Minutes of the Undergraduate Research Grant Committee
Meeting held on September 2, 2009
432 Carl Wimberly Hall

Present: Gretchen Berns, Tony Docan-Morgan, Lalita Pandit Hogan, Kathryn Birkeland, Bonnie Bratina, Nicholas Downey, Aric Opdahl,  Tim Gongaware, Jason Schroeder, Nicole Johnson.

Absent (excused): Vijendra Agrawal, Omar Rivera 

1. Meeting was called to order by Convener Tim Gongaware at 1:30pm
2. Committee Members introduced themselves
   1. Gongaware noted that a second student member would be needed.

                                                              i.      Kathryn Birkeland had a student she would ask.

3. Gongaware reviewed the charge of the committee and noted other important discussions that will come up during the year at other meetings
   1. The next meeting should be scheduled to include:

                                                              i.      Budget discussion/approval

                                                            ii.      URG Assessment (need to hear from Betsy Morgan)

                                                          iii.      Consideration of the UR Journal and its future

2. Other items to be discussed throughout the term

                                                              i.      Faculty Senate has asked that we consider the date for the celebration and consider pushing it back.

                                                            ii.      Ethics program and undergraduate research grants

                                                          iii.      Feasibility of developing online grant submissions as opposed to the current electronic submissions.

3. Other items will be added as they come up.
3. Gongaware provided tentative dates for important events in the upcoming year
   1. Fall and Spring Grant Workshops have yet to be scheduled and planned.  If held, it can be expected in mid to late September.
   2. Fall Grant Review Cycle

                                                              i.      Grants are due electronically: Wednesday, October 21.

                                                            ii.      Grants will be available around Monday, October 26 (review sheets distributed at that time).

                                                          iii.      Large review meeting(s) scheduled for no less than 10 days later

                                                          iv.      Ballots due the Monday after the review meeting(s) and final number sent out two days after that.

                                                            v.      Meeting to determine funding levels is within a week.

3. Other events that require our attention early in the spring

                                                              i.      NCUR (deadline is December 4, conference is April 15-17)

                                                            ii.      UW System Symposium

                                                          iii.      Posters In the Rotunda

4. Spring Grant Review Cycle

                                                              i.      Grants due electronically: Wednesday, March 24.

                                                            ii.      Cycle is the same as that followed for the Fall.  Specific dates will be established at early spring meetings

5. Celebration of Student Research and Creativity

                                                              i.      Event to be held in Cartwright on March 26

5. Election of Committee Officers
   1. Gongaware called for nominations of committee Chair

                                                              i.      Kathryn Birkeland nominated and seconded

                                                            ii.      Nominations closed

                                                          iii.      Elected unanimously

2. Gongaware called for nominations of committee Vice-Chair

                                                              i.      Nick Downey nominated and seconded

                                                            ii.      Nominations closed

                                                          iii.      Elected unanimously

3. Gongaware called for nominations of committee Recorder

                                                              i.      Tony Docan-Morgan nominated and seconded

                                                            ii.      Nominations closed

                                                          iii.      Elected unanimously

6. Newly elected Chair, Kathryn Birkeland, took over the meeting.
7. Future Meetings
   1. Given items to be discussed another meeting will need to be scheduled in September.
   2. Chair Birkeland began organizing for potential meeting times.  She will take the times to VJ to coordinate them with his schedule and then send out announcements to members.
   3. The following decisions were made

                                                              i.      Large review meeting (if only one is needed) will be on Tuesday, November 10 at 4:00pm

                                                            ii.      Ballots will then be due on Monday, November 16.

                                                          iii.      Unless otherwise noted, meetings will be held in room 432 Carl Wimberly Hall.

8. Meeting adjourned at 2:15pm

Respectfully Submitted by Convener, Tim Gongaware