Haroldstatedthatifhewasarevieweronthesubcommittee,hewouldthinkthe
promotionletterwouldlookliketheindividualwastryingtoshortcuttheprocess.
AccordingtoDr.Dryer,therewerealotofapplicantsfortheExcellenceawardlast
year.Hesaidthatevenwithasmallnumberofapplicantsthere’sstillalotofwork
tobedoneintermsofevaluation.
Dr.HaroldrequestedthatRozlynReepnotifythesubcommitteewiththenumberof
nominationssubmittedsomemberscanencouragemorenominationsifneeded.
Centers&Institutes:Dr.Fletchersaidhissubcommitteehasnothingtoreport.
Theysentthetwocenterproposalstheydiscussedforrevisionsandhavenot
receivedaresponse.
Resources&CoreFacilities:Dr.Burnsreportedthathissubcommitteeputout
revisedguidelinesandsentacopytoCrisMilligan.
Dr.Ottingersaidtheguidelinesaregoingthroughonelastreadbeforebeingposted
ontheweb.Shestatedthatcurrentlythereisnomoneyinthebudgettosupporta
Coresonoactionwilloccuratpresent.
Dr.Haroldstatedonbehalfofthecommitteethathehopesthisprogramwillbe
fundedinfutureyears.
ConflictofInterest:Dr.Burnsstatedtherewasnothingtoreport.
IntellectualProperty:Dr.Dryersaidthathewillbeabletobeginattending
meetingsnowthathisschedulehaschanged.Dr.Clarkementionedthatthenext
meetingwillbeTuesdayandtheirprojectednumbersfordisclosureswillbeinthe
top70’sbytheendoftheyear.
NewBusiness
TheResearchFacultyMechanismissuewastabledforthenextmeeting.Dr.Harold
saidtheissuehastodowithbridgefundingforresearchfaculty,apolicythe
committeewouldrecommendtotheVP.
Dr.Bensaoulabroughtupthisissueandstatedthatadocumentwassubmitted1.5
yearsagoanditwasturneddownbytheFacultySenate.Hedidnothearaboutthe
FacultySenate’sdecisionanddoesnotknowwhyitwasturneddown.Hebelieves
bridgefundingisessentialandthatcollegesanddepartmentshavenotfully
embracedresearchfaculty.
Dr.HaroldsaidtheywillgatherinformationontheFacultySenatevotebeforethe
nextmeetingandwillreviewtheinformationasacommittee.
Themeetingwasadjournedat3:01pm.
ThenextmeetingwillbeonFriday,February21,samelocationfrom1:30‐3:00
pm.