Charlie, As the pre-award office, we've had to resort the first come, first serve policy a few times and its worked well, mostly. We try to coordinate campus pre-submission reviews when possible as an effort to save everyone time and potential headaches. The 'punishment' for giving me a proposal after the internal campus deadline (usually the day its due to the sponsor) and we're truly too swamped to route, is that the faculty must route the paperwork themselves and acquire all needed signatures. I've rarely needed to enforce this policy. If your pre-award office decides to relinquish this control, be careful as its come back to bite us, only once, when the PI's clerical staff (who has gone thru this before) assumed the person who last signed off would also make copies and mail out the proposal, in our case the Provost - they missed the sponsor's deadline. In the end they apologize, send us their thanks but unfortunately forget the pain the next time they submit a proposal, late, as usual. Lidia Lidia Nonn, Director Institute for Research University of Wisconsin - Green Bay 2420 Nicolet Drive WH 303A Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 920.465.2565 or 920.465.2784 (Office) 920.465.2043 (Fax) xxxxxx@uwgb.edu http://www.uwgb.edu/research The ultimate responsibility of a pilot is to fulfill the dreams of the countless millions of earthbound ancestors who could only stare skyward . . . and wish. This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the system manager. This message contains confidential information and is intended only for the individual named. If you are not the named addressee you should not disseminate, distribute or copy this e-mail. Please notify the sender immediately by e-mail if you have received this e-mail by mistake and delete this e-mail from your system. If you are not the intended recipient you are notified that disclosing, copying, distributing or taking any action in reliance on the contents of this information is strictly prohibited. -----Original Message----- From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@hrinet.org] On Behalf Of Charlie Hathaway Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2008 3:40 PM To: xxxxxx@hrinet.org Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Internal deadlines and processing times Thanks everyone for responding. The almost consensus is that guaranteed turnaround times are not a good idea. As for the rationale behind and the (lack of) enforcement of internal deadlines...maybe we just need to hear every few months or so that behavior never meets expectations...anywhere! I am curious about Peter's preaward officers processing applications in the order received. Could this be model of justice I have thirst for? The image of a line full of ardent, foot-tapping, clock watching PIs holding manila folders fills me with hope. Charlie > The director of our preaward office circulates a list each month that > shows the names of faculty members planning to submit applications, the > sponsor's deadline, the preaward officer assigned to process the grant, > and the internal deadline for submission. If nothing else, this makes > the point to each PI that their application is not the only one being > submitted for a given deadline; it also alarms investigators who haven't > notifed the OSP of their intent to submit--"You left me off the list!" > As for the turnaround time--each preaward officer processes applications > in the order he or she receives them. We make no promises on turnaround > time because it depends on where you stand in line, and the condition in > which you submit the application. > > > > > PJD > **************************************************************** > Peter J. Dolce, Ph.D. > Associate Vice President for Research > Grants Management and Compliance > 1005 D. B. Todd Boulevard > Meharry Medical College > Nashville, TN 37208 > > Phone 615 327 6237 > Fax 615 327 6716 > > > -----Original Message----- > From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@hrinet.org] On > Behalf Of Schier-Happell, Suzanne E > Sent: Tuesday, August 05, 2008 1:46 PM > To: xxxxxx@hrinet.org > Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Internal deadlines and processing times > > 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 > > > ====================================================================== > 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") > ====================================================================== > > DISCLAIMER: This email and any files transmitted with it may be > privileged, confidential, and contain health information that is legally > protected. This information is intended only for the use of the individual > or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this information is > prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless > permitted to do so by law or regulation. If you are not the intended > recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, disclosure, copying, or > distribution, is strictly prohibited. If you have received this > information in error, please notify the sender immediately and arrange for > the return or destruction of these documents. > > > ====================================================================== > 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") ======================================================================
