Re: CRA - Fact or Urban Legend Charlie Hathaway 05 Dec 2005 16:12 EST

A bachelor's degree shows someone endured some course work, stuck with something long enough to finish, and can probably be molded into a good employee.  Given that we can't try out all job applicants on a 6 month trial, academic degrees are great screening tools.  But is that what the CRA exam will become?   When I hear all these HR excuses, it sure sounds like it.

CH

At 03:36 PM 12/5/2005, you wrote:
>I would be interested in hearing answers to Dr. Miller's other questions and comments concerning the credential.
>
>I've recommended to people that don't have bachelor's degrees, and no plans to obtain them, to get the CRA as a sign that they can set and achieve a professional development goal in lieu of a degree.
>
>In my own hiring practices, I would count a CRA and 5 years experience as almost equivalent to a Bachelors Degree when comparing candidates.  I work in an academic environment, though, and a certification that does not require a degree will always be looked askance upon by the academic investigators we serve.
>
>Personally, I am generally supportive of CRAs as long as the person took the exam to get it.  It's my understanding that in the beginning, one could obtain a CRA based upon longevity in the profession, and renew from attending sessions at SRA or NCURA without taking an exam.  Can anyone tell me if this fact or urban legend?
>
>If it is fact:  Has everyone that holds the CRA designation today taken the exam?
>
>I have an inquiring mind and would like to know.
>
>-Jennifer
>
>
>
>Jennifer Morgan Shambrook, MHA
>
>Associate Chair for Research Administration
>Co-Director Division of Public Psychiatry
>Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science
>Medical University of South Carolina
>67 President Street, Suite 504
>Charleston, South Carolina  29425
>
>voice:  843-792-0191
>fax:  843-792-0048
>email:  xxxxxx@musc.edu
>
>
>>>> xxxxxx@UAF.EDU 12/05/05 02:17PM >>>
>Hi Pam, the same goes for our announcement I recently posted. The
>reasons we put it as a requirement are for the same reasons Bill listed,
>and I think they are very good ones.
>
>Thanks,
>Andrew
>
>Bill Schulze wrote:
>
>> Hi, Pam:
>>
>> I have a feeling you are referring to our announcement, although I
>> believe others do that as well...
>>
>> You make some good philosophical points, however our motive is more
>> practical than philosophical. Including a certification requirement in
>> the job description for Senior Research Administrator has allowed us
>> to obtain HR approval of a professional position at a competitive
>> salary level.
>>
>> We do not use the CRA as a screening instrument, or we would require
>> it up front. I feel many will agree that the CRA is an important
>> credential for various reasons, but by no means do I feel it should be
>> considered the quintessential measure of knowledge or competency
>> within the profession.
>>
>> We expect our Senior Research Administrators to be experienced and
>> highly skilled research administrators. Our evaluations of candidates
>> during the interview process are based on their knowledge of the field
>> and demonstrated skills, and since the 4 professionals currently in
>> our office have over 60 years of combined experience in Research
>> Administration, we have little trouble with these assessments.
>>
>> Bill
>>
>> PS: If anyone is interested in a good job with great people, please
>> apply... We're looking for really good research administrators, and if
>> you don't already have the CRA, don't worry about it - we'll give you
>> 3 years and also pay for it...
>>
>> ****************************************
>> William E. Schulze, EdD
>> Director of Sponsored Programs
>> University of Nevada, Las Vegas
>> Phone (702) 895-1357
>> Fax (702) 895-0986
>> xxxxxx@ccmail.nevada.edu
>> ****************************************
>>
>> Inactive hide details for Pamela Miller <xxxxxx@USFCA.EDU>Pamela
>> Miller <xxxxxx@USFCA.EDU>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>                         *Pamela Miller <xxxxxx@USFCA.EDU>*
>>                         Sent by: Research Administration List
>>                         <xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG>
>>
>>                         12/05/2005 09:35 AM
>>                         Please respond to Research Administration
>>                         Discussion List
>>
>>
>>
>> To: xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG
>> cc:
>> Subject: [RESADM-L] CRA as a screening instrument
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> This is something that has been bothering me, and I have decided to
>> share my concerns via this forum: I recently noticed a research
>> administration position announcement that required that persons
>> applying for the job have CRA status or be willing to obtain this
>> designation within a few years of employment. In my opinion, requiring
>> research administrators obtain a Certified Research Administrator
>> (CRA) designation to obtain and maintain employment is very premature.
>>
>> The exam for the CRA tests an examinee's knowledge of particular body
>> of knowledge and indicates that a high enough score on the test along
>> with a certain number of years on the job and a bachelor's degree is
>> sufficient for the individual to be "certified" as a research or
>> grants administrator. The unasked questions in this transaction are:
>> Who decides what the fundamental body of knowledge is in research
>> administration? The exam may indeed have captured the incredible
>> diversity of this ever changing field, but how do we know? Is there an
>> objective credentialing body behind the CRA exam, such as the
>> Committee on Accreditation (CoA) which oversees the accreditation of
>> programs and exams in professional psychology for the American
>> Psychological Association (APA)? Is there anything more rigorous than
>> anecdotal evidence to support the validity of the exam?
>>
>> Assuming the CRA exam does capture all the fundamentals of research
>> administration, are the questions good questions, i.e., do the
>> questions really tap the individual's true understanding of this body
>> of knowledge? No test is perfect, and there are numerous factors that
>> affect the reliability of a test, e.g., the length of the test, the
>> way the items are constructed, and even the directions for taking the
>> test. Reliability is an essential characteristic of a good test,
>> because if a test doesn't measure consistently (reliably), then one
>> can not know if the scores resulting from a particular administration
>> are due to the examinee's achievement or random error. The CRA web
>> site does not report test validity or reliability information, and
>> these are important things to know before making someone's job
>> dependent upon having or getting a CRA!
>>
>> Research administrators work hard, often without anyone noticing or
>> appreciating the work being done. It therefore is very tempting to try
>> and place research administration at the same table with other valued
>> professions. However, if one looks at what other professions have done
>> and are doing to achieve this respected status, it is clear that we in
>> research administration have a long way to go. The CRA may be an
>> important first step, but in my opinion it is unwise to think that we
>> have reached the end of the journey.
>>
>> Pamela F. Miller, Ph.D.
>> Director, Office of Sponsored Projects
>> The University of San Francisco
>> 2130 Fulton Street
>> San Francisco, CA 94117-1080
>> TEL 415-422-5368
>> FAX 415-422-6222
>> EMAIL xxxxxx@usfca.edu_ <mailto:xxxxxx@usfca.edu>
>>
>> ======================================================================
>> Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including
>> subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available
>> via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists")
>> ======================================================================
>>
>
>
>======================================================================
> Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including
> subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available
> via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists")
>======================================================================
>
>
>======================================================================
> Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including
> subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available
> via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists")
>======================================================================

======================================================================
 Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including
 subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available
 via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists")
======================================================================