Winter 2007 SSRIC Meeting Friday, February 9, 2007 at San Diego
Members present: George Baldwin (Monterey Bay), Kristin Bates (San Marcos), Ellen Berg (Sacramento), Greg Bohr (San Luis Obispo), Nan Chico (East Bay), Stafford Cox (Long Beach), Mark Drayse (Fullerton), Kanghu Hsu (Dominguez Hills), Carole Kennedy (San Diego), Nadine Koch (Los Angeles), John Korey (Pomona), David McCuan (Sonoma), José Moreno (Long Beach), Ed Nelson (Fresno), Stephen Routh (Stanislaus), Pam Schram (San Bernardino), Steve Stambough (Fullerton), Richard Taketa (San Jose), Gene Turner (Northridge), Billy Wagner (Bakersfield), Lori Weber (Chico)
Conference calls with Gerry Hanley (Chancellor’s Office) and with Andrew Roderick (San Francisco)
Pending Action Items:
- Revisit travel and student research journal allocations in next year’s budget (item #4).
- Send Ed Nelson information regarding research centers at your campus (item #7).
- Contact Ed Nelson if you would like to arrange one or more workshops (SSDB, SPSS, SDA, GIS, etc.) for your campus (item #9).
- Contact Bree Gunter at ICPSR to name a Designated Representative for your campus (item #10).
- Firm up application deadlines for ICPSR Summer Program (Ed Nelson and Carole Kennedy) (item #15).
- Continue to explore possibility of a California Social Survey (Lori Weber) (item #16).
1. Announcements
Lori Weber’s instructional module, Investigating Community and Social Capital, is now available on the ICPSR Web site at http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/training/social-capital/. The module “teaches data analysis of social capital as discussed in Robert D. Putnam's Bowling Alone. It introduces students to quantitative social science research with a case study on social capital. Concepts illustrated include replication, unit of analysis, level of measurement, analysis over time versus cross-sectional analysis, crosstabulation, creating an index, and correlation. This resource is intended to enhance courses in disciplines such as political science, public administration and policy, and sociology.” (ICPSR Website)
A new, easier to use, ICPSR data deposit form is now available. For more information, go to http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/org/announce.html#deposit.
ICPSR now offers “a new service to create statistical package setup files on demand. [T]his service [is designed] to assist users at member schools who want to work with particular studies in the ICPSR holdings that currently lack these setup files. To request setup files for a specific study, please contact netmail@icpsr.umich.edu. [The] User Support staff will discuss the request with you and then respond with a rough estimate of how long it will take to deliver the needed files and, if applicable, your place in the queue.” (ICPSR Website)
The ICPSR biennial Official Representatives meeting will take place October 18-20, 2007. ICPSR will provide a total of $1,000 to help defray travel expenses. The Council will consider providing the balance needed from the travel fund. The priority list for attending is:
1. San Jose 2. Sacramento 3. Bakersfield 4. Fresno 5. San Francisco 6. Los Angeles 7. SLO 8. Pomona 9. Sacramento 10. Northridge 11. East Bay 12. Stanislaus 13. Monterrey Bay 14. San Marcos 15. Dominguez Hills 16. Long Beach 17. Maritime Academy 18. Channel Islands 19. Humboldt 20. San Diego 21. Sonoma 22. Fullerton 23. Chico
UC Data is in the process of converting all Field Polls from 1956 on to SDA format. Completion of this initiative is expected soon.
At the Spring meeting dinner, the Council will commemorate its 35th anniversary. Nelson has invited former Council chairs who are no longer on the Council to join us.
Glenda Morgan has left the Chancellor’s Office for a new position at George Mason University. Pam Estaniel will continue to provide staff support.
2. Minutes
M/S/P to approve the minutes of the Fall meeting.
3. Action Items from Fall 2006 Meeting
- Exploration of research partnerships with Chancellor’s Office (Ed Nelson, Mike Reibel, Nan Chico, José Moreno, Billy Wagner): discussions are ongoing.
- Compilation of research interests of Council members (Mike Reibel): done.
- Development of FAQs for standard issues (Mike Reibel, Lori Weber): pending.
- Letters or recommendation by Council chair on behalf of Council members (Ed Nelson): done. Anyone else desiring a letter should contact Ed.
- Updates of Website to reflect change of name to “Social Science Research and Instructional Center” (John Korey, Andrew Roderick): done.
- Selection of date for Student Research Conference (Nan Chico): done (April 27, 2007).
- Redesign of teaching resources section of Website (John Korey, Andrew Roderick): partially completed.
- Exploration of cost to set up a separate mailing list for Roper emails (Andrew Roderick): no longer needed.
