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Research Infrastructure and Growth: Succession Planning for Sustainable Research Sandra L. Justice, BA, USF CRA-Advanced, College of Arts and Sciences, University of South Florida John Giannoni, Lt. Col. (USAF Ret), BBA, MSE, Patel College for Global Sustainability, University of South Florida Evolving Research Support What’s your Indirect Rate? A global perspective of Indirect rates 1.USA average at 55% 2.Japan there is a flat rate of 30% 3.United Kingdom calculate on a per-project basis 4.Horizon 2020 (all EU grants) flat rate of 25% How are recovered indirect dollars supporting the research infrastructure? (Transparency builds Trust) In 2015, Huron Consulting provided recommendations for USF’s research operational structure: •Streamlined central research offices (e.g. Sponsored Research) •Increase distribution of indirect cost recovery to research community •Establish robust research admin. service centers with institutional authority to submit proposals. Background Reflecting 25 Years Sustainable Research Support How do we mitigate the faculty burden? Dedicated support As innovation is a key ingredient the future of research. Evolving the support infrastructure. Leveraging recovered overhead. Key is significant and transparent investment in the research infrastructure. Investing in research administration models that fit the organizational need, and flexibility to change as the institution evolves and needs change. Models include: Shared services managed centrally, grass root support in departments and centers, and the ‘Long Ranger’ wearing multiple hats at PUI. Nimble Research Support What if sponsors mandated how indirect dollars were re-invested in the research infrastructure? What if there was a requirement for greater transparency? Works Cited Karen A. Holbrook and Paul R. Sanberg, Understanding the High Cost of Research, Technology and Innovation, Vol. 15, pp. 281–283, 2013. Overheads Under the Microscope, Sources US Department of Health and Human Services, NIH RePORTER database, “Indirect Costs: Keeping the Lights On ,” by Heidi Ledford, Nature News, November 19, 2014. Bob Yirka, Journal shines a light on the high cost of indirect spending as part of research grants, November 20, 2014, Nature Phys Org. doi: 10.1038/515326a. US DHHS; NIH RePORTER database. Fall 2009 Huron. USF Health research management strategic planning initiative http://health.usf.edu/NR/rdonlyres/DD2077A8-9D5B-4ED7-B881-DB314617F9B0/3 5765/US Huron Consulting, USF Research Operational Structure Review (Executive Summary, June 2015) http://www.research.usf.edu/pdf/usf-final-report- executive-summary-05.28.2015-v1.2.pdf RASPerS, Research Administration Salaries in 2011 published in NCURA Magazine. http://moderas.org/sites/default/files/MayJune2011.pdf Growing the Strength of Research Support The Certified Research Administrator (CRA) designation is granted in the U.S.A. by the Research Administrators Certification Council to individuals who demonstrate the knowledge necessary to serve as an administrator of professional and sponsored research programs. The research enterprise is riddled with compliance hurdles, aimed to ensure responsible spending and transparent results of research finding. Research administrators are increasingly ‘Guardians of Grantsmanship’ – and this call to arms answered by the evolving workforce of grant experts. Masters and Doctoral level grant writers are adding value to the evolving research administration workforce. Adding disciplinary science expertise to your team enhances the caliber of support, and propels grant productivity as it diminishes the faculty’s administrative burden. Research Administrators will posses these qualities: oSome grant writing experience, (e.g. graduate school or research lab). oScientific training or clinical experience, specific on the grant environment. oThe ability to write persuasively and cogently for compelling proposals, and strong accounting skills for managing research funding portfolio. Compliance hurdles Supporting docs Forms | Tables Budgets Letters of support Videos | Pitch Upload, Submit Monitor Spending Burn Rate Reporting Cash Management Reports to Sponsor Sub-award reports Tick Tock – pending report will stop cycle of funding Set up funding (based on award, not proposal) for travel, hiring, purchasing, sub- awards, etc. Creative grants for a diverse funding portfolio (Federal, Foundations, Crowd- funding, Industry) Focus on Compliance Clinical, IRB, IACUC, RCR Tech Transfer, Lab Safety, Data Management Plans, Intellectual Property … Publish, Present Findings, Prep for next Funding Opportunity If it costs more today than it did 25 years ago to support research, why is the administrative cap still 26 percent? The complexity of research administration requires knowledgeable, highly adaptive, and skilled professionals who have expertise in an ever expanding variety of areas characterized today by evolving regulatory requirements and a need for managed risk. Success in this knowledge driven economy depends on organized and effective 25 years ago it was determined that the cost for admin. support of a grant was 26%. Today, increased compliance and reporting makes this way too low. Change is needed now. A sustainable research model is flexible to the changing needs of the institution. a priority investment to expand and enhance infrastructure, which translates to highly trained, effective, and motivated workforce. Nature compared the negotiated rates (provided by DHHS) of actual awards to more than 600 hospitals, non-profit research institutions, and universities (see ‘Overheads Under the Microscope’), illustrating the gap between “Negotiated Rate” and “Calculated (recovered) Rate”. Research Administration, as a field, continues to expand as securing new funding is ever-more competitive, and sponsors require more oversight. Global Transpar ent Impactfu l Research
