IS/IT Meeting Minutes for 1995

1995 International Conference on Information Systems

Information Systems / Information Technology Research Centers
Director's Breakfast Meeting

Dec. 11, 1995 8:30 AM - Amsterdam, Netherlands

The meeting began at 8:30 AM. Dr. Jack Becker, University of North Texas, welcomed the nearly 40 directors and director's representatives in attendance. Becker thanked the following research centers: Information Systems Research Program (UCLA), Computer Information Systems (Georgia State University), Centre for Research in Information Management (London Business School -- for assisting the Information Systems Research Center [ISRC] at University of North Texas with the cost for the breakfast meeting. Becker indicated that other centers had also volunteered to assist with this expense; they would have an opportunity to assist with future meetings. ACTION ITEM #1: Request for funding assistance for next IS/IT Directors meeting.

The first item presented was an update on the status of the ISITRC centers page on the world-wide web. The Academic Research Center [ARC] page (http://www-lan.unt.edu/isitrc/) is a sub-component of the ISWorld Net pages within INFOSYS Junction for Research Centers. It was intended as a repository of links to all the other academic research centers throughout the world. Dr. Becker displayed an overhead of the opening page and discussed the philosophy of the page with the directors. The intent of this web page is not to collect large volumes of data on the individual centers. Rather, it will provide skeletal information on each center and maintain a hot link to the center's own home page. Consequently Becker urged each Center Director to provide their URL at the earliest convenience. There is an ADD CENTER form on the ARC web page to make this an easy process. The costs for developing and maintaining this service have thus far been underwritten by the ISRC at UNT. ACTION ITEM #2: Web service subscription fee?

Next, Becker summarized the results of the survey of research center directors, which was conducted in August, 1995. The survey received only 20 responses, so the ability to form conclusions is somewhat limited. However, a few general characterizations were possible. Research centers appeared to cluster into two groups: 1) Centers which relied upon member subscription fees as their primary revenue source, and 2) Centers whose primary funding was research grants. Each attendee was provided with a more complete summary of this survey (see attached). ACTION ITEM #3: Request to complete survey.

The center directors were then polled as to their willingness to create a scholarship fund for doctoral candidates attending the ICIS doctoral consortium. The current sponsor is Ernst and Young; however their continued support is not guaranteed beyond the 1996 ICIS Doctoral Consortium in Cleveland. It was thought that a demonstration of support by other organizations could be useful in retaining their continued support, or recruiting a new sponsor if necessary. The figure of $250 per research center was mentioned as a starting point for such a scholarship fund. Those in attendance showed strong support for this scholarship with the motion passing without substantial opposition. ACTION ITEM #4: ICIS Doctoral Consortium funding request.

The next item discussed was a Special Doctoral Student Fund for the Association for Information Systems (AIS). This fund would be used to help defray the cost of student memberships (currently $87.50 - $92.50 per annum) in AIS. Proceeds from a suggested $15,000 fund could be used to permanently reduce the cost of student memberships by approximately $25 per year. There was considerable opposition to this proposal. Several individuals expressed the sentiment that it was more appropriately a matter for the AIS membership to raise funds for such a fund. The motion was defeated in a nearly unanimous vote. ACTION ITEM #5: AIS Doctoral Student Support.

Dr. Hirschheim (ISRC, University of Houston) alerted the center directors to the Year 2000 problem, which was currently being heavily hyped in industry. He noted that we may wish to offer seminars or engage in research activities around this topic. Discussion centered around the possibility of creating a type of clearing house (on the Internet/Web) for interesting speakers and topics. Charles Angelino (Lattanze Center, University of Loyola-Baltimore) and Dr. Becker volunteered to investigate the issue during January, 1996. ACTION ITEM #6: Web page for speakers (Becker & Angelino). Please see FAVORITE sites on the /isitrc/ web page above.

The meeting adjourned at 9:30 a.m.

Respectfully submitted,
Jack D. Becker

PS: My special thanks to Mark Myerscough , Research Associate and Doctoral Candidate, UNT ISRC for taking assisting with the preparation of these minutes.

-Request your immediate response, PLEASE!-

IS/IT Research Center Directors
ACTION ITEMS
  1. The next ICIS is scheduled for Cleveland in December of 1996.
    • Do you plan to attend?
      Yes No

    • Would you be willing to contribute $200 to sponsor the IS/IT Research Centers Directors Breakfast Meeting in Cleveland?
      Yes No

    1. We Desperately NEED your URL (web home page) for the IS/IT Research Center Directory Page on the ISWorld Net? http://www-lan.unt.edu/isitrc/
      • Your Center's URL:
        HTTP://

      • Your Personal E-mail:

    2. Furthermore, would you be willing to pay $25 per year to continue to have your center cross-listed in the Directory? We are maintaining visitor count information on this page starting 3/4/96.
      Yes No

  3. Would you or your center be willing to contribute $250 (or more) to the 1996 ICIS Doctoral Consortium or some other Doctoral Scholarship Fund associated with ICIS?
    • Would contribute $250 (or more) to 1996 ICIS Doctoral Consortium fund.
      Yes No

    • Would contribute to a separate ICIS-related Doctoral Scholarship fund.
      Yes No

  4. Would you be willing to contribute $250 to an AIS Scholarship Fund to help reduce the cost of AIS Membership for Doctoral Students?
    Yes No



    5. THE FOLLOWING IS AN IDEA WHICH IS CARRIED FORWARD FROM 1994.

  5. The "Best Practices" Center recognition was seen as a vehicle to share information about operating practices between IS/IT research centers.
    • Would you like to participate in the Delphi Group shaping this idea?
      Yes No

Your Name

to submit the information

to clear the information and start over

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