Agreed--the best we can hope for is to mitigate. These things have been helpful to our office: Set "deadlines"--in quotes because no sponsored programs office that I know of can enforce a deadline rigorously--that most PIs can recognize as reasonable. We ask for applications a day and a half before they must be mailed. About a month before major sponsor deadlines, like the NIH deadlines, tell investigators your internal deadline by e-mail. Time/personal relationships help. This is an area where policies aren't much use unless your school is actually willing to refuse to submit an application. But it does help to get to know the investigator and her work, and perform services if you can, like extra help with a budget. If you show you can improve the application in some way or make its preparation easier for the PI you win friends and sympathy. Analyze the situation carefully--isn't it 20% of the PIs submitting 80% of the late applications? That's not bad. For those 20% there is, as Charlie said, no hope. We do a cursory check and let the application go. If it gets funded, no harm done; if it doesn't--well, let the investigator learn in the dear school of experience. Peter J. Dolce, Ph.D., Director Office of Research Support Services Meharry Medical College 1005 D. B. Todd Boulevard Nashville, TN 37208 Phone 615 327 6703 Fax 615 327 6716 -----Original Message----- From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG] On Behalf Of Carlson, Claire Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 4:43 PM To: xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Rush/Last Minute Proposal Policies? I used to work at a university that copied and mailed out proposals at no cost to the PIs. Because of the ever increasing number of last-minute proposals, we changed the policy so that we only copied and mailed if we received the proposal five working days before the deadline. If they came in past that point, the PI had to copy and mail at their own expense. The result was that we rarely ever copied and mailed proposals after the establishment of the deadline. The bottom line was that PIs did not find free copying and mailing sufficient incentive to get things done early. PIs just have too many competing demands. I don't think we can ever get rid of last-minute-itis. Claire Claire L. Carlson Associate Vice President for Research The University of Montana Research and Sponsored Programs University Hall 202 Missoula, Montana 59812-4104 Phone (406) 243-5796 Fax (406) 243-5739 NOTE NEW E-MAIL ADDRESS: xxxxxx@umontana.edu -----Original Message----- From: Bushnell, Barbara [mailto:xxxxxx@COBA.USF.EDU] Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 3:23 PM To: xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Rush/Last Minute Proposal Policies? Many years ago I attended one of the NCURA Fundamentals of Sponsored Research programs. One speaker, from one of the Washington state universities, said his office had a firm policy of not sending anything out overnight express. Proposals had to be in Sponsored Research 10 days in advance of the deadline for review. They sent out everything regular mail. PI's or their departments had to cover the costs of any express mail required for any of the proposals that did not meet the 10 day deadline. He said it was rare that they ever had a problem. I thought the policy was outstanding. Barb Barb Bushnell Coordinator, Accounting University of South Florida College of Business Administration, BSN 3403 4202 East Fowler Avenue Tampa, FL 33620 Phone: (813) 974-3270 Fax: (813) 974-3030 -----Original Message----- From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG]On Behalf Of Susan Meslang Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2005 4:57 PM To: xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Rush/Last Minute Proposal Policies? We are having the same problems - no matter the funding agent. In the past everything was done to get a proposal submitted on time even when the PI submitted it very late - resulting in sloppy work, late hours etc. We are eager to hear how others handle this. Susan W. Meslang Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs Tidewater Community College 121 College Place Norfolk, Virginia 23510-1907 Office 757 822-1773 Cell 757 409-2887 Fax 757 822-1007 xxxxxx@tcc.edu >>> xxxxxx@UAF.EDU 1/25/2005 6:17:27 PM >>> Hello all, We're having a lot of trouble with rush and last minute proposals, especially for the NSF deadline that passed yesterday. Does anyone have a good policy for dealing with these types of proposals, or does anyone use any sort of incentive/penalty system if the proposal is on-time vs. late? We are considering a small pool of money with a drawing per year for investigators that get their proposals in on time. Conversely, there is serious talk from on high about charging the offending unit a fee if the proposal is last minute. Obviously training will factor some into this situation as we implement our upcoming faculty training, but for now, we really feel the need to implement a policy that deals with proposals that don't follow our 5 business day rule. Any ideas appreciated. Sincerely, Andrew Gray -- ==================================================== Andrew M. Gray, CRA - Senior Pre-Award Administrator UAF Office of Sponsored Programs 909N Koyukuk Drive / P.O. Box 757270 Suite 212F West Ridge Research Building Fairbanks, AK 99775-7270 Phone: (907) 474-1851 Fax: (907) 474-5444 E-mail: xxxxxx@uaf.edu Web: http://www.uaf.edu/osp/ ====================================================================== 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") ====================================================================== ====================================================================== 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") ====================================================================== ====================================================================== 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") ====================================================================== ====================================================================== 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") ====================================================================== ====================================================================== 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") ======================================================================