- Exploration of California Social Survey (Robin Högnäs, Steve Stambough, Lori Weber, Chris Bettinger, Mike Reibel): ongoing
4. Budget
The Executive Committee (Ed Nelson, Mike Reibel, Lori Weber, John Korey) submitted a proposed budget for AY 2007-2008. Among the Committee’s recommendations was an increase of stipends for teaching resource modules to $8,500 to include $6,500 for one-course released time for one faculty member proposing a module and $2,000 for two $1,000 stipends for two other faculty members. The Council instead decided to support funding of three $3,000 stipends, bringing the total amount to $9,000.
Except for this change, the budget was tentatively approved as submitted. (See appendix.) However, at the spring meeting the Council will revisit the proposed expenditures for travel and for a student research journal. By then, we hope to have in place a better system for tracking travel expenditures and will also be able to consider possible support for those attending the ICPSR biennial Official Representatives meeting in October. We also should have a better idea of whether establishment of a student journal will be feasible next year.
5. Requests for Proposals for Teaching Resources
The Teaching Resources RFP Subcommittee (Steve Stambough [chair], Gary Cretser [Sociology, Pomona), Ed Nelson) recommended that $1,000 stipends should be awarded to Lori Weber, Gene Turner, and Elizabeth Bingham to develop new modules, and that proposals from John Korey and Lori Weber for conversion of datasets to SDA format be approved. The Council accepted these recommendations.
The Teaching Resources Committee was urged to find additional means next year for publicizing the RFPs.
6. Website Updates
John Korey showed the Council changes that have been made to the site to reflect the fact that it is now the site of the renamed social science specialty center (the “Social Science Research and Instructional Center”). Also, what had been the “Teaching Resources Depository” is now simply “Teaching Resources.” Its contents have been reorganized and streamlined to make it more understandable for new users.
7. Consortium of Applied Social Science Research Centers
There are at present, eight or nine CSU campuses with such centers, but there have been no systematic efforts to improve communication among them or find ways that they could work together for common ends. A consortium could develop partnerships for grant and contract proposals. Consortium members could be encouraged to deposit their data with the Social Science Research and Instructional Center, perhaps in cooperation the DIVA project. Council members at campuses having such a center are asked to send Ed Nelson a brief description of the center and its resources (e.g., CATI lab) and activities, and the name and email address of the center director
8. Spring Meeting at East Bay (April 26-28, 2007)
On Wednesday afternoon, April 26, a Social Science Data Base workshop will be presented for East Bay faculty and other interested participants. The Students Research Conference will be held on Friday, April 27, either in the old or the new student union. Nan Chico will send out flyers and posters as soon as a keynote speaker has been selected. On Friday evening, the Council will hold a dinner celebrating the 35th anniversary of its founding. Ed Nelson has contracted former Council chairs to invite them to join us, and several have already responded. The Council’s business meeting will be held on Saturday, April 28.
9. Workshops
Scheduled Social Science Data Base (SSDB) Workshops:
SLO (March 2; Lori Weber, Rich Taketa) Stanislaus (March 24; Rich Taketa, Ed Nelson) East Bay (April 26; Ed Nelson, John Korey) Los Angeles (May 4; John Korey, Mark Drayse) Channel Islands (September 7; Mike Reibel, Gene Turner)
Not yet confirmed: San Bernardino (April 6 or 7)
Additional campuses interested in workshops should contact Ed Nelson. In addition to SSDB, workshops can also be requested dealing with GIS, SDA, or SPSS.
10. Bylaw Amendment (http://www.ssric.org/bylaws)
M/S/P to amend the first sentence of Article III, section 1 to read as follows: “Each campus shall appoint one representative to the Council, and may appoint an alternative representative or first and second alternate representatives. Alternate representatives shall have full rights and responsibilities when acting as such.”
John Korey urged campuses that have not already done so to appoint an ICPSR “Designated Representative.” All that is needed is an email from the campus OR to Bree Gunter (bgunter@icpsr.umich.edu) naming the person and providing his or her email address and phone number.
11. Conference Call with Gerry Hanley (Chancellor’s Office)
Gerry Hanley, Senior Director, Academic Technology Support (Chancellor’s Office), had hoped to attend the meeting, but was prevented from doing so by another commitment. We were able to talk with him via speakerphone.
Much of the discussion had to do with ways we might partner to provide research based support for decision making regarding academic technology initiatives. We agreed that he would discuss this with Chancellor’s Office staff, describe what is needed, and ask us for a proposal. In the discussion that ensued following the call, there was some concern that this partnership could involve us in some conflicts of interest and that we needed to proceed cautiously.
