March 20, 2003 - 2:00-3:30 p.m. -- Newcomb Hall, Room 187

Present: Marcia Childress, Ruth Hill, Larry Bouchard, Reginald Garrett, Houston Wood, III

Marcia Childress, Chair of the Research and Scholarship Committee, called the meeting to order.

The Committee discussed administrative issues regarding the Faculty Senate David Harrison Undergraduate Research Awards. After multiple inquiries, Ms. Childress learned from the University adminsitration that institutional policies and regularions require Harrison funds to be distributed to students and faculty this year exactly as they were distributed last year, i.e. as departmental accounts for students (against which students can charge research supplies/equipment or request cash advances or reimbursements) and as wage payments to all faculty mentors. In coming months, the Committee will work with officials in Arts & Sciences and the Provost's Office to see about changing the way Harrison monies are defined for tax purposes and disbursed. The Committee discussed how to improve guidelines for applying for and using Harrison Awards. Among the procedural changes agreed upon were (1) a requirement that award funds be used by the end of the fiscal year that follows the fiscal year in which the student received the award (thus, students receiving awards in spring 2003 would need to spend all funds by June 2004) and (b) faculty mentors must write and submit a brief evaluative statement about their students' completed projects. Finally, the Committee agreed to work toward transferring administration of the Harrison Undergraduate Research Awards to the Office of Undergraduate Excellence in the College of Arts & Sciences, so long as that office understands that these awards must remain university-wide. The awards will continue to carry the name of the Faculty Senate, and Faculty Senate representatives will continue to make up the majority of the reviewers of award applications.

The meeting adjourned at 3:30 p.m.