The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Research Council
Summary of Activities, 1999-2000
Research Council engaged in several activities during the 1999-2000
academic year:
- Mike Singletary, Associate Dean of The Graduate School, announced at
the September meeting that the School was relaxing the policy limiting
admission of international students. They would forward all applications
to departments without additional screening. During the 1998-1999
academic year, the Research Council had initiated a dialog with the
Graduate School questioning the rationale of their policy on admission of
international graduate students.
- Continuing work from the previous year, the Research Infrastructure
Committee researched several desktop computing refresh programs for
faculty at other institutions and brought forward a proposal for such a
program at the University of Tennessee. The committee worked closely with
staff from the Division of Information Infrastructure. The proposal was
eventually approved and sent to Chancellor Snyder. One-time funding of
$1,000,000 was allocated for a Faculty Desktop Refresh program for 1/3 of
the faculty (400) in Spring 2000. Dr. T. Dwayne McCay told Council that
the administration has plans to allocate funds to continue the program at
all University of Tennessee campuses.
- Members of Research Council made significant contributions to the
University's Acceptable Use Policy for computing resources.
- Several members of Research Council met with Dr. Wade Gilley, on
November 12, to exchange views on issues associated with research at the
University.
- At the December meeting, Alice Woody, Associate General Counsel for the
University, spoke to the Council about the Tennessee Open Records Law and
pointed out problems that affect the University's ability to obtain
contracts and grants from private industry.
- Elizabeth Aversa, Director of the School of Information Science, gave a
presentation at the December meeting about the use of citation data to
measure research productivity.
- The DII Emerging Technologies Group gave a presentation of some of
their projects during the January meeting.
- The Policies & Procedures Committee investigated faculty
development/sabbatical programs at other institutions. They worked with
the Faculty Development Committee of the Faculty Senate.
- Members of three of the interdisciplinary thematic areas gave updates
on the activities of their respective councils at the March meeting.
- The special panels were also active this past year:
- The special panel for the Chancellor's Awards reviewed nominations for
the awards, 22 for the "Research and Creative Achievement" award and 16
for the "Professional Promise" award. Eight (8) faculty received the
"Research and Creative Achievement" award and 5 received the "Professional
Promise" award.
- Five (5) centers were reviewed positively by the panel on Center
Review.
- The SARIF panel reviewed 46 applications and funded 26.
- The EPPE panel reviewed 43 requests for funds. Requestors were awarded
$30,837 of the $35,279 requested.
Comments to: gsbaker@utk.edu
Last updated August 22, 2000.