It seems to me there are multiple issues here.  First, this proposal by
the faculty member clearly violates NSF's 2/9ths summer salary rule,
despite what the faculty member says - or what the program officer says
- if indeed the program officer actually said this - which I doubt.  I
think you might want to call someone in NSF's Office of Budget, Finance
and Award Management and just pose the question.  They've heard
everything and give good advice.  Second - I don't think you'd want to
set this kind of precedent on your campus.  Most campuses also model
their policies on the 2/9ths rule, and to do otherwise opens an
unmanageable can of worms.  Third, this faculty member's proposal
strikes me as a bit greedy.

JCU Director of Sponsored Research wrote:
> We are in the second year of an NSF funded grant under the Elementary,
> Secondary & Informal Education  program. Our PI is arguing for a
> revised budget which would allow a 3 month summer salary (and would
> subsequently increase the fringe benefit direct cost and increase the
> indirect cost of the grant) which is an increase from the 2 month
> summer salary in the funded budget. The PI says that the NSF program
> officer agreed to this because the PI can transfer funds from one
> category to another.  When we questioned whether this violates the NSF
> 2/9ths summer salary rule, the explanation from the program officer as
> communicated through the PI was that the two months could be based on
> actual salary and the third month can be considered a supplemental
> stipend. In another scenario using the same reasoning, 3.5 months of
> salary was proposed although this goes contrary to our university policy.
>
> Since we are a small PUI and our faculty member is acting more as a
> project director than a principal investigator, I can see where the
> 2/9ths summer salary wouldn't necessary apply.
>
> Would an email from the NSF program officer authorizing this situation
> be acceptable to your university to approve the revised budget for 3
> months summer salary on this type of NSF grant?
>
> Any advice?
>
> Cathy
>
> Catherine T. Anson, MA, CRA, CIM
> Director of Sponsored Research
> John Carroll University, AD 250
> University Heights, OH  44118-4581
> TEL: 216-397-4520 | FAX: 216-397-3089
> xxxxxx@jcu.edu <mailto:xxxxxx@jcu.edu> | http://www.jcu.edu/research
> LinkedIn Profile <http://www.linkedin.com/in/ctanson>
>
> *For info on submitting grant & fellowship proposals,*
> *see: **http://www.jcu.edu/research/submit.htm*
> **
>
>
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--
John McCann, Ph.D.
Assistant Dean for Faculty Development and Sponsored Programs
Provost's Office
Southwestern University
P.O. Box 770
Georgetown, Texas 78627

Phone: 512-863-1233
Fax: 512-863-1262

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