Hi Elise,
So, we never used a monthly tracker, but at a previous organization what we did use was an effort to payroll workbook.  The workbook had a tab for each person (and actually, we moved it into SmartSheets so that it was more accessible to the dept staff) and we would key in each of the salary changes that we were making in the HR system (along with the date executed).  Because so many of our awards either came in late, or were subject to the PHS salary cap, or were for prorated amounts of time (or all of the above!), we used the spreadsheet to track the award and account number, the effort level (annual), the start and end dates of the allocation, the prorated effort (if applicable), and the salary amount.  The spreadsheet then would calculate what the allocation percentage should be.  But this sheet then pulled double duty as we would then use it when meeting with PIs for annual kickoffs, reviewing RPPRs and effort reporting to make sure that things were matching up. 

This actually gave us a solid footing, too, if/when an auditor asked how we were sure that we weren't overcharging programs that have a salary cap, since the payroll system only tracks % of salary and auditors/agencies are looking for how that ties to % of effort.

Lindsey

Lindsey Demeritt

e. xxxxxx@attainpartners.com

o. 407.271.4250 | m. 407.919.9556

attainpartners.com

 


On Tue, Aug 15, 2023 at 9:36 AM Elise Dantuma <xxxxxx@ucf.edu> wrote:

Hi everyone,

 

I was searching the listserv an saw this thread pop up.

 

Does anyone use a monthly tracker for reconciling effort and payroll? I’m working to develop one for our team, but I’d love to see how others handle this!

 

Thanks in advance!

Elise

 

Elise Dantuma, MBA, CRA

Manager

Contracts & Grants

xxxxxx@ucf.edu | 407.266.7075

6900 Lake Nona Blvd, Room 101H

Orlando, FL 32827-7407

Please note: Florida has a very broad open records law (F. S. 119). E-mails may be subject to public disclosure

 

 

From: Research Administration List <xxxxxx@lists.healthresearch.org> On Behalf Of Michael Spires
Sent: Friday, March 9, 2018 2:55 PM
To: xxxxxx@lists.healthresearch.org
Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Academic year effort for summer salary

 

If the investigator can balance the load of her/his obligations to the institution and to the grant, then there’s nothing really to be gained from buying them out of academic year time on a grant. But where teaching loads are high, or when there’s a need for more AY time than the investigator has available after taking other commitments into account, then it makes perfect sense to include release time during the academic year. And if the cost of buying out of a course is set at the replacement cost (i.e., what it would cost to hire an adjunct or an instructor to cover the course(s) being bought out), it doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg. (Though I’ve seen policies at other institutions where the institution seemed to be actively trying to discourage course buyouts, they were so expensive.)

 

But I worry about that last question, about freeing up sponsored funds for “other purposes.” If the faculty member meant that not buying out AY time on the grant means that there’s more money from that grant to be devoted to other cost items on that budget, sure. But if the faculty member meant that s/he could use that bought-out time on another project, that wouldn’t be allowable—the effort must go to the project which is paying for the time.

 

Michael Spires, M.A., M.S., CRA
President, National Organization of Research Development Professionals

Research Development Officer, Sciences

The Research Office

Oakland University

256 Hannah Hall

244 Meadow Brook Road

Rochester, MI 48309-4451

(248) 370-2207

xxxxxx@oakland.edu

 

From: Research Administration List <xxxxxx@lists.healthresearch.org> On Behalf Of Michele Schwietz
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2018 2:44 PM
To: xxxxxx@lists.healthresearch.org
Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Academic year effort for summer salary

 

It’s been good to see that responses confirm the policy of charging effort to a grant when the work is done. 

 

So, how would you respond to a faculty member’s perception that since research is part of faculty workload and built into their contract (i.e. reduced teaching load to conduct research during the AY), it’s already covered, and the sponsor shouldn’t be charged for that effort during the AY?  Which then frees up those sponsored funds for other purposes?

 

Any and all responses (off-line too) would be appreciated.

Michele

 

Michele S. Schwietz, Ph.D.

Associate Dean for Research

George Mason University

Fairfax, Virginia

xxxxxx@gmu.edu

 

From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@lists.healthresearch.org] On Behalf Of Patricia Kolenic Dodson
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2018 1:33 PM
To: xxxxxx@lists.healthresearch.org
Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Academic year effort for summer salary

 

CU Boulder does not allow summer salary be paid for effort expended during the academic year.

 

Patricia Dodson

Assistant Director Compliance

Office of Contracts & Grants

University of Colorado Boulder

Boulder, Colorado 80309

O 303 735 6277

F 303 492 6421

www.colorado.edu/ocg

 

 

From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@lists.healthresearch.org] On Behalf Of MaryTherese Kocevar
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2018 10:35 AM
To: xxxxxx@lists.healthresearch.org
Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Academic year effort for summer salary

 

We do not allow faculty to work on a sponsored award during the AY and be paid in the summer.   The time and effort must match.

Teri Kocevar

CSU

From: Lindsey Demeritt

Sent: Friday, March 9, 11:30 AM

Subject: [RESADM-L] Academic year effort for summer salary

OK folks, I need the group to help me out here as I'm just having a hard time with the reconciliation.

I have a 9-month faculty member who is not guaranteed summer salary--not terribly unusual for a 9-month appointment.   The question is, and I just haven't had much experience with 9-month faculty who are funded through non-NSF proposals--can I defer payment for effort in the academic year to be recovered in the summer?  My gut says no as I'm generally on the "you recover salary for effort when it is performed," but this seems to be a VERY common practice for 9-month appointments, and I don't want to allow my lack of familiarity to cause me to be too rigid.

Thank you!!  

--

You cannot simultaneously prepare for and prevent war.  --Albert Einstein

Sometimes, I wonder if God will ever forgive us for what we've done to each other? -- Danny Archer, "Blood Diamond"

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--
You cannot simultaneously prepare for and prevent war.  --Albert Einstein
Sometimes, I wonder if God will ever forgive us for what we've done to each other? -- Danny Archer, "Blood Diamond"