Let me clarify why I put the memo out yesterday about one study
section arbitrarily cutting the adm./clerical salaries from RO1s. As
many of you know, many of us have been discussing this issue for
months, i.e., what OMB means by major project; whether we can get
these salaries through on RO1s considering the statement in the
circular in D.l, etc., etc., etc.  Most universities, including
Emory, are allowing these requests on RO1s but are telling faculty to
carefully justify person's role in project, e.g., person is
performing non-routine clerical duties.

However, we who are allowing these requests have been quite worried
that they would not be approved, even though HHS (NIH) has not made a
definitive statement about this.  Thus I was surprised to hear from
my chair that the salaries were cut at this recent study section
meeting.  Apparently it was the members themselves (scientists) who
were already aware of the revision in A-21, and saw this as a way to
save some dollars.

To Bob Kruger:  Thanks so much for your observation.  We are also
advising our faculty to be creative.  I like that term research
coordinator, but as yet, we don't have that title in our
classification system.  I agree one does have to be creative.

To Doug:  Thanks for your response.  Sounds like you are doing what
most of the rest of us are doing.  I agree totally with you.  The
study section members should not be making this decision.  It indeed
should be made by the grants management people.  But why were the
study section members not apprized of this?????

Ann R. Stevens,Ph.D.
Phone 404-727-2503
Fax 404-727-2509
xxxxxx@OSP.EMORY.EDU
Emory University