Eastern Oregon University

Tech-Fee Committee Minutes

December 1, 2005

Members Present:  Frederick Pratter, Anna Cavinato, Linda Fratzke, Steffany Long, Jessica Zimmerer, Bryan Pearson, Darren Hendrickson

Resource Members Present:  Paul Rowan, Shirley Roberts

Guests Present:  Provost Miller

Tech Fee Committee met on this date at 7:00 am in Pierce Library.

The minutes from November 10 and November 16 were approved with a spelling correction.

Provost Miller thanked the committee members for their hard work throughout the process of evaluating the proposals.  He asked for clarification regarding the details of the process and how the committee decides which proposals to fund. In particular, the Provost raised the following issues for further discussion: 

• Proposals from EOU partners, such as OHSU and OSU Ag Program:  Should proposals from these partners require the partners to provide matching funds? 
• Committee fund allocation: What policies need to be in place for maintenance of the equipment purchased?
• Clarification of funding criteria:  Under what specific circumstances can/should tech fee funds be used to pay for campus infrastructure?
• Department review of proposals:  What policies and procedures are needed to ensure that the dean or director of the school/department has reviewed all proposals?  For partner requests, the Provost as well as the dean or director should review all proposals. 
• Space concerns:  Provost Miller stressed that the committee should always confirm that there is physical space available to house the equipment purchased through a proposal before the proposal is funded.
• Should a proposal be resubmitted the next year after it has been denied?  When the PI is notified of an unsuccessful proposal, Provost Miller would like to include a statement stating the proposal fits the criteria for Tech Fee funding, but there is no funding available, or the proposal does not fit the criteria for Tech Fee funding. 
• Provost Miller asked the committee to work with the Teaching and Learning Center to schedule a workshop (before next year’s proposals are due) to help faculty prepare the proposals.

Provost Miller would also like to schedule a work meeting (or series of meetings, if necessary) to discuss the composition of the committee as well as the committee charge.  He stressed the need for membership continuity on the committee.  He also plans to ask Michael Sirrine, Director of Grants & Sponsored Programs, to join the committee as a resource member and suggested that Student Government be contacted regarding having a DDE student join the committee.

Minutes submitted by Helen Moore.