understanding research operations and the needs of researchers
DESCRIPTION
Robert Emery, DrPH, CHP, CIH, CSP, RBP, CHMM, CPP, ARM Vice President for Safety, Health, Environment & Risk Management The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Associate Professor of Occupational Health The University of Texas School of Public Health. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Robert Emery, DrPH, CHP, CIH, CSP, RBP, CHMM, CPP, ARMVice President for Safety, Health, Environment & Risk ManagementThe University of Texas Health Science Center at HoustonAssociate Professor of Occupational HealthThe University of Texas School of Public Health
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Background EH&S programs play an important role
within research, but…. EH&S staff understanding and appreciation
for how research works is often lackingPatently obvious from recurrent discussions in
the UTS EH&S Academy courses and multiple EH&S program peer reviews
The better we as a profession understand our clients, the better service we can provide
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Covey’s 5th Habit
“seek to understand, then be understood”
(The 7 Habits of Highly Successful People)
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Objectives Describe the three main university
constituencies, and the relative importance of each
Describe how a person becomes a faculty member
Describe what a faculty member does, and how they are measured
Explain the underlying basis for some of the common critiques of faculty
Discuss measures that can be taken by EH&S programs to improve services to faculty
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Three Main Constituencies Students Faculty Staff (Administration)
Who is most important? What group is “necessary and sufficient”
to achieve the missions of the institution?
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University Core Missions
Teaching Research Service
Where do the funds come from to do this work?
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Major Current-Fund Revenue Sources for All Public Degree-Granting Institutions
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
1980-81 1985-86 1990-91 1996-97 2000-01
Pe
rce
nta
ge
Dis
trib
uti
on
Other
Federal Grants and Contracts
Tuition and Fees
Sales and Services
State Appropriations
Source: U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. Digest of Education Statistics 2003.
Revenue at Public Institutions(from NACUBO Website)
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Major Current-Fund Revenue Sources for All Private Degree- Granting Institutions
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1980-81 1985-86 1990-91 1995-96
Per
cen
tag
e D
istr
ibu
tio
n
Other
Endow ment Income
Private Gifts and Grants
Federal Grants and Contracts
Sales and Services
Tuition and Fees
Source: U.S Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics. Digest of Education Statistics 2003.
Revenue at Private Institutions(from NACUBO Website)
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What is it EH&S Wants from Researchers?
Complete training, have staff trained Read, understand and comply with rules Maintain inventories Fill out, return forms Work safely Report events, accidents, injuries Clean up messes Dispose of waste properly Serve as model for others
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Becoming a Faculty Member Develop a keen interest and aptitude in an area Complete terminal degree Post doctoral fellowship? Job search (Chronicle of Higher Education) Recruitment, promises? Hiring Contract, perhaps yearly or 5-7 yrs
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Tenure Track vs. Non Tenure Track Faculty positions come in two main
classes Tenure definition
a statement by the university: “we place value on what you have to say”
establishes security Finite number of tenure track positions Non tenure track positions can be added
(or deleted) more easily
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Faculty Hierarchy
Adjunct Instructor, Lecturer, or Research
Associate Assistant Professor Associate Professor Professor
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Faculty Hierarchy
Non Tenure Non Tenure TrackTrack
Tenure TrackTenure Track
Assistant Assistant ProfessorProfessor
Associate Associate ProfessorProfessor
ProfessorProfessor
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How Faculty are Measured?
Teaching Class taught, guest lectures, student
evaluations
ResearchFunded grants, scholarly (peer reviewed)
publications, abstracts
ServiceEditorial boards, committees, advisory
panels
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Generic Process Steps School, school,
school Dissertation,
defense Post-doctoral
training Land faculty position
sign contractteaching, research,
service Start up money? Preliminary results?
Remember, inherent to research is failure
Seeking supportwho funds your kind of work?what’s the business plan?what’s the science?what will it cost?necessary reviews
Initial rejection (success rate may be 1 in 3 or 1 in 4)
Re-apply, more forms Teach, service
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Generic Process Steps Notification of award
not as much as you needed
not coming when you need it
Periodic progress reports
Eventual results Inability to bank funds Submit for publication,
critical review
Renew, continue? On track for
promotion, tenure, career change?
