2016-29

Arizona State University
University Senate
Spring 2016

Senate Motion #2016-29

Motion Introduced by: University Academic Council, Chaired by Brenda Hosley           

Date of First Reading: January 25, 2016     

Date of Second Reading: February 22, 2016           

Title of Motion: Converting the Research and Creative Activities Committee (RCA) to a Senate Standing Committee     

Action Requested: The University Academic Council recommends Senate approval of this motion.

Rationale/Details: The conversion of the Research and Creative Activities committee to a University Senate standing committee will benefit both faculty members and academic professionals as well as the Office of Knowledge and Enterprise Development (OKED). The benefits to this transition are numerous. Through its representative structure, the University Senate has substantial access to faculty members and academic professionals interested in committee service. Additionally, the University Senate, which is acknowledged as the shared governance organization at ASU, is highly qualified to facilitate this faculty feedback mechanism. The conversion to a University Senate standing committee will provide OKED the continued benefit of critical, thorough and responsive faculty feedback on research related topics, policies and procedures. Should the Senate decide to explore research related topics/issues proactively, this change will provide the University Senate better access to the faculty work-force subject matter expertise that is available on the RCA committee. Additionally, the inclusion of the RCA as a Senate standing committee provides a level of continuity for this faculty input, since all Senate standing committees are codified in the Academic Affairs Policy Manual (ACD), under section 112 – 01.

The two previous subcommittees of the RCA, the Classified Research Subcommittee and the Misconduct in Research Subcommittee will not become Senate standing committees, but rather, University committees We are recommending that the Classified Research Subcommittee be renamed the Classified Research Committee (CRC), and the Misconduct in Research Subcommittee be renamed the Misconduct in Research Committee (MRC).  The charge, function and membership requirements of the current Classified Research Subcommittee and the Misconduct in Research Subcommittee are not being altered by this motion in any way. The charge, function and membership of these two committees will continue to adhere to the applicable sections of RSP 404.

Proposed Changes: 

ACD manual location:

ACD 112 – 01 bylaw II B. 1. c. 2      Insert: Research and Creative Activities Committee (RCA)

ACD 112 – 01 bylaw II B. 9. b. Insert          

1. Membership
   1. appointed members: the committee shall be composed of nine members from the Academic Assembly appointed by the chair of the University Academic Council, in consultation with the Office of Knowledge and Enterprise Development and the Senate Committee on Committees, to staggered three-year terms, with two additional members appointed by the Senior VP for the Office of Knowledge and Enterprise Development (OKED)
   2. ex officio: the Senior Vice President of the Office of Knowledge and Enterprise Development and the University Senate President shall serve as ex officio nonvoting members.
   3. terms: each appointed voting member shall serve staggered three-year terms.                                                             

Purpose and function: to serve in an advisory capacity on matters concerning research and creative activities. The RCA committee serves as a review body for policies in the ASU research manual (RSP) and faculty/AP research related topics found in the ACD manual or other manuals at ASU, as well as topics/issues brought to it by the university provost¹, the senior vice president for the Office of Knowledge and Enterprise Development and/or the University Senate.  The RCA is responsible for reporting the committee actions received in annual reports from the Classified Research Committee and the Misconduct in Research Committee, as well as outcomes and recommendations to the Senate for any issues that have been taken on as actions items.

1. Relationships:  The RCA will maintain relationships with the Classified Research Committee and the Misconduct in Research Committee, as well as the Animal Users Advisory Committee, Human Subjects Institutional Review Board, Institutional Biosafety Committee, Radiation Committee, the University Laboratory Safety Committee, the Institutional Animal Care and use committee and any other relevant committees or task forces.  

*1 See supplementary document for endnote text.