RESEARCH COUNCIL MINUTES



                              March 25, 1996





Attendees:  Bill Blass, Chair, Gayle Baker, Larry Bell, Bobby

Bledsoe, Mike Devine, David Dobbs, Zoe Hoyle, Paula Kaufman, Lori

Kincaid, Andrew Kramer, Ron Maples, Lillian Mashburn, Kula Misra,

Ben Oliver, Mike Singletary, Dwight Teeter, Phyllis Turner, Ken

Walker, Carolyn Webb, Jodie Wehr, Earl Wehry, and Gail White.



NOTE:  The next Research Council meeting will be a luncheon on

Monday, April 29, 1996 at 11:30 a.m. at the University Club.  



Comments by Bill Blass:  Blass announced changes in the agenda.  

Items 4 and 5 will be postponed until April 29.  Blass introduced

Ron Maples, Controller and Gail White, Manager from the

Controller's Office.  Both Maples and White have been invited to

attend Research Council meetings since the processing of grants

and contracts involves both the Treasurer's Office and the Office

of Research.  Blass also noted that he was nominated as

President-elect of the Faculty Senate.



Comments by Ben Oliver:  Oliver stated that the committee to

review the SARIF/GRA proposals met and awarded 29 assistantships

out of 48 (see enclosure).  David Dobbs commented that the

Mathematics Department's proposal was not funded and inquired

about the procedure for judging these proposals.  Oliver stated

that each proposal was rated by each committee member and an

average was taken.  Those with the highest average received an

award.  Blass stated that all the proposals were good but that

some were more attuned to the guidelines than others.



Comments by Mike Devine:  Devine introduced Zoe Hoyle,

Information Specialist for the Office of Research.  Hoyle will

help the research mission of the University by assisting faculty

with the Funding Opportunities and Faculty Information Service

databases.  She will also be responsible for re-instituting the

electronic Research Good News.  The Sponsored Programs Annual

Report for FY95 has recently been published (copy enclosed). 

This year's report also includes awards made by the Office of

Research's internal research incentive funds and professional

development awards made by the Graduate School.  Devine announced

that the Office of Research will be presenting  workshops on

"Strategies for Winning Contract and Grant Funding" in April. 

Minutes of the Research Advancement Subcommittee were

distributed.



Presentation on the Future for Research Universities:  Devine

talked about the changes facing research universities.  A copy of

his presentation is enclosed.  Wehry commented that competitive

salaries for faculty will impact research at universities.  Blass

commented that in-kind costsharing of PI's salaries on proposals

has been avoided.  Walker stated there was a problem in the past

with the charging of fringe benefits to departmental accounts. 

However, due to an agreement with the Vice Chancellor for

Business and Finance, fringe benefits can continue to be charged

to the central pool even when salaries are costshared on a grant

or contract.  Blass also commented that UTK should consider

themselves equal partners in the UTK/ORNL relationship rather

than the lesser of the two.  Both organizations have a lot to

offer to each other.  Oliver inquired about senior faculty near

retirement being asked to go part-time in order to free up money

for junior faculty and how this affects their benefits.  These

faculty would lose their health benefits.  Walker commented that

we should not only be concerned with how much money flows into

UTK, but also with output.  While output is difficult to measure

it shows the real successes of a university.  The University used

to publish a listing of publications by UTK faculty but there was

a lack of compliance in completing the necessary forms by some

departments, making this an imperfect and dangerous measure. 

Baker commented that the Library is currently seeking permission

from Current Contents to allow an electronic listing of current

publications.  Wehry commented that current purchasing procedures

are an impediment in doing research.  Kaufman commented that the

lack of funding for the Library will affect the ability to do

research.  Mashburn announced that there is another continuing

budget resolution.  She stated that some agencies (e.g. EPA,

Department of Education) will have a lot of  money to spend

before the end of the fiscal year once budgets are set.  She

recommended staying in touch with project managers.  Blass would

like to include a discussion on the issue of limiting Ph.Ds at

the next RC meeting.



Adjournment:  5:03 p.m.









A final luncheon meeting will be held Monday, April 29, 1996 at

11:30 a.m. at the University Club.  A head count is needed for

the luncheon, please RSVP to Jodie Wehr (4-2469 or

jwehr@utk.edu).