2010-01-29: Winter 2010

SSRIC Winter Meeting Minutes
CSU, Los Angeles
Jan. 29, 2010

Present: Jon Korey (Pomona) [temporary chair], Greg Bohr (San Luis Obispo), Rhonda Dugan (Bakersfield), Matt Jarvis (Fullerton), Ali Modarres (Los Angeles), Kathy Naff (San Francisco), Ed Nelson (Fresno), Ken Shultz (San Bernardino), Gene Turner (Northridge)
 
Present via Elluminate: Stafford Cox (Long Beach), Nan Chico (East Bay), Tia Hilmer (San Diego), Josh Meisel  (Humboldt), Nadeen Misiaszek (San Diego), Carl Stempel (East Bay), Rich Taketa (San Jose), Lori Weber (Chico), Andrew Roderick [afternoon] (San Francisco)

A. Last Meeting’s Minutes and Information Items

1. MSP to approve last month’s minutes.

2. John Korey and Ed Nelson reported numerous bouncebacks from the long email list on the SSRIC web site. The returns were from the distribution of the SSRIC Newsletter. Reps were asked to review their member lists and to get a SSRIC account if they do not have one.

3. There is to be a meeting in a week at Sacramento to review the proposal for a California Social Survey. Ted Lascher will moderate. A teleconference site will be at Riverside.

4. Ed Nelson noted that since the due date for Field proposals had been moved from Jan. 15 to Apr. 15 that there were many more applications. Reps were encouraged to promote applications.

B. By Law Revisions – John Korey

            Proposed revisions to the SSRIC By-laws that had been emailed out earlier were reviewed. Suggested changes were highlighted in red and discussion focused on three areas.
MSP to approve the Bylaw changes with the following modifications to the document:

i. In Article V, Section 3 the Council approved [MSP] the following language:

3. Subject to ratification by the Council the Chair will appoint an executive committee to advise the Chair. The executive committee shall be authorized to act on behalf of the Council when it is necessary to make decisions between Council meetings. Any such decisions shall be made with maximum feasible communication and consultation with the full Council.

ii. In Article II, Sections 2, 3, and 4 the Council approved [MSP] the following:

2. To facilitate social science research.

3. To support the development of quantitative literacy of students and faculty.

4. To support and implement the collection and distribution of social science data and computer-aided instruction.

 iii. In Article IV, Section 1 the Council approved [MSP] the following:

1. Each campus shall appoint at least one representative to the Council, and may appoint one or more alternate representatives. Alternate representatives shall have full rights and responsibilities when acting as such. Past Council chairs who no longer serve as campus representatives but who remain affiliated with the CSU system may serve as ex-officio, non-voting members of the Council.

 iv. In Article I: This organization shall be known as the California State University Social Science Research and Instructional Council (thereinafter referred to as ‘the Council’).

C. Review of SRIC Strategic Plan – Kathy Naff

            The plan prepared by Al Hyde earlier had been emailed to representatives for consideration. The Council felt that in these uncertain economic times that we should begin to implement some of the items. Rich Taketa noted that the document would be important in keeping us on course over an extended time frame even though representatives would change.

            Kathy Naff suggested we focus on the first three items and consider an implementation schedule contained on page 12 of the report. Proposed steps of action begin on page 7.
            A. Funding Continuity & Adequacy – Ensuring Budget Stability
            B. Expanding Outreach to Faculty
            C. Building Community Development – Strengthening Interaction within SSRIC

Kathy agreed to suggest specific items on which the Council can focus at the spring meeting, and to ask Ellen Berg to place these on the agenda.

            Ed Nelson said there was some CO funding of the databases this year. Other funding options were discussed, but the Council has no account that could be used to accrue funds from outside grants and projects. Ed said he would talk to Ellen Berg to see if she might explore making the SSRIC a line item in the CSU budget. Ed will be meeting with Gerry Hanley at the CO in a week and he will explore if the CO might develop a budget for the SSRIC and make the SSRIC a line item in the future CSU budgets.

            Ed also noted that we have made steps toward item B through the distribution of the Newsletter. Matt Jarvis said he would explore creating a faculty survey via Survey Monkey.

            Ed said we had taken steps toward item C by the recent implementation of Elluminate sessions for our Council meetings.

D. ICPSR Summer Program – Lori Weber

            Lori Weber reported that there will be significant changes in the ICPSR Council this year with half of the representatives being replaced and a new director, George Alter. Funding for the Summer Program has been in jeopardy, but that this year we will have funding for one person to attend a 4-week session. More people might attend shorter sessions. We usually get few applicants for this program and reps are encouraged to promote it. The program will be distributed on February 9th.

