Hi Pam, the same goes for our announcement I recently posted. The
reasons we put it as a requirement are for the same reasons Bill listed,
and I think they are very good ones.

Thanks,
Andrew

Bill Schulze wrote:

> Hi, Pam:
>
> I have a feeling you are referring to our announcement, although I
> believe others do that as well...
>
> You make some good philosophical points, however our motive is more
> practical than philosophical. Including a certification requirement in
> the job description for Senior Research Administrator has allowed us
> to obtain HR approval of a professional position at a competitive
> salary level.
>
> We do not use the CRA as a screening instrument, or we would require
> it up front. I feel many will agree that the CRA is an important
> credential for various reasons, but by no means do I feel it should be
> considered the quintessential measure of knowledge or competency
> within the profession.
>
> We expect our Senior Research Administrators to be experienced and
> highly skilled research administrators. Our evaluations of candidates
> during the interview process are based on their knowledge of the field
> and demonstrated skills, and since the 4 professionals currently in
> our office have over 60 years of combined experience in Research
> Administration, we have little trouble with these assessments.
>
> Bill
>
> PS: If anyone is interested in a good job with great people, please
> apply... We're looking for really good research administrators, and if
> you don't already have the CRA, don't worry about it - we'll give you
> 3 years and also pay for it...
>
> ****************************************
> William E. Schulze, EdD
> Director of Sponsored Programs
> University of Nevada, Las Vegas
> Phone (702) 895-1357
> Fax (702) 895-0986
> xxxxxx@ccmail.nevada.edu
> ****************************************
>
> Inactive hide details for Pamela Miller <xxxxxx@USFCA.EDU>Pamela
> Miller <xxxxxx@USFCA.EDU>
>
>
>
>
>
>                         *Pamela Miller <xxxxxx@USFCA.EDU>*
>                         Sent by: Research Administration List
>                         <xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG>
>
>                         12/05/2005 09:35 AM
>                         Please respond to Research Administration
>                         Discussion List
>
>
>
> To: xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG
> cc:
> Subject: [RESADM-L] CRA as a screening instrument
>
>
>
>
> This is something that has been bothering me, and I have decided to
> share my concerns via this forum: I recently noticed a research
> administration position announcement that required that persons
> applying for the job have CRA status or be willing to obtain this
> designation within a few years of employment. In my opinion, requiring
> research administrators obtain a Certified Research Administrator
> (CRA) designation to obtain and maintain employment is very premature.
>
> The exam for the CRA tests an examinee’s knowledge of particular body
> of knowledge and indicates that a high enough score on the test along
> with a certain number of years on the job and a bachelor’s degree is
> sufficient for the individual to be “certified” as a research or
> grants administrator. The unasked questions in this transaction are:
> Who decides what the fundamental body of knowledge is in research
> administration? The exam may indeed have captured the incredible
> diversity of this ever changing field, but how do we know? Is there an
> objective credentialing body behind the CRA exam, such as the
> Committee on Accreditation (CoA) which oversees the accreditation of
> programs and exams in professional psychology for the American
> Psychological Association (APA)? Is there anything more rigorous than
> anecdotal evidence to support the validity of the exam?
>
> Assuming the CRA exam does capture all the fundamentals of research
> administration, are the questions good questions, i.e., do the
> questions really tap the individual’s true understanding of this body
> of knowledge? No test is perfect, and there are numerous factors that
> affect the reliability of a test, e.g., the length of the test, the
> way the items are constructed, and even the directions for taking the
> test. Reliability is an essential characteristic of a good test,
> because if a test doesn't measure consistently (reliably), then one
> can not know if the scores resulting from a particular administration
> are due to the examinee’s achievement or random error. The CRA web
> site does not report test validity or reliability information, and
> these are important things to know before making someone’s job
> dependent upon having or getting a CRA!
>
> Research administrators work hard, often without anyone noticing or
> appreciating the work being done. It therefore is very tempting to try
> and place research administration at the same table with other valued
> professions. However, if one looks at what other professions have done
> and are doing to achieve this respected status, it is clear that we in
> research administration have a long way to go. The CRA may be an
> important first step, but in my opinion it is unwise to think that we
> have reached the end of the journey.
>
> Pamela F. Miller, Ph.D.
> Director, Office of Sponsored Projects
> The University of San Francisco
> 2130 Fulton Street
> San Francisco, CA 94117-1080
> TEL 415-422-5368
> FAX 415-422-6222
> EMAIL xxxxxx@usfca.edu_ <mailto:xxxxxx@usfca.edu>
>
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