Research Policies Committee Notes
January 9, 1998
10:00-12:00 noon
4006 Fleming

RPC members present: Richard Altschuler, Jack East, Jim House (chair), Valerie Lee (SACUA liaison), Roberto Merlin, David Musch, Ben van der Pluijm, Michael Weinstein

OVPR staff present: Lee Katterman, Tim Killeen, Fred Neidhardt, Judy Nowack, Marvin Parnes, Linda Peterson, Jackie Hoats (staff)

The November RPC minutes were approved. There was no regular RPC meeting in December.

Updates from the Chair:
Jim House said Nancy Cantor and Lee Bollinger are trying to reach closure on the discovery process this month. Cantor would like to meet again with RPC members regarding RPC's report which has been circulated to SACUA. The meeting will occur February 6, 11:00-12:00 noon, 3081 Fleming. At end of that meeting RPC faculty will discuss whether to distribute the report more widely. The Steneck history on the development of graduate studies and research has been distributed to RPC members since the last meeting on the discovery process in December.

Fred Neidhardt said decisions based on the discovery process will be made this week, and next week there will be a document issued from Cantor and Neidhardt describing the outcomes of the discovery process. OVPR senior staff will meet with Cantor on Monday; so the meeting with RPC members on February 6th will be an important follow-up to her previous discussions with RPC on the discovery process.

Updates from OVPR:
Fred Neidhardt gave a status report on the "lifespan" unit reviews (Reproductive Sciences, Center for Human Growth & Development, Institute for Gerontology). The external reviewers for IoG are coming on Monday. John Faulkner is the interim director at IoG, and Neidhardt said IoG is going into the review process with a very positive attitude. The external reviews have already occurred for the other units though the reports have not yet been received.

The Managing Integrity in Research conference, co-sponsored by OVPR with the PHS Office of Research Integrity, is coming up on February 10-11, 1998. Harold Shapiro, President of Princeton University and Chair of the National Bioethics Advisory Committee, will deliver the keynote address. Recent controversy regarding cloning is likely to spark interest in Shapiro's talk. Judy Nowack said there are still some openings in the conference panel schedule. RPC members offered suggestions of individuals to fill the open slots.

Neuro-imaging. Neidhardt said OVPR and the provost are working with a group of deans to provide infrastructure and space in order to move forward in this field. Engineering, LSA, and the Medical School are involved in the discussions. Richard Altschuler said neuro-imaging on campus is still very fragmented with groups that never talk to each other. He said currently units do not take advantage of infrastructure that already exists. Neidhardt said he described this situation last spring to the deans, and since the fall there has been a dramatic turn-around in this picture. An example is the infrastructure grant which involves three deans. Roberto Merlin asked if faculty are saying they want this type of infrastructure. Neidhardt said faculty have been saying for a long time that they want to interact and to purchase the piece of hardware in question. Everyone is investing together. House noted that without coordination at the deans' level this sort of thing could not happen, and hopefully this will be a prototype situation.

Judy Nowack noted the 1995 reorganization of the UM human subjects review system. She said the most recent change was to bring the administrators of the IRBs Health and Behavioral Science to OVPR in July 1997. The goal is of this move is to develop Kate Keever (IRB Health) and Linda Peterson (IRB Behavioral Science) into comprehensive overseers of the IRB process, with an ability to see and attend to systemic problems. Current issues facing the IRBs include getting students to obtain the appropriate IRB review in time for class-related projects and thesis research. There will be a Record article about this soon. Some solutions are to implement triggers at Rackham, in connection with minigrant programs, and a consistent faculty in-class trigger that would prompt students to begin the IRB review process earlier.

Fred Neidhardt said the OVPR annual report was presented to the Regents in mid-December. This was the presentation of the numbers only, titled "Measure by Measure." This report will later be transformed into a discussion on the meaning and impact of research on campus. RPC will receive copies of the numbers report. Three questions to addressed in the upcoming report are, how are we doing; what does future hold; and what lessons can we learn from the data? Neidhardt said Michigan has emerged as the number one research university as measured by expenditures for research, but he noted we do not celebrate it because of our uneasiness over whether dire predictions of the past several years may come to pass.

