Duties
The Committee on Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity is charged with fostering and promoting the creation of new knowledge by faculty and students in all disciplines across the Penn State campuses, as well as with facilitating interdisciplinary and intercampus collaboration in this regard. It shall be the Senate advisory body to the Vice President for Research and to the Vice Provost for Graduate Education/Dean of the Graduate School. In the realm of graduate research, scholarship, and creative activity it works closely with the Graduate Council Committee on Research (whose chair and members serve on the Committee) to achieve common aims and shared objectives. Within the advisory and consultative functions of the Senate, it shall advise and consult on all matters involving research policies and services, as well as on issues relating to intellectual property and technology transfer. In conjunction with the Libraries, Information Systems, and Technology Committee, it shall ensure an active faculty role in the formulation of all research computing and information systems policies as they affect faculty and students. In collaboration with the University Planning Committee, it advises and consults on matters related to facilities, including facilities and administration costs. It shall make recommendations to Senate Council on the establishment, reorganization, or discontinuation of organized research units and institutes. It will maintain a formal liaison with the University Research Council and its chair shall serve as a member of that body.