Re: Job of a research administrator Charlie Hathaway 15 Apr 1999 11:02 EST

Hi-

I strongly agree with Jennifer and disagree with Barbara.
It IS a "big deal" to present documentation vis-a-vis consultants.  Aside
from possible ethical side-stepping, a proposal is strengthened by letters
of support.  For a younger investigator, these can often mean the
difference between grant and no grant.

And I would add to Jennifer's arguments by saying that letters of
support/participation from consultants should be well-written and strongly
written.  Dropping names is seen as nothing more than that UNLESS reviewers
get a feeling that there is real interest in a project and some evidence
that the consultant or collaborator will benefit his/her self from the
work, and not just financially.

Charlie Hathaway

At 08:16 AM 4/15/99 -0600, you wrote:
>We're having a debate here as to the responsibilities of a research
>administrator.  I would appreciate input from the list.
>
>Collaborative proposals get submitted involving a number of faculty/research
>staff across various colleges and centers (but within the institution).
We ask
>for signatures from the PI, dept chairs, and the corresponding dean of the
>college, and we try to get signatures from co-I (s) and corresponding dean(s)
>(cooperation is spotty in some cases).  However, these proposals list
>collaborators from the institution that are not co-I (s) and therefore
there is
>no indication that they have agreed to participate.
>
>We have had a group submit proposals naming collaborators who I found were
>unaware of the existance of the proposal.  While technical discussions had
>previously taken place, no definite commitment had been made.
>
>A situation has come up in which investigators (who I was under the
impression
>were not going to participate) are listed as collaborators on a proposal from
>that same group.  Some in our office have said that it isn't our job to
question
>or confirm participants.  We have to believe those persons submitting the
>proposal.
>
>With that long intro, my questions are:
>
>What are the practices at your institution on this?
>Do you agree that it isn't our job?
>Is it no big deal?
>
>
>***************************************************
>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
>
>
>======================================================================
> 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")
>======================================================================
>
>
**************************************
Charles B. Hathaway, Ph.D., Director
Office of Grant Support
908A Belfer
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
1300 Morris Park Avenue
Bronx, NY 10461
Phone: 718 430-3642     Fax: 718 430-8822
email: xxxxxx@aecom.yu.edu
http://www.aecom.yu.edu/ogs

======================================================================
 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")
======================================================================