We are a small PUI, no department administrators.  The Provost is responsible for approving all charges against sponsored programs, and she delegates that authority to me (Director of Grant Development, head of a one-person Research Office).

Prior to three years ago, department heads approved all charges.  It became clear that many of the department heads had grants, and thus were approving their own expenses, hence the change.  (Some of the department heads may have been obtaining higher-level approval, but it was not clear if this was consistent.)  Implementation has gone well, because most of the folks who have grants appear to need help administering them.  Once they understood that I am in a position to provide technical assistance, any reluctance to send POs and other financial transactions to me for approval evaporated.  A key element was for the staff in the Finance Office to refuse to process anything that didn't have my signature.

I probably disallow only three or four charges per year.  I send them back to the PI with the suggestion that the item be charge to the department instead (if not allowed) or be better substantiated (if documentation is insufficient).

We do not use p-cards.

Landy

__________________________
Landy C. Johnson, MPA, Ph.D.
Director of Grant Development
Assumption College, Alumni Hall 024
500 Salisbury St.
Worcester, MA  01609-1296
(508)767-7666
xxxxxx@assumption.edu
http://www.assumption.edu/research

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