>Dear Colleagues:
>I am a new Coordinator of Sponsored Programs at West Virginia Graduate
>College. IT is a new office, new position. The instition has no history
>of research or other sponsored funding.
>After a year of getting the appropriate infrastructure in place, we
>are now at a point to begin faculty development.
>Over 65% of our faculty are tenured. We have 9000 students, 98% of whom
>are working adults; classes are taught via distance learning.
>The only "incentive" right now for faculty to write grants is a 25% share
>of the recovered indirect cost. Some of the $$$ for summer school is being
>cut, so that is an incentive, though a from the negative.
>I have alot of leeway in terms of suggestions and recommendations I can
>make to the VP.
>Please give your input to the following questions, keeping in mind the
>unique characteristics of this institution.
>
>1. What steps are necessary to take NOW to "turn the ship" around,
>so that 5 years from now, we will have a stronger OSP and higher
>%age of grants written and funded?

Response:  You've taken the first step - opening the office.  Take pains to
develop a sense on the campus of your office being the source and resource
for help and proposal preparation assistance.  Encourage your administration
to be actively supportive of those faculty willing to 'take the plunge.'
>
>2. What policy changes can be made to nurture the climate of research
>at this college?

Response:  Policy regarding reassigned time to provide time for the faculty
interested to actually work on research is very important.
>
>3. We are in the embryonic stage of development. What hazards/or other
>developmental surprises await?

Response:  Beware of unrealistic expectations on the part of the
administration and the faculty.  don't be a doomsayer but you need to be
realistic regarding the process and the anticipated success ratio!
>
>4. What can we do to motivate faculty to write grants?

Response:  Recognition of those who are successful (faculty newsletter,
student/campus newspaper, lunches, breakfasts, receptions, annual reports
(glossy booklets are nice if you can afford them) and, of course, be sure
they get some tangible return from the recovered indirect costs.
>
>5. How do you encourage faculty to form the type of community
>collaborations so often necessary and looked for by sponsors?

Response:  Wish I knew what really worked.  A lot depends on the Deans and
upper level administration.
>
>6. How much responsibility for the success of the OSP rests solely
>on the coordinator (ie. is it all my fault????)

Response:  Certainly some responsibility rests with your office.  If you set
a tone for assistance and provide the necessary resources you go a long way
toward success.  No it is not ALL your fault - so don't take that much blame!!!
>
>7. Which would be better: working with individual faculty to develop
>their skills, or just me writing all the grants?

Response:  You cannot write grants for such a diverse group as faculty from
numerous disciplines.  You CAN provide technical support (editing,
background information, assistance with signoff, copying, presentation,
etc.)  but the person doing the work must write the proposal (if you can't
write you can't do!!!).
>
>Any comments you care to make will be most appreciated. Please keep in
>mind this is a new position; we are a small institution with NO history
>of research; there is administrative support for this effort; it is a
>One Person Office, and i'm IT. PS: I am an alum of this school, and
>my background is in private non-profit administration and program
>planning.
>

NOTE:  Hope this helps.  I started an office from scratch three and a half
years ago and I am still working on all of the above!!!!

Mary H. Watson

>Thanks ever so.
>Sincerely,
>
>Martha Spalding Armstrong
>Coordinator, Sponsored Programs
>WEst Virginia Graduate College
>South Charleston  WV
>xxxxxx@wvnvm.wvnet.edu
>
>
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Mary H. Watson, Ph.D                                Phone: 912-333-7837
Director, Grants and Contracts                       Fax:  912-245-3831
Valdosta State University                            Co-Owner, Grants-L
Valdosta   GA   31698

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