Research and Scholarship Committee

October 19, 2005 - 2:00-3:30 p.m.

Board Room, Newcomb Hall

Present: Susan Kirk, Steve Wilson, Jon Mikalson, John Wilson, Richard Steeves, Larry Phillips, William Walker, Houston Wood

Susan Kirk, Chair of the Research and Scholarship Committee, called the meeting to order. Introductions were made.

The main order of business for the meeting was a discussion of this year's Harrison Awards for Undergraduate Research. This program was established by the Faculty Senate to encourage research opportunities for students, working with a faculty mentor. The awards are administered through the Arts and Sciences Office for Undergraduate Excellence, directed by Nicole Hurd. The Faculty Senate will maintain its previous level of involvement in the reviewing and selection process for the Harrison Awards. The Research and Scholarship Committee will also be invited to all social functions pertaining to the Awards, such as research presentations and receptions.

Susan Kirk reported that she has been working closely with Nicole Hurd regarding the logistics for administering this year's Harrison Awards. Dr. Kirk reported that she and Ms. Hurd are working on creating a standardized approach to the Request for Proposals, review, funding, and selection process for the Harrison Awards.

The committee that is charged with reading and rating the proposals will be made up of at least 50% Research and Scholarship Committee members. A standardized evaluation system is being created, based on a 5-point rating system, and including a summary paragraph.

The deadline for submitting proposals has been moved up to December 6, and decisions will be made as students return to UVA after winter break. Award recipients will be announced in January. Dr. Kirk said the Research and Scholarship Committee should meet no later than December 13, and meet again the week before students return to discuss the proposals.

One of the Research and Scholarship Committee members asked about the possibility of requiring electronic submission of proposals and letters of support on a secure website. Dr. Kirk will work with Ms. Hurd regarding this suggestion. It was also suggested that wording be added to the Request for Proposals that calls for student accountability for completing his/her research. A suggestion was also made to require more detail on the significance of the project (final product and impact should be added). In addition, there were suggestions made for minor changes in the wording of the RFP to make the requirements more explicit.

Houston Wood, Chair of the Faculty Senate, suggested that in the future possibly there could be fewer awards, with each award having an increased value. Currently each award is up-to $3,000 for the student. Another suggestion for increasing the award was to eliminate the $1,000 faculty stipend and increase the student award to an amount up to $4.000.

Dr. Kirk reported that Dave Hudson, in the Office for the Vice President for Research has attended Research and Scholarship Committee meetings in the past, asking for input on various research and oversight issues. One of the issues Mr. Hudson is working on is the possibility of creating a separate HIC/NIH office to oversee student research initiatives, such as the Harrison Undergraduate Research Awards. Dr. Kirk said she will invite Mr. Hudson to a committee meeting. Dr. Kirk also said the Vice President for Research Office currently has not finalized the University patent policy.

Houston Wood suggested that the Research and Scholarship Committee invite Roseanne Ford, Associate Vice President for Research and Graduate Studies, to a committee meeting to report on the work of that office.

The meeting adjourned at 3:00 p.m.