At my former institution we allowed graduate students, staff, and research scientists (non-faculty appointments) to be PIs as long as the Chair approved the proposal - this approval basically stated they had the right to use the department facilities in the performance of the work.  Initially, this started because of the number of non-teaching units we had, but we expanded it to include students who were applying for dissertation funding.  We further expanded it when funds for organization development in systems and IP become available from sponsors, such as Kauffman Foundation.  The award would remain at the university if the person terminated their employment, unless it was very specific to their own activity, such as a dissertation award.

We supported the practice with a memorandum out of our Vice Chancellor for Research Office.  Note that if the sponsor limited eligibility to faculty only, the party had to find someone appropriate to act as PI.

Kathy

Sent from my iPad

On May 16, 2012, at 11:52 AM, "Kris Wolff" <xxxxxx@FORDHAM.EDU<mailto:xxxxxx@FORDHAM.EDU>> wrote:

Hi Folks,
We have some grad students with their own small grants from organizations like Sigma Xi and the APA, where they are named by the sponsor as the principal investigator.  Here at Fordham, they can’t be named as the PI on the grant account, rather their faculty mentor is named as the PI and they are the Co-PI.  Traditionally, students are not given any signature authority for any grant accounts, but I’d like to have an exception made for these students with their own small grants – my argument is that this is a great opportunity for these students to learn the responsibility of managing a grant budget.  We would of course limit the items they can sign off on (never salary, for example) and the amount of money they can sign for (most likely $100 or less).

Our finance office is wondering how other schools treat this situation.  When your grad students get their own external funding, are they allowed to order their own supplies and authorize payments of invoices?  Or does their faculty mentor, department chair, etc. have to do this for them?  And what are the reasons why they can or cannot?

Thank you for your help!
Kris

-----------------------------------------------
Kris Wolff, MA, CRA
Manager, Office of Sponsored Programs
718-817-4086

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