Fred Neidhardt said Congressman Vern Ehlers is preparing a statement regarding the role of the federal government in supporting university research. Neidhardt said congress has not taken steps to avoid the collision course between balancing the budget and an entitlement increase. This creates uncertainty about whether there will be money left to support increases in research funding advocated by several congressmen. Neidhardt said we must not relent in our efforts to keep congress informed of the value of research.

Lee Katterman announced that on January 25 there will be a premiere screening of the Porgy and Bess documentary at the Michigan Theater. The documentary will also be aired on PBS in February 4. The Ann Arbor screening will include an appearances by William Warfield and others who appeared past productions of the show. There will be a reception on stage afterward and RPC members are invited. Katterman noted that the documentary is a major contribution to the decades-long evolution of this important show.

RPC Agenda Items for Winter Term:
Continuing issues include:
- the conclusion of the discovery process; - research integrity; and - research and education

New issues to discuss include:
- Intellectual properties and technology transfer, particularly a review of how the Intellectual Properties Policy is working;
- Laboratory safety and OSEH issues can be revisited now that the position of the executive vice president and chief financial officer has been filled. Jack East and Dave Ballou had been looking into safety issues as they relate to students;
- VCM/budget system. Invite Paul Courant to an RPC meeting to discuss the interdisciplinary issues;
- PRS track; and
- Industrial Initiatives. A February presentation to the Regents is planned on this topic.

Research and Undergraduate Education: Tim Killeen
Tim Killeen said Michigan is now considered number one in the integration of teaching and research. He said UM has won two awards (RARE) which recognize past accomplishments in teaching and research. Currently there are discussions of hosting a national workshop here on teaching and research in late summer or fall. NSF is interested in assisting. Next month there will be a meeting with Luther Williams from NSF to discuss it. We could use the RARE award for the conference as well. The conference would likely be invitation-only to peer institutions. Killeen said there is a similar workshop next week in Manhattan, Kansas (Kansas State is also a RARE awardee). Killeen and Gary Krenz are going to discuss how to extend the range of research-related educational activities and infuse them through the curriculum. There will also be a website to share ideas.

Killeen said faculty minigrants for undergraduate education are now available through the provost's office and OVPR. The campus-wide program has been fashioned after the YoHA course community. The purpose is to develop innovative schemes to enrich undergraduate experience. This is a first step to extending the range of UROP. This is a high priority and working with the provost's office gives a great strategic nexus.

Roberto Merlin asked about the problem of evaluating the success with students of such programs. He asked whether these students really have an advantage in getting into graduate school. Killeen there is data on the positive effect of UROP on students. He said retention almost doubles for African American, Caucasian, and Asian students who participate in UROP over that of a control group of non-UROP students. UROP students also tended to earn GPAs almost a half grade point higher than control group students. Sandy Gregerman, the Director of UROP, is trying to collect data on the outcomes for UROP students after graduation.

Do UROP students stay in their field? Lee Katterman said students seem to find that their UROP experience has more to do with what they ultimately decide to study as a major than does course work. Anna Rath noted the UROP, or other research, experience is still extremely valuable even if it is not in the same field as a student's major or ultimate career.

RPC discussed the feasibility from a faculty standpoint of a research experience for all undergraduate students. What are the faculty limitations? UROP works now with a small number of students. Can everyone have a one-on-one experience? It was noted that all students at the University should have a greater understanding of research, but perhaps not all need a one-on-one experience. And yet at such a large University it is important for students to have an opportunity to get to know a faculty member. Jim House said in the social sciences the type of research experience available for students is haphazard. A faculty member may want to give a student higher level tasks, but the student may come with no prior experience in the field. The same mold won't work for every discipline. In laboratory environments it can be easier to integrate students, but out in the field it can be more difficult.

Tim Killeen invited RPC to continue to share their ideas on the national workshop which is being planned. RPC members said they would like to see again the data on the effects of UROP upon students.

Regental Research Policy Implementation:
This item will be deferred until the February RPC meeting. Staff from DRDA will be invited to the meeting in order to give their perspective on the review and negotiation of non-standard clauses in research contracts.

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