Re: Question about where a particular function should be located Dawn Underwood 23 Mar 2007 08:15 EST

Donna,
I very much appreciate your comments. Momentum has been created that
this responsibility should come to pre-award, and I need some force of
numbers to make the case that this is not the right area for this
function.

I agree that this is not and should not be a pre-award office function.
Our post-award office focuses on financial management of grant accounts.
I think that if a position is created, that person could report to
internal audit, legal affairs, directly to the CRO, etc. The push for
another level of responsibility has arisen on institutional grant
programs, not academic research in the departments. A program director
on several of these institutional grants was let go, and a new director
has been hired.

Thanks again for your comments.
Dawn

>>> Donna Berger <xxxxxx@MARIST.EDU> 3/23/2007 8:27 AM >>>
Dawn,

Maybe I'm missing something, but I do not see how a pre-award office
could
possibly do this unless the office is linked to the postaward and there
is
some reason for the PI to work with this person. We are a pre-award
office
and once an award is made, we have little knowledge of program progress
and
do not see the PI until s/he is working on a new proposal. After an
award
is made, the PIs work solely with our post award office on effort
reporting, etc.  Because post award monitors the budget expenditures,
they
have the wherewithal to point out issues as they arise and the PIs
have
good reason to connect with this office.  Personally, I think placing
this
responsibility in a pre-award office would be a set up for failure,
unless
their is a restructuring that links the office to post award so that
as
issues arise they be dealt with cooperatively between the two offices.
In
fact, anyone given this responsibility would need to be connected to
one or
both of these offices I would assume and the PIs would need have reason
to
interact with that person. At our institution, the deans (on paper)
are
responsible for overseeing programmatic outcomes. How well this works
would
be another discussion!

Donna Berger, Ph.D.
Coordinator, Academic Grants
Marist College
Phone: 845-575-3670

 Dawn Underwood

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Subject
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 particular function should be

 located

 03/21/2007 12:16

 PM

 Please respond to

 Research

 Administration

 Discussion List

 <xxxxxx@hrinet.

 org>

Your responses to the following questions are much appreciated, and
needed as soon as possible.

Our university is considering a new role/position that would be
responsible for working with PIs to ensure that they are completing
all
the required documentation (other than budgetary) and programmatic
goals
required of grant funded projects.  For example, the position would
check files for complete and accurate documentation on program
participants, as well as keeping up on whether the appropriate number
of
participants are being served.  If your institution has such a
position,
in what office are they located and to whom do they report?  Those of
you without this position, where would you think the position should
be
located and to whom they should report (ie: pre-award office,
post-award
office, internal auditing office, other)?  Please explain why you feel
that this position should be located in the office you state.  Our
institution does not have a separate compliance office at this time.

To give you a bit of background, it has been suggested that this
responsibility be housed in the pre-award office, and that no new
personnel be hired. This would significantly affect the number of
workshops given and the level of support provided to faculty and staff
grantwriters. I'm hoping to learn perspectives on what is in the best
interest of the institution. Thus, I am keenly interested in learning
what other research administrators think about where this
responsibility
should lie.

Thank you for your help.
Dawn

Dawn Underwood
Director
Sponsored Programs
College of Education, Room 120
Indiana State University
Terre Haute, Indiana
Phone: 812-237-3088
Fax: 812-237-3092

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Dawn Underwood
Director
Sponsored Programs
College of Education, Room 120
Indiana State University
Terre Haute, Indiana
Phone: 812-237-3088
Fax: 812-237-3092

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