Blogs

Seeking sponsored research program managers, directors for 1 hr. phone interview in 2 weeks, $20.00 gift card.

By Michelle Sare posted Mon September 28, 2020
Would you be interested in participating in an interview to provide your budget strategy perspectives to help universities through fiscal challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic? I am kindly requesting volunteers in a doctoral research study to explore strategies used by research program budget leaders such as grant budget leaders, grant managers, and directors of sponsored research programs to address fiscal stability during the COVID-19 pandemic. Eligibility: Research program budget leaders (i.e. grant managers, research administrative leaders, directors or managers of sponsored research programs) Has served in their leadership role during COVID-19 ...

Working with our Purchasing and Procurement Offices on Those Pesky Terms and Conditions

By Dan Nordquist posted Thu May 14, 2015
Turning what can be a “muddy” issue into “just foggy” all started when I was asked the following question: "I have worked over the years with our Purchasing Department to ensure they have the standard FAR clauses in their purchase orders (PO), however, I am no expert. Now we are in the midst of buying a $5M laser using DOD funds. Do we need to adjust any PO terms and conditions (T/Cs) because of DFAR (Defense FARS) clauses in the contract?" I thought of (and immediately took the question to) one of our trusted colleagues, FAR expert and NCURA friend Kathy Lorenzi, who is now a consultant on federal and industry grants and contracts for both for-profit ...

Buying Computers on Awards under the Uniform Guidance

By Bruce Morgan posted Tue March 24, 2015
Buying Computers on Awards under the Uniform Guidance Care to comment on the following DRAFT guidelines created by Case Western Reserve University and the University of California, Irvine? Purchasing Computing Devices with Federal Funds (applicable Uniform Guidance Sections 2 CFR Part 200.20 and 200.453) Computing devices are machines used to acquire, store, analyze, process, and publish data and other information electronically and include accessories (or peripherals) for printing, transmitting and receiving, or storing electronic information. Computing devices costing less than $5,000 are not considered equipment and therefore are ...

Internal Controls: COSO, the Uniform Guidance, and More!

By Mary Lee Brown posted Fri February 06, 2015
Within the research administration community the concept of internal controls has garnered increased attention recently especially with the release of the Uniform Guidance (UG) [1] and in particular section §200.303 Internal Controls found in SubPart D-Post Federal Award Requirements, Standards for Financial and Program Management. So, what are internal controls and why are they so important? Let’s start with a definition. COSO 2 and the UG use the same definition for internal controls. The UG states in §200.61 Internal Controls means a process implemented by a non-Federal entity [e.g., institution of higher education], designed to provide reasonable ...

Research Rides the Transaction Train - By Max Benson, Laura Kinslow, and Ty Simanson

By Ty Simanson posted Wed January 07, 2015
Do you ever stop and think about what “progress” would look like? When asked to write this article, we decided that in research, progress looks a lot like a train. The PI determines what track is used, but it takes many people and a lot of transactions to make the train move down that track. Transactions? Why transactions? Because every minute of our day involves transactions of some sort. Transactions come in many types of packages: payroll, travel, pre-award and post-award processes, and of course, purchasing. Some transactions are carried on the train and some make it go. Each of us deals with some combination of these varied transactions all the time. ...

Message from the President- Looking Back…

By Vivian Holmes posted Thu November 20, 2014
Upon joining NCURA in 1993 I could not have imagined the NCURA of today let alone that I would have the honor and privilege to represent us. There have been so many experiences, tasks, events, and outstanding moments. For each, there has been a team of mentors, partners, colleagues, and friends. I will take this unique opportunity to reflect on my term as Vice President and President to send out a few thank-you’s to some who carried the weight right alongside me. I do want to give a big shout out to the federal government, OMB in particular, for choosing 2014 to deliver an update to eight circulars that had not been changed since we dialed rotary ...

