UI Research Clearinghouse Under Attack More Aggressive Foundation Needed, Faculty Council Says

University of Idaho researchers are pushing for what they see as middle ground between the all-out promotion that led to checks on the Idaho Research Foundation five years ago and the seemingly do-nothing approach that marks the foundation now.

“The Idaho Research Foundation needs to be very aggressive getting the technology out and commercialized, and that just doesn’t seem to be happening,” said Jim Haynes, who helped launch a software company by licensing copyright computer programs held by the foundation.

The foundation essentially serves as marketing agent for research breakthroughs at the university, protecting the discoveries by obtaining copyrights or patents on them and then transferring the technology to commercial use.

Launched in 1986, the foundation, under former President Richard Callahan, was listed after five years as one of the most successful in the ratio of royalties generated to university research investment.

But with a cost of up to $50,000 for patent searches, Callahan’s aggressive pursuit of commercial opportunities left the foundation financially strapped.

“Dick, in his zeal to make things happen, used most of the funds,” Haynes said.

Callahan, who had drawn legislative criticism over his $100,000 salary, was ousted and replaced by Laurence Bonar, and researchers maintain the foundation has been sitting on proposals - one for more than four years - without taking any action.

“Certainly, if we had more money available, there are more promising projects we’d like to support,” Bonar said.

The faculty council has proposed changing the guidelines to require the foundation to seek protection for research discoveries within 18 months and to file a patent application within three years or return the rights to the discovery to the university. The foundation also would have to file semi-annual reports on its progress.

University President Robert Hoover must review the proposed changes.

Roger Korus, former chairman of the chemical engineering department and a patent holder with the foundation, maintains the foundation’s recent track record is not acceptable.

“We’d like to have reports on a timely basis and decision dates to be met,” Korus said.