We encourage our PIs to ask the program officer if it is allowed for the
particular program, as allowability seems to vary across programs and
directorates.  A handful of our PIs have asked and received over the
years--with solid justification.  The perceived limitation to 2 summer
months has been a concern of mine for a long time, particularly since
I'm at a teaching institution where teaching loads are typically 4 and
4.  Unless faculty can buy release time with grant funds, thus freeing
up institutional funds to pay adjuncts, it is hard for them to be
competitive in the national research arena.

Fred Averick wrote:

> Hi--
>
> It has been our understanding that NSF did not generally pay for what we
> call course buyouts (where the teaching load of a faculty member is
> reduced if s/he can get a grant to pay for a piece of his/her salary).
> One of the senior faculty members here says that she was informed by
> people that this isn't the case.  Looking on their website, it seems
> unclear, except for this passage from the NSF grant proposal guide:
>
> "NSF regards research as one of the normal functions of faculty members
> at institutions of higher education. Compensation for time normally
> spent on research within the term of appointment is deemed to be
> included within the faculty member's regular organizational salary.
> Grant funds may not be used to augment the total salary or rate of
> salary of faculty members during the period covered by the term of
> faculty appointment or to reimburse faculty members for consulting or
> other time in addition to a regular full-time organizational salary
> covering the same general period of employment"
>
> But this passage seems to be talking more about increasing someone's
> compensation, which we're not doing.  I called NSF and was told to speak
> to someone in the Policy office, who hasn't gotten back to me yet.  I
> also did a search on Google and saw a few other universities mentioning
> that NSF would not support a buyout.
>
> Does anyone have any hard info/experience with this?
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Fred Averick
> Sponsored Research Administrator
> Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences
> New York University
> 251 Mercer Street
> New York, NY 10012
>
>
> ======================================================================
> 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")
> ======================================================================

--
==================================================================
Barbara H. Gray, Director
Office of Research & Grants Administration
College of Charleston
66 George Street
Charleston, SC  29424
Campus Location:  407-G Bell Bldg.
Office: 843.953.5673  Desk: 843.953.5885  Fax:  843.953.6577
e-mail:  xxxxxx@cofc.edu   URL: http://www.orga.cofc.edu/
==================================================================

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