I also came into this position through the research process.  While I am not the
director of our office, I do his job when he is unavailable, and I am primarily
responsible for many of the operations in our office. When Chuck talks about a
"generalist", there is no more generalist than being in a research admin office
in a smaller school.  You do everything from reviewing contracts to settling IRB
issues to managing a website.  However, probably the best experience I have had
and continue to have in research admin is that of being a PI.  I have hit the
problems (budgetary and otherwise) headon, I have to deal with both sides of
changes in federal regs.  It keeps me able to talk to both sides, able to see
both sides.

Sally

***************************************************
Sally Eckert-Tilotta, PhD, Assistant to the Director
Office of Research and Program Development
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, ND  58202
email:  xxxxxx@mail.und.nodak.edu
tel:  701-777-2049
fax: 701-777-2504