Institutional advancement is just that--interest lies specifically in
advancing the institution.  Research administration is more aligned with
faculty development rather than institutional development.  When integrating
these two functions there is a great risk--losing faculty respect, confusing
grants with gifts, educating in ways to avoid IDC recovery, etc.
In short, research administrators attempt to balance faculty interests and
their alignment with their external disciplines and the interests of the
institution and its alignment with whatever.  Hopefully, the outcome is a
win-win situation;  integration, it seems to me, only muddies the waters
and creates a wedge which may not exist otherwise.

Of course, the usual disclaimers apply.

Regards,
Steve Hoagland
Old Dominion University
xxxxxx@oduvm.cc.odu.edu