2012-05-04: Spring 2012

SSRIC Minutes for Spring 2012 Meeting, CSU-Los Angeles

Friday, May 4, 2012

Attendees: Josh Meisel (Chair, Humboldt), Ali Modarres (Los Angeles), Anne Wilson (Dominguez Hills), Lori Weber (Chico), John Korey (Pomona), Ed Nelson (Fresno), Rhonda Dugan (Bakersfield)

Attendees via Elluminate:
Gene Turner (Northridge), Francis Neely (San Francisco), Stafford Cox (Long Beach), Rich Taketa (San Jose), Greg Bohr (San Luis Obispo), Matt Jarvis (Fullerton), Gerard Wellman (Stanislaus), Stephanie Burkhalter (Humboldt)

Agenda Approved

Minutes from Winter 2012 meeting: Approved

Announcements style='mso-bidi-font-weight:normal'>: 
None

Workshop Planning & Participation

Lori was scheduled to do a workshop at Humboldt for April 27th, but it was cancelled due to low response.

What is the future of SSRIC workshops on campus? Some concerns/factors include: very busy faculty, much easier access for faculty to obtain data than ever before, value-added issues for data.

Rich noted that recently-hired faculty have become familiar with accessing databases due to their own research projects.

Josh had a concern with online data utilization.

Ed suggested possible workshops on Field or Roper.

Gene suggested using a webinar approach to workshops.

There was an open discussion on how campus reps can do work on their own campus to highlight the workshops SSRIC offers to increase participation—visiting various departments (perhaps department meetings) as a form of outreach.

Ali noted that we need to think about our audience—are students part of the audience we reach out to?

Josh suggested the creation of an online resource that includes a list of links for various training needs, methodological issues, datasets.

Ed, John, Stephanie, Annie, Gene volunteered to help develop a structure of the online resource, then get feedback from SSRIC reps; Ali offered to help if needed.

Strategies to Increase Data Usage:

Josh suggested that we reach out to professional associations, such as the Pacific Sociological Association (PSA) which draws a good number of CSU faculty.

Josh will organize a session at the PSA to present on ICPSR; Josh, Ed and Rhonda will preside over the session.

Strategies to Increase Campus Participation in SSRIC. This relates to discussion regarding the increase in data usage on campuses:

What is being lost by the low attendance at SSRIC meetings? One major issue affecting participation is the lack of funding for travel to meetings.

Ideas: can SSRIC declare non-profit status so it can receive funding?

Ed suggested that one meeting occur fully on Elluminate and the other two meeting use the hybrid model (in person, Elluminate).

It will be important for meeting dates to be “locked in” as early as possible so that SSRIC reps can plan their availability & attendance for meetings.

Would it be possible for Chancellor’s Office (CO) to contribute some funding for rep travel?

Ed & John will have a debriefing with Beth Ambos on how to approach the issue of funding; point raised that this might not be the appropriate time to ask for funding with the budget crisis.

Francis made a motion that a SSRIC representative (the primary or alternate) must attend one meeting per year. Ed seconded the motion. The motion passed with 12 yes votes.

SSRIC Committees Structure:

Rhonda will be SSRIC Chair for 2012-13; Rhonda proposed Ali, Lori, Ed, Josh, and herself as the members of the SSRIC Executive Committee for 2012-13. Annie made a motion for the proposed SSRIC Executive Committee, Ed seconded the motion. The motion unanimously passed.

Lori will still chair DIVA committee.

Ed will continue to be editor of the SSRIC newsletter; Rich volunteered to help Ed with the newsletter.

Greg will continue to serve as Web Liason with John.

Ed will continue with monitoring workshop and outreach; if anyone is interested in working with Ed in coordinating workshops, contact him.

Andrew’s Report

Update of system where campus reps can access subscriber list to forward messages; this should be available by June 2012. Use when messages with attachments can be forwarded to campus list.

ICPSR Summer Program:

Greg designated a smaller group to look at the applications (2); one application was sought a four week session in Ann Arbor, the other application sought four days in Berkeley. After discussion of two applications, Lori motioned to vote to approve four week application, Rhonda seconded. Vote supported for applicant to attend four week session in Ann Arbor.

SSRIC Roster/E-Mail Update:

John will send out a message for an update of the roster in next few days.  Changes to Stanislaus listing will happen in next few days.

Ed asked everyone to make a commitment to update the e-mail list for their respective campus.  Ed will help those who don’t know how to update the e-mail list.

Field Subcommittee:

Two proposals ranked; however, first ranked proposal has a set of nested questions which goes over the limit of questions. Do nested questions count as one question overall, or should each nested question be counted toward the limit of 12 questions? Motion to contact first ranked proposal’s author to reduce questions; if not reduced, second ranked proposal will be given the award.  The description of Field will need to be revised regarding nested questions.

Budget:

Roughly, a 5% increase for campus subscription renewals in 2012-13.  Josh will follow up regarding two issues: maintaining coverage of SSRIC chair’s travel costs from CO in 2012-13 and ensuring Andrew gets paid for his work with SSRIC.

2012 Student Conference Review:

Thanks to Ali and supporting students clubs at CSU-LA in helping organize the conference.  Thanks to Stafford for creating an online registration system for students.  Thirteen CSU campuses were represented, and students represented 12 disciplines. Sixty-eight students (28 undergraduate, 40 graduate) registered online to present at the conference. A couple of students showed up didn’t register online but showed up the day of the conference to present. Twenty-nine student papers were submitted for awards; three awards granted ($100 each). A concern was raised whether $2300 is sufficient funding for the student conference, perhaps $3000 for future student conferences.

Meeting Sites for 2012-13:

Student conference would be held in Northern California region; a possibility of SFSU hosting the conference and business meeting. Ed will check with Beth Ambos to find out when and where CSU student conference will be held in Spring 2013.  Tentatively, business meetings will be scheduled as the following:

  • Fall
    2012: late September/early October (Fullerton)

  • Winter
    2013:  all virtual/online meeting,
    Friday, February 8th
  • Spring
    2013: Friday, May 3rd (SFSU)

The student conference would tentatively be held on Thursday, May 2nd at SFSU.

Meeting Adjourned