Faculty Research Committee serves as faculty link to University Senate and research administration

The Auburn University Faculty Research Committee, or FRC, opened the 2020 fall semester in August with its first meeting — via Zoom.

According to FRC President Linda Gibson-Young, an associate professor in the School of Nursing, the group will be meeting virtually at least through October.

“We are holding our meetings online due to the COVID-19 pandemic and social distancing requirements,” Gibson-Young said.

Formed in 2014, the FRC is a subgroup of Auburn’s University Senate.

“We serve as the faculty's conduit to the Senate and to the university’s research administration,” Gibson-Young said. “The committee meets monthly and is responsible for bringing research-related concerns to Dr. [James] Weyhenmeyer, the Auburn vice president for research, and for reporting appropriate research matters and policies back to the Senate.”

According to Gibson-Young, the FRC relates a variety of issues pertaining to faculty and research needs. “We address incentive plans for research, intramural grant activities and post-doctoral issues as they relate to research,” she said.

Additional issues addressed by the FRC are Auburn’s research competitiveness and ways to increase its position among other research universities, as well as Auburn’s infrastructure to support faculty research and competitiveness within the academic research arena.

The FRC is comprised of 19 members representing each of Auburn’s colleges and schools, along with a panel of ex-officio voting and non-voting members. The group typically meets the second Thursday of each month in the Auburn Student Center.

Faculty with questions or concerns that they wish to have addressed by the Faculty Senate or the university’s administration regarding research should take those issues to their college or school FRC committee representative. A listing of current FRC members and other information about the committee can be found on its website.