****************************************************** REPORT AND SUMMARY OF COMMENTS TO "FACULTY PROFILE WEB PAGE" IDEA ****************************************************** In the month of January a discussion evolved in response to Paul Benson's (University of Massachusetts) original question regarding "user friendly software" to maintain "Faculty Staff Profiles" for "easy access". Various responses were given to Paul identifying most of the major solutions research offices use to perform this task: * use a popular database software to design your own (i.e. Filemaker Pro, etc.) * subscribe to Community of Science ($6,000 per year) to provide this service through their Web page * RAMS (commercially available, PC-based, stand-alone) * SPAS (commercially available, PC-based, stand-alone) * GENIUS (commercially available, Web-based), designed to work with its counterpart, SMARTS, for matching profiles to announcements thru daily e-mail to participants All of the above are good solutions with pros and cons, depending on your situation. In responding to Paul's questions, I threw out yet another "solution" for discussion. I received a flood of responses which I will make a concientious effort to summarize (below) & give credit to the sources. I hope I have summarized everyone's response accurately. The solution I proposed went something like this: " Expand and build on the initiative which has already been implemented at Rice University vis a' vis the "centralized" NCURA Web page. There would be some sort of standardized form with a limited number of standardized fields (to be determined, i.e. "basics", faculty name, social security number, keywords definining interests, etc.). The keywords would be based on a common thesaurus acceptable to all, perhaps an NSF classification. This form would be stored locally (at each university); the NCURA page would point to any site selected. The user would find it easy to replicate the search anywhere because we would use a standardized page design, standardized search format, standardized keyword thesaurus, etc. We would also investigate technically whether it is possible to design the NCURA page to perform the search on a region, state, comprehensively, etc." Comments to this concept were generally very positive: 1. (Patricia Gregory, Washington U. School of Medicine) - They have a version of this concept on their Web page. Faculty & anyone outside the university can search the profiles by keyword, subject, investigato, etc. To review their system go to http://ibc.wustl.edu:80/res_collab/ 2. (Mary Watson, Valdosta State University) - REALLY LIKES the idea. They have a Filemaker Pro, custom designed database in their office; but feels that putting this information on the Web broadens the scope of the information. 3. (Anne G. Der Hagopian, Boston Univesity Medical Campus) - recommends checking out GENIUS (and its partner SMARTS). This is Infoed's new product which is a Web-based form for faculty-profile input; and electronic matching of research interests keywords (from GENIUS) to funding opportunities (SMARTS). The faculty profile data are maintained on an Infoed computer in Albany, NY. Your continued use of the data is linked to your institution's long term comittment to contract with Infoed, Inc. 4. (Wendy Farkas, Virginia Tech) - raises some important questions; how will assurances of accuracy and timeliness of the data be made (whether it's Web-based or not); who will have access to the data (internally & externally); how will the information be integrated with other campus data already in place? 5. (Elsa Nadler, West Virginia University) - feels Community of Science "sounds nice" in terms of the broadness of the database and links to industry, however not sure it is "cost effective". Feels that Infoed (SPIN/SPAS) is a good system in terms of being comprehensive; however, the fact that it is PC-based is a big drawback. Elsa raises some questions for discussion re: the Web concept. Who would maintain the product/service? If individual databases are kept at each university, can a search query poll the different databases? Wants further discussion. 6. (Ardis Savory, University of South Carolina & NCURA ERA Select Committee) - Ardis sent the following comments to me and copied Kim Moreland (University of Kansas and NCURA VP/President-elect). The timing of the idea happened to coincide with one of the regular NCURA ERA committee meetings so my original e-mail message was passed around and discussed at their meeting. They are dealing with many important issues related to electronic data and information dissemination. They decided to put this idea on their "long term agenda" and will have further discussion about it. She feels it is an interesting question which the committee will revisit at its summer meeting next June. Also, at the summer NCURA conference, faculty profiling might be one of the program topics (date and location not yet firm). 7. (Kim Moreland, University of Kansas & NCURA VP/President-elect) - followed up Ardis' comments saying she thinks that committee is the "ideal place" to discuss the possibilities for such a modification to the NCURA homepage. She would like to be informed of further developments. That concludes all discussion I have received thusfar regarding this idea at the present time. It seems that there is some strong support for a Web-based, national/global (?) Faculty Profile system that would allow for more comprehensive access. Much still needs further discussion. For instance, security is a fundamental question (i.e. there are different questions if the data are stored locally with some limited access versus stored centrally, outside each institution). It seems that Ardis Savory's NCURA committee is a good place to further this discussion. It is recommended that further comments go directly to Ardis at the following address: Ardis Savory, IN%xxxxxx@spar.sc.edu I hope this report has been enlightening to those of you who are struggling with this topic. Sincerely, ****************************************** * Jane E. Prudhomme, Director * * Research and Sponsored Programs * * University of New Orleans * * New Orleans, LA 70148 * * (504) 286-7154 * * Internet: xxxxxx@uno.edu * * Web Page: http://www.uno.edu/~orsp * ******************************************