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Why Be a Faculty Member? Rewards of teaching Excitement and rewards of discovery Intellectual stimulation Elevated status by being associated with
university Professional achievement
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Peer Review Faculty are “hard wired” for critical
review Scholarly work must be constantly
defended – it’s the basis of the process Hence, faculty often apply critical review
to other institutional aspects as well Expect critical review, but don’t take it
personally Address concerns and move on
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Faculty Frustration
Anything that interferes with actual teaching, research, or serviceInterruptionsApparent bureaucracyChores, meetings“Pushing down” of tasksImpediments to getting grants out the door
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The Great Irony
Research, by definition, is doing work that has not been done before
Yet, funding agencies and institutions demand timelines and budgets to describe how this will be done
Thus, from the onset, faculty are frustrated with the process, yet it is essential to success
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Indirect Cost Recovery The cost of overhead negotiated
between the university and the funding agency
An amount of money above and beyond the direct cost of the research
A constant source of contention between faculty and administration
Funds awarded to institution, but wouldn’t have been awarded without faculty effort
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Contracts vs. Grants A “contract” is a business arrangement for
the supply of certain goods or services at a fixed price
A “grant” is the formal bestowing or transfer of funds, in hopes that some societal benefit may occur (“cast money upon the waters…”)
What about “grants” with “subcontracts in” or “subcontracts out”?
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Pre-award and Post-award Pre-award process
Division, department, school reviews and approvals
Scientific reviews Human subjects,
animals, hazardous materials
Other collaborators and associated ICR, reviews
Cost sharing, waivers Deadlines
Post award process Award receipt Account set up Subcontracts in or out Time and effort
reporting Expenditure reviews Progress reports Subcontractor
compliance Renewals terminations
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Promotion and Tenure At pre-determined time, faculty member
will apply for promotion, tenure or both – in effect “up or out”
Teaching, research, service outcomes assessed by peers both internal and external to the university
Vote (secret ballot?) Outcome – promotion or no promotion,
tenure or no tenure
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Conceptual Timeline Assume complete bachelors degree at age 22 Pursue masters, doctorate: +6 yrs Post doctoral fellowship: +4 yrs First faculty job – sign 7 yr contract, by 5th year
will be able to predict PT success or failure
That’s 15 years of career uncertainty! (now at age 37)
If one fails, professional options greatly limited, given the time and effort invested
Talk about stress!!!!!
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Other Faculty Complaints Not enough time – too many demands Genuine love for one aspect, but impacts
outcomes in others –balance is important “Didn’t realize I would be a small business
operator” Too much paperwork Absence of “bridging funds” Interfering with academic freedom Lack of mentoring
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Common EH&S Complaints About Researchers
Last minute Pack rat Irritable Doesn’t comply Constantly criticizes policies “Creative”
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Typical Administrative Response to Client Concerns
1 person - a fruitcake 2 persons – fruitcake and friend 3 persons – troublemakers 5 persons – let’s have a meeting 10 persons – we’d better listen 25 persons – our dear friends 50 persons – a powerful organization
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Suggestions for EH&S Programs Ensure that every staff member
understands the needs of researchers Invite researchers to department to talk
about their work and the challenges they face
Make the department apply for a grant or two, and manage itEven better if some portion of salary “put at risk”
Have department staff attend seminars and “research days” to see the outcomes of the work they support
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Suggestions for EH&S Programs Have director (and others if possible) get
active faculty positions Design systems with researcher
challenges in mind – make it simple and non-invasive
Solicit researcher feedback – don’t assume you know what is best
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Summary The faculty are key component of any
institution of higher learning The challenges that face faculty are
daunting – must constantly demonstrate success in teaching, research and service
Develop an understanding of the researchers, and design systems with these needs in mind
Solicit feedback Show how your program furthers the
mission of the institution!