What a timely discussion!

Our office just narrowly avoided a true fiasco last week with a couple
of ACS proposals that we didn't have final drafts of until the day
before they were due, and by that time it was nearly impossible to get
the needed signatures (especially during the summer when people are on
vacation).

That has prompted our office to begin a discussion about enacting an
internal deadline like the ones being discussed here. We currently have
no stated policy regarding how far in advance PI's need to get their
proposals to us, which means that we often (usually?) receive them at
the eleventh hour.

We realize that such a deadline is fully unenforceable, and of course we
would never refuse to assist anyone who has something to submit, no
matter how late it arrives in our office. However, putting an official
deadline out there would clearly show PI's that submitting at the last
minute is at their own risk, and that our ability to get the required
signatures is not guaranteed if they come in after the internal
deadline.

Right now there is no such understanding, and it puts a lot of pressure
on us from multiple directions--from the PI, who expects us to get his
or her proposal submitted successfully, and from the school officials
whose signatures are needed, who have busy schedules and don't always
appreciate our asking them to drop everything to review and sign a
proposal at the last minute.

If only the deadline fairy would come and grant us one wish--to make
everyone submit their proposals chronically early!

But yes, five days sounds great to me. I think that may be a policy we
adopt before the start of the new school year.

Best regards,
Suzanne Happell
Assistant Director of Sponsored Programs
Otterbein College

-----Original Message-----
From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@hrinet.org] On
Behalf Of Charlie Hathaway
Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2008 1:23 PM
To: xxxxxx@hrinet.org
Subject: [RESADM-L] Internal deadlines and processing times

I have a meeting in an hour.  I'd like to be able to say that most
OSPs do __________________.

So...super quick survey:  We have all discussed how many days before
a deadline we expect to see proposals/forms submitted for internal
approvals.  And we have all (+/-) agreed that you do everything you
can to get every proposal out the door regardless of violation of
internal deadlines.  I understand that the job demands extraordinary
effort and flexibility to get everything done on time...but

Question: Do you have a policy saying that a proposal will be
reviewed and approved within a specific time frame following
submission of paperwork?  Or do you just tell people "You will get it
back in time to submit!"

thanks

Charlie Hathaway

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 Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including
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