In response to Ann Stevens question concerning NIH study sections deleting
secretarial salaries:

 The last revision of A-21 (July, 1993) added the following as
F.6.b. "The salaries of administrative and clerical staff should normally be
treated as indirect costs.  Direct charging of these costs may be appropriate
where a major project or activity explicitly budgets for administrative or
clericalservices and individuals involved can be specifically identified with
the project or activity.  Items such as office supplies, postage, local
telephone costs and memberships shall normally be treated as indirect costs."
 Our interpretation of this has been to exclude clerical salaries from
budgets of all R01 applications unless the clerical person could be strongly
justified as doing NON-ROUTINE administrative work specific to the project (e.g.
data entry and analysis, etc.).  We do feel that clerical salaries are easily
justified on program project or center grants.
 Having just rotated off of a study section last June, I am surprised
that the study section is dealing with an issue like that.  That sort of thing
is generally left to grants management to deal with, so that the study section
can take care of scientific issues and budget issues which may affect the
ability to carry out the science.

Doug Wilkerson, Ph.D.           VOICE:  (419) 381-4252
Assoc. V.P. for Research        FAX:    (419) 381-4262
Medical College of Ohio         e-mail: xxxxxx@CUTTER.MCO.EDU
3000 Arlington Ave.
Toledo, OH 43614