Minutes of the NIH Intramural Administrative Officers' Meeting
February 3, 2000
NIH Principal Administrative Officers:
Present: Alternates:
Robert Dennis, NIMH, Chair Katy Perry, NIAID
Ruth Ann Talley, NCI, Co-Chair Priscilla Logan, NIAAA
Janis Mullaney, OD/OIR Liaison, Co-Chair Trudy Welsh, NHGRI
Susan Harrelson, NIAID Kimberly Hazell, NLM
Marsha Hennings, NIAMS
Hillel Soclof, NHLBI
Carol Smith, NINDS
Mary Affeldt, NIDA
Evelyn Burrell, NICHD
Corrine Abbott, NIDCD Guests:
Bruce Wiggins, NIEHS Dr. Valery Gordon, Deputy Biosafety
Olive Childers, NEI Officer, NIH
Betty Fitzpatrick, NCI Ms. Valerie Hood, Freight Forwarding Section, ORS
John Savannah, ORS
Elaine Ayres, CC
Mr. Robert Dennis chaired the meeting.
I. Meeting of Principal Administrative Officers:
1. Office of Intramural Research (OIR) ISSUES - Ms. Janis Mullaney briefed the group on the following topics:
a. Minutes to these meetings on the DDIR website - After some discussion, it was decided that the minutes will continue to be emailed to the current recipients, as well as being placed on the OIR website (Intramural Research Sourcebook <http://www1.od.nih.gov/oir/sourcebook/>).
b. IAO Subgroup Career Ladder - This was an agenda item; however, it was agreed that it should be discussed at a later date.
c. Shipping of Hazardous Materials - Several of the ICs shared concerns with this process and looked for answers in the DS presentation.
d. VF/IRTA Speciality Allowances - There was discussion among several ICs on how they each have implemented this policy within their IC. The range was from approving them as they come into the Scientific Director's office to having a pre-approved list ahead of time.
2. Entertainment Funds - Mr. Dennis explained that NIMH is being audited regarding the use of entertainment funds. There was a great deal of discussion about the different ICs policies regarding entertainment funds.
3. Best Practices - Ms. Talley recommended that the group formalize the process of sharing best practices at the IAO meeting. Two - three IAO's will be asked to bring in a best practice to share with the group. Discussions of the shared best practice will include what others are doing and whether we can (as a group) improve what is being done. If the best practice brings up significant issues or significant issues arise where best practices need to be established, a small group of IC "experts" may be assembled for a 1-2 hour brainstorming session. Ms. Talley introduced the possibility of creating an Intramural AO website where we could post best practices so that AOs across NIH could access them without having to re-create similar tools. In addition, there could be links from the IAO website to other tools within IC's own websites. Further, we could post IC topic "experts" names and phone numbers on the website so that individuals less experienced with a particular issue could receive some advice or AOs could contact each other to brainstorm through problems. We would hope to make this a low maintenance, but highly functional website to share information and to provide a single comprehensive resource for new AO's to access while learning the processes and procedures at the NIH. This proposed IAO website could be accessed through the DDIR webpage. Both Ms. Mullaney and Mr.Dennis volunteered people within their respective organizations that can help put information on the websites.
4. Animal Costs through the Veterinary Resources Program - Ms. Ayres said that their VRP bill has increased about 1/3 from last year and this is significantly impacting their budget. Ms. Fitzpatrick mentioned that VRP has changed the way they are doing business, they are now doing MOUs directly with each IC instead of one large one with multiple CANs and this is effecting the way the billing is done. Ms. Mullaney recommended that Leonard Taylor and Steve Berkowitz from ORS come to a meeting to explain the new model of billing the ICs because it is expected to rise even further in FY01.
5. Shipping Hazardous Materials - Dr. Valery Gordon, Deputy Biosafety Officer, NIH and
Ms. Valerie Hood from the Freight Forwarding Section briefed the group. Dr. Gordon explained that packages containing Dangerous Goods, as defined by the IATA regulations, must be packed and shipped in accordance with all relevant regulations and policies. NIH has been cited by the FAA several times within the last six months for packing and shipping packages containing dry ice improperly.
Dr. Gordon distributed two memos that described the longterm plan for shipping Dangerous Goods from the NIH. One of the Committee members recommended that the same presentation that was given by the FAA to the Scientific Directors be given to the AOs.
Dr. Gordon emphasized that packing and shipping are considered separately by the IATA Regulations and the NIH. IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations specify that people who are
packaging these items must be trained and certified to package hazardous materials. Shipping a package involves filling out the Shipper's Declaration correctly and affixing appropriate stickers to the box. The training for Shippers contains additional information to that required for
Packers. The training that has been recommended to NIH staff; however, satisfies the requirements for both shipping and packing. IC's who wish to have FedEx pick up Dangerous Goods (Class 9 and Class 6.1 biologics) from the laboratories need to follow the instructions outlined in Dr. Gordon's memos in order to be permitted to ship packages themselves. Thosewho plan to use the services of the Freight Forwarding Section, must still be trained and certified to pack.
