NCSU is a state-supported land-grant university with over $133 million in
new awards in 1999-2000.  Through the use of a new model for examining
workflow and customer satisfaction, NCSU has launched an effort to
establish professional definitions of the various roles and
responsibilities associated with research administration support across
the pre- and post-award functions, from the department to the university
level.

NCSU operates in a highly decentralized environment, which makes
coordinated efforts at organizational development a challenge at best.
Right now we have over 100 position involved to some extent in the
research support function, but they are classified in many different
ways, everything from accountants and program assistants, to information
processors and business officers.  The current classification system does
not adequately capture the complexity and variety of activities, which
comprise the research administration support function.  Further, as
positions have been added or updated, campus units have used the
classification, which provides the most competitive salary range, and
they tweak the description to fit the classification.  The end result is
a loose group of positions with no clear path for advancement through the
system and no uniform way to define the training and professional
development expectation for research administrators on campus.

We are very much interested in learning more about what other
organizations with similar operations are doing in terms of
organizational development and/or position management.   We'd be
particularly interested in similar efforts at comprehensive position
classification (successful or not).

If you have any information or ideas of this subject please respond to
either:

Sarah Smith at xxxxxx@ncsu.edu
or
Patty Davis at xxxxxx@ncsu.edu

Thanks in advance for considering this issue.

Sarah Smith
North Carolina State University
Research Administration
Box 7514, Rm 22 Leazar Hall
Raleigh, NC 27695-7514
(919) 515-7511 - phone
(919) 515-7721 - fax
xxxxxx@ncsu.edu - email

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