CURS History

October 26-28, 2007: Andy Hauger, Christian Poppeliers, Jason, Andrus, and Quentin Davis attend CUR workshop on Institutionalizing Undergraduate Research at Spellman College

• Prior to the workshop, Kim Gray Coordinates an in depth self study of URS at ASU required for funding and acceptance to the workshop
• Workshop required a working weekend wherein the committee formulated a 2, 5, and 10 year plan for our institution
• Following the workshop, the committee provided a report of the outcomes of the conference to Dean Parham including our mission statement, long term, mid-range and short term goals

Spring Semester, 2008: Committee begins Student Undergraduate Research Brown Bag Series

• Dean's office funds pizza and drinks to attract students and faculty
• Very successful turnouts

February, 2008: Committee reviews research around campus by data from Chairs. Data is qualitative, incomplete for many departments and inconsistent in format making it very difficult to assess the current state of URS

March 25, 2008: Dean Parham encourage continuation of committee and asks committee to

• Find out which faculty are currently engaging in URS, who is interested
• Would like each department to have a chair who participates in URS by one year
• Find ways we can reward faculty
• Find impediments to faculty doing research
• Wants to "radically" increase number of course releases for faculty engaging in URS

Committee expands to include two more faculty after losing one person. Debbie VanTuyll and Chad Stephens join the committee

June 2008: Psychology, Chemistry and Physics and Biology design and hang recruitment posters in our building to make students more aware of opportunities for undergraduate research

June 18, 2008: Committee gives an in depth presentation to the President's Advisory Council on the Importance of Undergraduate Research. Topics included:

• National call for URS, what we mean by URS
• Types of UR currently occurring on campus
• Benefits to students; minority benefits, retention benefits
• Benefits to faculty
• Data on increase of student research since 1998

June 2008: Committee (AH, CP, QD) attend National CUR conference in Minnesota

• Present poster on Progress toward increases the institutionalization of the URS initiative at ASU
• Dean's Office support trip to CUR conference

Fall Semester, 2008: Brown Bag Series is continued with ongoing success and a wider range of departments represented

October 3, 2008: Committee submits a second Self Study required by CUR in preparation for an onsite follow-up visit , approximately 1 year following the initial workshop

On site visit is approved and plans for Dr. Crowe's site visit in February begin

Spring 2009 Semester: Brown Bag Series continues. Attendance becomes 'regulars' with few new faculty, chairs, administrators attending

February 5, 2009: CUR Follow-up Site visit by Dr. Crowe, Director of Office of Undergraduate Research UNC, Greensboro

• Faculty lecture on engaging students on a shoestring budget
• Luncheon with administrators
• Meeting with student focus group
• Attendance at Arts & Sciences Council Meeting
• Meeting with Committee

May 11, 2009: Plan of Action Proposed to Dr. Parham and Sullivan following CUR site visit be Dr. Crowe. Plan included 7 primary items of recommendation:

• Administration draft an official clear statement of their support for URS
• Department Chairs develop guidelines as to how URS (or lack thereof) will be evaluated in their departments
• a URS Conference be held on campus in order to highlight a campus URS initiative
• make internal funding of URS more streamlined and inviting to faculty; funding process be made more transparent and accessible to faculty
• increase funding for URS by encouraging contribution of funds to URS during the annual A-day campaign, add a small student fee to support URS. For example, if a $5 fee

July 24, 2009: Committee submits brief proposal for $30,000 to fund URS initiative on campus. Includes basic plan for:

• Summer Scholars Program,
• Faculty Development Series
• Public Relations
• Monthly brown bag series
• Committee is asked by Dr. Parham to expand its representation to include more departments across campus. Faculty from Education, Political Science, History, English/Honors are added

Fall, 2009: Brown Bag series continues as prior semester

October 1, 2009: Faculty Development Series Kickoff Event with Academy for Learning and Center for Teaching and Learning

October 8, 2009: Mentoring Student Research 101: Basic techniques and issues (Panel discussion)

October 26, 2009: Committee Submits in depth proposal of $30,000 budget to fund URS initiative on campus. Includes detailed plan for:

• Summer Scholars program
• Faculty Development Series
• Public Relations
• Monthly Brown Bag Series

November, 2009: Committee receives word from Dean Jarman to move forward with planning the faculty development conference for Spring. Approval of other budget items is unknown.

November 19, 2009: Research in the Classroom: integrating teaching and student research

Spring 2010: Brown Bag Series continues as prior semesters

March 1, 2010: Committee is officially added to the University ad hoc committee list as the Committee for Undergraduate Research and Scholarship

March 19, 2010: Committee holds faculty conference on Undergraduate research. Conference includes a half day of meetings

• 2 outside speakers from CUR, Dr. Brad Stith, UC, Boulder and Dr. Mary Crowe, UNC, Greensboro
• Keynote address by Dr. Stith
• Faculty/ administrative /guest panel
• Round tables for faculty and administrators
• Student Focus Group hosted by Dr. Stith prior to afternoon conference