The Division of Safety has arranged for quarterly on-site training that will certify individuals both for packing and shipping, so that individual ICs won't have to continue arranging for this training. The Division of Safety plans to work with the IC's to determine how the NIH will pay for the training. Ms. Mullaney recommended that Dr. Gordon and Ms. Hood attend a meeting of the Scientific and Clinical Directors to ensure that managers are aware of the requirements for packing and shipping of Dangerous Goods from the NIH.
II. Open Meeting
1. Office of Intramural Research (OIR) ISSUES - Dr. Gottesman briefed the group on the following topics:
a. Graduate Program - Last year Dr. Gottesman and Dr. Varmus started an initiative where NIH would seek from Congress degree granting authority. NIH has decided that now is not a good time to go to Congress with this proposal. Instead it will continue working within the guidelines of current programs with Universities. New developments include a "graduate lounge" that is being built in building 10, beside the Starbucks, to provide a "cyber café" type of area for the graduate students to meet and have discussions. It will have computers available for their use. Dr. Gottesman is also recruiting someone to interact with the students and universities to help with problems and to monitor the progress of the students and report back to the Lab Chief. He is also looking for central funds to use while students decide which IC they want to work for.
b. Construction Projects -
- Vaccine Research Center, building 40, is on schedule to be completed this summer. Dr. Gottesman reported that irradiation at the VRC construction site, using a cobalt 60 source to examine the integrity of concrete beams/steel inserts, had resulted in inadvertent low-level exposure of scientists in Bldg. 37. Radiation Safety had not been notified that this activity would be occurring but determined that the amount of exposure, estimated at less than 2 mrem per hour, was well within the acceptable limit for public exposure according to NRC regulations. In the future, all construction contractors must notify Radiation Safety, which will then approve the shielding to be used, notify neighboring buildings, and monitor radiation exposure.
- Building 50 was supposed to open at the end of this year; however, it will be delayed until January 2001, because a floor was added with funding found from design cost savings. Interestingly, this building has markings on the floor corresponding to the beams, so that x-rays are not required for finding the beams.
- The new clinical center is on time, although it is costing more than expected.
- Building 37 is being renovated.
- The Neuroscience Center will consist of a new building on the current site of building 35 and renovation/expansion of building 36, and construction will begin next year and is expected to take about 7 years total. The day care facility now in building 35 will move to a new facility next to Natcher. The infant care will stay where it is.
- The one-story buildings on south campus(14 and 28) will be replaced by a facility that will deal mostly with rodents.
c. NIH Academy - Dr. Gottesman provided a Draft Fact Sheet. This program is being developed to help eliminate health disparities and has been briefed to the SDs, who liked the idea. Trainees will be hired as Predoctoral-IRTAs and the proposal is to have about 8 trainees starting this fall. The stipends will be higher than normal. OIR will reserve two-bedroom, furnished apartments within walking distance to the Bethesda campus, to be shared by two participants.
d. Tenure Track Teas - Dr. Gottesman said that he has these teas periodically to discuss issues, especially how to recruit good post-docs. He said that the tenure track committee is developing a listserv to communicate with each other.
e. Scientific Directory - The project team is trying to populate this database with existing information, and it may take longer than expected to ensure its accuracy. Then, OIR will ask the IAOs to look at what is in the database for organizational charts and administrative codes. Then they will ask the ICs to make sure all the people are in the database, Dr. Gottesman recommended asking the labs/branches to do this. The IAOs will have final oversight of the information.
f. J-1 Visa Extensions - The USIA recently became part of the Department of State (DOS). Extensions are now being looked at on a case-by-case basis, especially for those fellows who have transferred from another institution to NIH. The committee which reviews these request, JVERC, is located in Dr. Gottesman's office. He said a better case can be made to DOS for those transfers for fellows if they are in the following situations: 1) the fellow transferred from a University along with his/her sponsor (the sponsor has transferred to NIH, too), or 2) the fellow can prove an ongoing collaboration from the beginning of their J-1. Since the new procedures, DOS has approved most of the extensions that NIH has requested. Dr. Gottesman recommened that, if possible, letters from the home country should include a statement that the home country organization needs the fellow to get additional training and that the home country organization has a job waiting for the fellow when he/she returns home. The supporting documentation needs to stress that this is a training experience for the fellow. A letter explaining the situation should be issued from Dr. Gottesman's office soon. He also reminded everyone that the home residency requirement only applies to fellows who received government funding.
g. Other Visa issues - The H-1B limit was raised last year from 80,000 to 120,000. NIH has approval to grant 170 O-1 visas for outstanding scientists. INS has a problem with granting O-1 visas to Research Fellows (VP), because they don't see these types of people as senior-level employees. Two recent O-1 applications were rejected by INS.
h. Orientation Package - Dr. Gottesman stressed that he would like to see all ICs with orientations information geared toward specific professional designations and a website with links.
i. Question on Tenure vs. GS positions - Dr. Gottesman explained that tenured Senior Investigators are guaranteed a position, regardless of the appointment mechanism, so long as the tenure is valid.
j. Commissioned Corps - For retired commissioned corps officers, OIR wants to look at all these cases to ensure pay equity based on scientific merit.
DISTRIBUTION:
Administrative Officers (For distribution to staff members)
Scientific Directors
Executive Officers