Tales from three Start-up Sponsored Programs Offices

Establishing a course without a map or crew

Session Objectives

1. Establishing your Office’s mission and objectives.2. Evaluating your institution’s culture: assessing your position

and resources.3. Identifying fundable assets within your institution.4. Looking outside: the external funding and regulatory climate.5. Pre-Award Services: facilitating the proposal process.6. Post-Award Services: providing quality service to your PIs.7. Compliance: What are the priorities?8. Resources9. Is working at a start-up for you?

Setting the Context(s)• Emerson College (Boston, MA) • Small, non-denominational college• Focuses on communication and the arts in a liberal arts context• Sponsored Research & Programs established May, 2011• 1.5 million

• Providence College (Providence, RI)• Small selective, liberal arts college• Catholic and Dominican identity• Sponsored Research & Programs established June, 2010• 2.5 million

Setting the Context(s) (cont’d)• Regis University • SMALL CATHOLIC JESUIT UNIVERSITY • UNDERGADUATE AND GRADUATE• LIBERAL ARTS, PHARMACY, NURSING, AND PHYSICAL THERAPY,

SCHOOLS• 1.8 MILLION

Working at a Start-Up?

Research Administration at a PUI: Kris’ take

Internal Factors

• All the offices at my institution who I must work with

• The knowledge, skills and abilities I currently hold

ExternalFactors

• The stakeholders to the University, sponsors, regulations

Breadth

• Need to have a breadth of understanding of all the facets of RA and many areas across the Institution

Resources

• NCURA• Mentoring• Bridges and

connections

Establishing your Office’s mission and objectives.

• What is the landscape of working in a start-up versus an established office?

• What internal and external factors must be considered in setting and achieving a vision for the new sponsored programs office?

• Without a map or dedicated crew, how do you make steady progress?

Evaluating your institution’s culture:

• Disparate views of sponsored programs make navigating a start-up office at a PUI interesting, yet challenging.• Assess your position and resources.• What are the established goals and parameters

already set?• What expectations do other’s have your position?• At what point of readiness is your institution for

sponsored research? For you?

Identifying your fundable assets:

What are the strengths of the college/university? Do you have programs/centers of excellence?

What are the strengths of the faculty? Level One: Who are your front-runners? Who are the experts?

Level Two: Who’s interested in getting involved?

What existing relationships may be helpful?Is your geographic location useful?Are the existing sponsor relationships good?

Is there a prior history of funding or collaboration? Are there obvious partners? Are there less obvious relationships/collaborations that can be leveraged?

Looking outside:

How will you be affected by the external funding and regulatory climate?

Declining funding availability. Increasing regulatory requirements. Business R&D and Sponsorships.

Establishing Infrastructure• How do you promote a culture of research?• Do you have financial management systems?• Do you have required policies and procedures in place?• Do you have adequate resources/support?• Do you have information for a web presence?• Do you have an IRB/IACUC?• Do you have the skills and competencies to move things

forward?• Are you prepared to be a catalyst/facilitate change?

Rarely would this tower be built the same way by the same person---

Compliance: What are the priorities?

Establishing procedures and policies:Garner Support Educate faculty and staff of service/resources

Determining priority to tackle:Human Subjects Protection/IRB IACUCResponsible Conduct of Research (RCR)

Promote an atmosphere of confidenceFree of fear

Pre-Award Services:Assisting with Proposal DevelopmentAssisting with BudgetFacilitating Collaborations Funding SearchesTrainingFacilitating relationships with funders

Doing for PISupporting and

educating PI Leaving PI to his/her

own devices

Leaving to his/her own devices

Supportive, educative meeting where PI is at Doing for

Post-Award Services:• Negotiation of agreements• Financial management • Reporting/Billing• Overhead distribution• Stewarding sponsors• Financial monitoring/compliance

Want to take on a start-up?Are you/Do you have/Can you get?• Ability to handle high-degrees of stress• Sustained, seemingly endless energy• Flexibility• Broad experience• Tolerance & patience (of self and others)• Ability to set boundaries (with self and others)• Ability to laugh (at self and with others)• Ability to seek help, guidance, and support through network

Take home messages --Figuring out the what, how, and when in a start-up is more of an

art than a science

Context, context, context-Be mindful of goals/mission of the institution

You are not alone-utilize the resources available

Work toward moving from a one-man-band to a chorus!

Contact Information Elizabeth Demski

Associate Vice President of Research and Creative ScholarshipEmerson College, Boston MA617-824-3075elizabeth_demski@emerson.edu Kris Monahan

Director, Sponsored Research & ProgramsOffice of Academic AffairsProvidence College, Providence RI401-865-2554kmonaha6@providence.edu

Don Bridger Director, Office of Academic Grants, Office of Academic Affairs Regis University, Denver CO

303—458-4206dbridger@regis.edu