12. Conference Call with Andrew Roderick (San Francisco)
Because of the recent birth of his son, Sebastian, Andrew Roderick was unable to attend the meeting. We were able to talk with him via speakerphone.
The new version of the software supporting the SSRIC Website will be in place soon. Most changes should be transparent.
Andrew and his staff are working on reorganizing the way in which teaching resource modules ar organized and displayed. Problems still to be resolved include 1) creating a permission structure to deal with restricted (e.g., subscription) data, and 2) associating multiple data file attachments with modules.
The SDA license will be purchased as soon as the money for this purpose arrives from the chancellor’s Office. Training of staff and conversion of data files can then proceed. If it wishes, the SSRIC is welcome to name a person to go to San Francisco to participate in the conversion process.
Updates to the DIVA project were discussed.
13. Field Committee
The Council accepted recommendations to award the Field Fellowship to Deborah Baskins (Criminal Justice, Los Angeles), and the question credits to Alexandra Cole (Political Science, Northridge).
14. Committees
M/S/P to restructure the Field Committee and the Teaching Resources RFP Subcommittee to consist of a non-voting chair chosen from within the Council and voting members chosen from outside the Council, and for these committees to conduct blind reviews.
John Korey noted that, in the case of the Field Committee, the bylaws will have to be amended in order to legitimate the above decision.
15. ICPSR Summer Program.
Ed Nelson will ascertain the deadline for submission of applications to Michigan, and whether applications are to be submitted directly to Michigan as well as to Carole Kennedy. When he has done so, he will inform Carole, who will in turn establish a date for submissions of applications to her, and will inform John Korey so that this information can be posted to the SSRIC Website.
16. California Social Survey
Lori Weber reported that Henry Brady of UC Berkeley has expressed a continuing interest in partnering with the CSU on this project. She will continue to explore this topic.
17. ICPSR Restricted Data
Some users have experienced frustration in trying to access restricted data. ICPSR should make it easier to identify such data more easily and quickly.
18. Council Chair, 2007-2008
Lori Weber was elected Council Chair for next year. She may be unable to accept, but won’t know for two or three months. The Council elected Steve Stambough to serve if Lori is unable to do so.
Recorded by John Korey
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APPENDIX: Proposed Social Science Research and Instructional Council Budget, 2007-2008 |
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Expenditures |
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|
2005-2006 |
2006-2007 |
2007-08 |
% change |
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|
Data Subscriptions |
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|
ICPSR |
$93,755 |
$108,457 |
$109,453 |
0.9% |
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|
Field |
$57,000 |
$57,000 |
$60,000 |
5.3% |
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|
Roper |
$10,625 |
$11,500 |
$12,500 |
8.7% |
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|
Subtotal |
$161,380 |
$176,957 |
$181,953 |
2.8% |
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|
Web & Access Services |
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|
Berkeley |
$3,000 |
$1,500 |
$1,500 |
0.0% |
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|
SFSU |
$6,000 |
$6,000 |
$4,500 |
-25.0% |
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|
Subtotal |
$9,000 |
$7,500 |
$6,000 |
-20.0% |
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|
Travel (SSRIC meetings, workshops, etc.) |
$17,000 |
$17,000 |
$17,000 |
0.0% |
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|
Conference & Meeting Expenses |
$1,800 |
$1,800 |
$2,300 |
27.8% |
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|
Program Initiatives |
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|
Teaching Resource stipends |
$3,000 |
$9,000 |
200.0% |
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|
SDA license and support |
$6,350 |
$6,250 |
-1.6% |
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|
Student research journal |
$3,350 |
$3,350 |
0.0% |
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|
National Study of the Changing Workforce |
$550 |
-100.0% |
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|
Subtotal |
$13,250 |
$18,100 |
40.4% |
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Total |
$189,180 |
$216,507 |
$225,853 |
4.3% |
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Note: Percent change column refers to change from 2006-07 to 2007-08. |
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Revenue |
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Note: The Chancellor's Office agrees to fund the shortfall in revenue between revenue from |
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campus dues and budgeted expenditures. The SSRIC agrees to continue its efforts to |
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maximize campus subscription revenues. |
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% of total budget |
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Maximum possible revenue from dues for 2007-2008 |
paid by CO |
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|
(rates remain the same as in 2006-07 and all campuses |
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subscribe except Maritime) |
$144,864 |
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Minimum Chancellor's Office contribution (shortfall) |
$80,989 |
35.9% |
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for 2007-2008 |
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Revenue from dues for 2006-2007 |
$144,864 |
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Chancellor's Office contribution (shortfall) for 2006-2007 |
$71,643 |
33.1% |
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