I don't know that I agree with Chuck about this. Leading ORSP in some institutions is an academic function, in others strictly administrative. How the faculty see this is very important. If you faculty is looking for a peer, you need to think about a degreed person. Although this says nothing about that person's ability to lead ORSP, faculty can be pretty snobbish. If your campus requires a peer, get them a peer, and that includes research experience. The Catch-22 here is that all investigators think their particular field is the key to all knowledge in the universe, so which field of research gets a little weird. Your person needs to be well-rounded, more than just a rules and regs wonk, and be able to sell folks in all parts of the institution that the new person is comfortable, experienced, and reasonably knowledgeable on their particular turf. No that's not easy easy, so you do the best you can. Certianly who to hire is not a black & white issue. Doo a needs assessment. ASk your faculty adn admin contacts what type of person they want (Throw out the accounting people's insistance on a CPA or computer/db analyist or engineer/engineer, etc.) then create your profile from that. Again, having a degree is no guarantee you will get a good person, but your campus culture should dictate who you hire. There are lots and lots of really excellent folks who chose having a life over graduate school and vice versa. A sense of humor and an understanding that research administration is a helping profession, not the center of the universe, are also important. Good luck Spanky >At 05:04 PM 5/7/99 -0500, Mitchell Berman wrote: >>We are a searching for a new ORSP director, and could use some wisdom about >>what to look for in such a person. We are a University of about 14,000 >>students moving toward Carnagie II status. >> >>1. Should a Ph.D. be a requirement for the job? > >NO -- but it is not an impedement. If the faculty is unable to accept the >guidance, support and servioces of an expert unless he/she has a terminal >degree, it is the faculty who has the flaw. There is no formal education >package, at any level, that provides the package of skills needed for this >position. There are Ph.D.'s who wish to move to administration who might >fit, but make sure they have the skills of an administrator. Filling this >piosition by the Peter Principle will damage your program!! > >>2. Should the applicant have experience as PI on large federal grants? > >Not necessarily. Often a "big" PI's "executive officer" has better >knowledge of the administrative environment than the P.I., depending on the >PI's style. BUT he/she MUST understand the PI's needs, however that is >gained. > >>3. What level of past scholarly activity should the applicant have? > >This position is STAFF TO THE WHOLE FACULTY. Scholarly activity is not >necessary. However, if you are looking at bringing in an experienced >outsider, PROFESSIONAL activity, from professional society activity to >presentations/publications/training in the profession are a major plus. > >>4. Should the applicant be outstanding at "beating the bushes" in DC and >>our state capitol for funding? > >That is a matter for institutional style and the interaction with other >positions/individuals in administration. Supplying the best information on >funding opportunities should be a major responsibility, but how that's done >should be an institutions stratecy. Few individuals have "beat the bushes" >connections outside of a specific field, agency, whatever; this could lead >to services being focused, to the detriment of some who are out of the line >of sight. > >Chuck > >> >> >>Mitchell E. Berman, Ph.D. >>University of Southern Mississippi >> >> >>====================================================================== >> Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including >> subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available >> via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists") >>====================================================================== >> >Herbert B. Chermside, CRA >Director, Sponsored Programs Administration >Virginia Commonwealth University >PO BOX 980568 >Richmond, VA 23298-0568 >Express Delivery Only: > Sanger Hall, Rm. 1-073 > 11th & Marshall Streets > Richmond, VA 23219 >Voice: 804-828-6772 >Fax 804-828-2521 >OFFICE e-mail xxxxxx@VCU.EDU >Personal e-mail xxxxxx@vcu.edu >http://views.vcu.edu/views/ospa/ > > >====================================================================== > Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including > subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available > via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists") >====================================================================== ***************************************************** Mike (Spanky) McCallister, Ph.D., Director, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs University of Arkansas at Little Rock 2801 South University Little Rock, AR 72204 (v)501-569-8474 (F)501-569-3039 http://www.ualr.edu/~orsp/ ====================================================================== Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists") ======================================================================
