September 20, 2004

Present: Rob Shakespeare (chair), Judith Anderson, Erik Bucy, Katy Fraser, Jeff Hart, Kevin Hunt, Chuck Livingston, Al Ruesink (recorder), Pam Walters

Minutes of the meeting on Sept. 13th were amended and approved.

The meeting convened at 2:30.

There was considerable discussion about tentative topics for consideration this year. Decisions on topics not noted previously in minutes are still pending.

At 3:00 we were joined by Associate Dean for Research Ted Widlanski and Chris Puckett, director of Budgetary Administration.

College Policy Committee members shared various problems (deemed either systemic or rather general) that they or their colleagues had experienced regarding obtaining or utilizing research facilities and funding. These included such things as a) differences between budget categories in moneys awarded and in the budget then set up and used by the University, b) lack of clarity regarding how much funding is actually left in a grant, c) difficulties managing the dollar flow when doing field work abroad (credit cards and purchase order numbers are useless), and d) substantial differences in the amount and kind of support different departments in the College provide for writing and administering grants.

As we talked with Widlanski and Puckett, the following conclusions emerged:

1. Widlanski said he is deeply committed to smoothing the way for doing painless research in the College. If a faculty member perceives a problem with the way Contracts and Administration or Financial Management personnel handle a grant, the faculty member should talk with Ted in cases where they are experiencing difficulties. Ted feels his record for making change is good and that he is able to work past hurdles that might be erected by sharp exchanges between a faculty and an administrative office.

2. Overhead returns don't cover all the secondary costs of doing research. If the campus doubles its research dollars by 2010, the goal President Herbert has suggested, it is likely that even more non-grant funds will have to be devoted to such costs than are presently sent that direction.

3. There are differences among departments in the support they provide for securing external funding and for administering grants. With the budgets remaining tight there will likely be little additional money for bolstering such efforts. Departments that believe such improvements are needed will likely have to reallocate funds internally to achieve such goals.

4. Word from SOTL (Scholarship of Teaching and Learning program) that emerged after the meeting is that Doug Karpa-Wilson of ISS (Instructional Support Services) is available to help social scientists (perhaps better said, non-medical researchers) with obtaining human subject permission in an expeditious manner.

Ted and Chris left about 3:50. The meeting adjourned at 4:00.

Albert Ruesink, recorder

Questions or comments regarding the minutes and actions of the Policy Committee may be addressed to Rob Shakespeare, Dept. of Theater and Drama, Theater and Drama Ctr. A300H, 5-4367, shakespe@indiana.edu. Past minutes and College Policy Statements can be found at the CPC web page: www.indiana.edu/~college/faculty/policy/policies.shtml.