            Lori reviewed the ICPSR Online Teaching Resources. The site offers Data-Driven Learning Guides that supplement undergraduate social science coursework with learning exercises using actual ICPSR data. They cover 42 subject areas in political science, sociology, and social psychology. They can be completed by the student or used for classroom demonstrations.

            Lori noted that ICPSR student internship deadline is Feb. 8th. There is a $3,000-$5,000 stipend, room and board in university housing, and a scholarship covering the cost of fees, texts, and materials for coursework. The Internship runs June 7-August 13, 2010.  For more information, see http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/icpsrweb/ICPSR/careers/internship.jsp

E. Selection of New Chair for 2010 – 2011

            Ed Nelson nominated Greg Bohr for SSRIC Chair next year. There were no other nominations and Greg was unanimously approved by the Council.

F. Spring Student Research Conference – John Korey

            John Korey reported that many of the materials are online via the SSRIC web page. These may be accessed via hyperlinks on the left margin of the web page. There is a student registration form in particular. Students wishing to compete for an award must submit their paper in addition to an abstract.

            John asked for help with a review committee for student papers. Elen Berg, Ed Nelson, Liz Nelson, Rhonda Dugan, and Greg Bohr have volunteered. John said that an ICPSR review model seemed attractive where papers were distributed electronically to 2-3 readers each. After all papers were reviewed and ranked, they were discussed in a conference call to select finalists.

            John asked for suggestions for a keynote speaker, especially one with experience with the Census which will be in action during the time of the Conference. Gene Turner said he would contact Dowell Myers as a possibility. Other possibilities included Leo Estrada [Ali], Bruce King [Matt], and Morgan Kousser [Ali].

            Session moderators will be needed and SSRIC reps attending the conference can be expected to get the call.

G. DIVA Resources – Andrew Roderick

            Andy Roderick reviewed several DIVA resources that may be of interest.
            1. There is a SSRIC data collection area on DIVA. This includes a workshop video from CSU, Bakersfield.

http://diva.sfsu.edu/bundles/188838
http://diva.sfsu.edu/bundles/188839
http://diva.sfsu.edu/bundles/188840
http://diva.sfsu.edu/bundles/188842
http://diva.sfsu.edu/bundles/188843
http://diva.sfsu.edu/bundles/188844
http://diva.sfsu.edu/bundles/188845
http://diva.sfsu.edu/bundles/188846

            2. A Virtual Lab feature enables offsite lab access of a campus computer from a remote computer. Some people have found this very helpful.
            3. A resource called Fresca (fresca.calstate.edu) enables the creation of interest groups (i.e. SSRIC) and where faculty can list their backgrounds, interests, and research for others to review and to communicate. Andrew said he needed someone to oversee the SSRIC area and Ed Nelson said he would give it a try.

H. SSRIC Workshops – Ed Nelson

Ed reviewed a list of workshops held or scheduled for the current school year. An additional one was proposed for Long Beach.

            Ed said we might check out using Elluminate for a webinar, Camtasia for an instructional video, and what ICPSR has available. Ken Shultz asked about creating a new workshop on psychology methods.

2009-10 SSRIC Workshops

Scheduled

  1. Fresno, SPSS intro, Feb 5 (Ed)
  2. Fresno, SPSS intermediate, Feb 8 (Ed)
  3. San Francisco, data bases, February 26 (Lori, Kathy)
  4. San Bernardino, data bases, March 5 (John, Gene, Ken)
  5. Humboldt, data bases, April 9 (Lori and Josh and Stephanie)
  6. San Francisco, data in the classroom, April 16 (Lori, Kathy, Ed)
  7. Los Angeles, data in the classroom, May 14 (John, Ali)

Completed

  1. Fullerton, SDA, August (Matt)
  2. Bakersfield, data in the classroom, October 16 (John, Ed)
  3. Fresno, data bases, October 30 (Ed)

To be scheduled

  1. Long Beach, date and topic to be determined (possibly SPSS – Intermediate)

Fall, 2010

  1. San Bernardino, data in the classroom

I. Database Usage – Ed Nelson

            Ed Nelson reviewed the midyear report on CSU database usage. Roper use had increased and Field was down. There was some concern over the ICPSR usage reports because of a reporting problem identified by ICPSR. Gene Turner said he found it hard to believe that access by CSU, Northridge had dropped from 2955 to 8 in one year. Ed said he would check on usage with ICPSR even though overall there was a slight increase over last year.

            Reasons for decline in Field may include the fact that Field now surveys only registered voters which are less interesting to population researchers. Data of interest also may be being reused after being downloaded earlier.

Minutes:

Gene Turner