Rich Freed opened the meeting and introduced the first topic.

I. Dr. Philip Chen, Acting Director, International Services Branch - Current Role of the ISB

Dr. Chen indicated that many factors are causing NIH to consider changes in the handling of personnel cases. These include visa policies, durations of appointments, and professional designations. Dr. Keursch and Dr. Gottesman generated an outside study of ISB's policies and procedures, which resulted in a number of recommendations. One recommendation was that ISB be moved from JFFIC to ORS. Others included updating processes and databases and automation. A Change Management Team is now considering best practices that should be adopted when the shift to ORS occurs. One issue is the fact that JFFIC gets is own appropriated budget and ORS needs to be aware of proper use of those funds - complicated by such arrangements as providing visa services to FDA for a lump-sum fee.

There are over 2,500 foreign nationals at NIH, from many different countries. Actually, more post-docs are foreign than domestic. ISB handles all visa requests for them. Under previous rules, NIH could get 5-year visas, allowing service at NIH for up to 7 years, including extensions. We now have only 3-year visas, but expect to have 5-year visas by the end of the year. Scientific Directors can now approve H-1 visas, with ISB committee review.

There are a number of issues and possible solutions for most. For example, China is routinely denying applications for J-1 visas, for which we have no solution yet. The Department of Energy agencies are proposing a Scientific visa, which would be tied to the duration of a project. NIH is exploring the possibility of paying honoraria to short-term foreign visitors. Dr. Chen suggested that there are ways that the IC could help ISB be more efficient. These included keeping necessary copies of documents and not requesting them back from ISB, being consicentious about the accuracy of personal data - hopefully to be assisted by proposed automation. The events of September 11 have caused even more intense scrutiny of our foreign visitors and their processing. The Departments of Commerce and Treasury are interested in what materials, funds, and knowledge are transferred abroad - especially to "countries of interest". Dr. Chen said there are many issues to be dealt with, but ISB is dedicated to helping the ICs acquire the foreign scientists that are so important to our research. He invited any questions to be brought to his attention.

In response to questions, he indicated that it is still NIH policy not to pay incentives for the State Department to expedite handling of visas (although the individual may choose to do so); the number of approvals of NIH requests for visa extensions has been about 80 percent. He will provide Olive Childers a copy of the list of embargoed countries, for distribution to the AOs.

II. From the Office of the Deputy Director for Intramural Research - Olive Childers

• Management Controls Questionnaire - The survey is now ready for distribution, and will go out at the time of the next SD's meeting on November 7th. Copies will be sent to the AOs, and it will have a response period of one month.
  
  
• Exceptional Stipend Increases for IRTAs and VFs - It is at the SD's discretion to award them annually within the 10 percent rule. However, it is not clear whether any one person can receive it more than once. This issue is scheduled to be discussed at the SDs' on November 7th. NIAAA is currently developing their policy on this topic, tying exceptional increases to scientific productivity.
  
  
• Travel - Dr. Gottesman and some IC Directors met with Mr. Sontag at the Department. It is perceived that for the Department, it is not an issue of the amount of money, but that the agency have a travel plan for attendance at scientific meetings. NIH is considering various formulas, perhaps based on the number of trips that should be allowed for each type/level of researcher. This will require Department approval as a replace for the "rule of 5". This will also be on the SD schedule for November 7th.

Open Discussion

• Rich Freed will e-mail to the group a call for nominations for Co-Chair, and they will be considered at the next meeting.
  
• Marsha Henning raised the issue of the survey that is now out asking for documentation of time spent on HR issues. It relates to HR work on FTEs only, and is not limited to work performed by HR staff only. It is due to Fred Walker by November 9th. There were questions about how the information will be used and how some questions will be interpreted. Rich Freed will try to contact Lynn Hellinger for clarification.
  
  
• Linda Adams mentioned that the security at the building 10 loading dock is to be modified. Four staff will be assigned there, and three will control the flow of materials while one controls the flow of people into the building.

OPEN SESSION

I. Access to NIH Space Information - John Jenkins, ORS Office of Business Systems and Finance

The space information system evolved primarily from the need for ORS to track occupancy for rent charge-backs. The ICs have also asked to track other IT and HR assets. The system uses CIT's Oracle database, and now has over 400 drawings, covering about 43,000 rooms.

There are two types of access - A web access to "Posted Quarterly Space Information". This is not live data, but quarterly snapshots of information as of each quarter. It provides access to drawings and reports. The charge for this access is $480 per year, billed monthly. The other access is "Live Space Production Data", which is interactive with users who can enter information into the system and immediately see that data in system reports. Data on space includes site, building, floor, room number, type of space, etc. Data on tenants includes organization, title, type of use, funding, personnel, etc. This access costs $1500 per year, includes the web access, and requires desk-top installation. Operational questions should be referred to Paul Hudes. Questions about system access may be forwarded to Nat Hargraves.