Message from Your President

By Vivian Holmes posted Thu October 16, 2014
It happens all the time. I’m willing to bet it occurs elsewhere and not just in sponsored research offices. A lengthy process, a fractured procedure, a useless routing, is casually questioned. The response – you’ve heard it a million times: “That’s the way we’ve always done it.” The theme of this issue “New Approaches to Long-Standing Issues” is designed to inspire us to re-examine, reconsider, and possibly reorganize. Taking a fresh look at an old method takes time and to map out a long-standing workflow to see where it may break down or get lost is frequently above and beyond our normal duties but taking the “bull” by the horns is worth it and can ...

Message from Your President - Language and the Art of Research Administration

By Vivian Holmes posted Wed July 23, 2014
Many years ago while traveling in Europe as an undergraduate, I attended a party with students from all over Europe. Chatting away in a large group, we each introduced ourselves including our major. On my turn, I stated that I was majoring in English. From beside me, a loud male voice exclaimed in disbelief, “English??!! But you SLAUGHTER the language!!” I had occasion to recall this incident in February at the INORMS (International Network of Research Management Societies) meeting in Washington, DC, when David Lauder, EU Project Manager from the University of York and John Donovan from the Dublin Institute of Technology and President of EARMA (European ...

Message from Your President-“Speak up!” “Get involved!” “Make it Happen!”

By Vivian Holmes posted Thu May 08, 2014
These are familiar phrases that motivate us to engage, participate, and volunteer. And while the results of the Regional Leadership Survey suggest that we don’t always respond to a generic call for volunteers, we are more than ready, willing, and able to join, contribute, and share our expertise when personally invited by a colleague. As NCURA President, I would like to strongly encourage those of you who have known the professional satisfaction of active participation in our organization to invite your institutional colleagues to join in. In my role as NCURA President, I have been charged with the task of delegating responsibilities for major events such ...

Message from the President- Growing the Scholarly and Research Enterprise

By Vivian Holmes posted Wed March 05, 2014
This issue’s theme Growing the Scholarly and Research Enterprise resonates soundly with me and my institution, the Broad Institute. So many of us work in environments in which the science is extremely high level and fast moving. Often we may be intimidated by words or technologies we may not understand and may be tempted to focus solely on our administrative role as if it were a separate operation. Not only is this not necessary, it is depriving us of a richer experience where we may have a positive impact. How gratifying it can be to align your mission as a research administrator with the research itself! To recognize that the advances made in the ...

Message From the President

By Vivian Holmes posted Fri January 24, 2014
Change...is good. Living in New England means living with perpetual change. We glide our toes back into snow boots (always too soon) and our seasons melt from one into another – baseball, football, basketball, hockey...and then back again. NCURA is similar; we’ve grown accustomed to our various annual gatherings and, personally and professionally, plan accordingly. As NCURA members, 2014 marks the beginning of another very busy and exciting NCURA year including some first-time-ever’s, some very special events, and of course the long-awaited change to research administration in the form of OMB Circular A-81, otherwise referred ...

San Francisco

By Kati Barber posted Tue December 03, 2013
Come Join Us In SAN FRANCISCO for our 2014 FRA and PRA back to back conferences! FRA Registration OR Register to be an Exhibitor! http://www.ncura.edu/content/educational_programs/sites/fra15/index.php PRA Registration OR Register to be an Exhibitor! http://www.ncura.edu/content/educational_programs/sites/pra8/index.php

55th Annual Meeting Post News!

By Patricia Hawk posted Tue October 01, 2013
AM55 is now behind us. It was a great way to start our new tradition of Annual Meetings in August. I was so excited that we were able to raise over $10,000 at AM55 for this worthy cause. You can read about it in the “green” NCURA Magazine. As I said before, in this time of shrinking budgets at our institutions, imagine what could be accomplished if we all gave something to this Fund. I hope you’ll be inspired to make a contribution as well. We are an organization of about 8,000 people. Imagine what would happen if every person gave $10! The Education Scholarship will complete both a business plan and a marketing plan by the end of this year, so be ...

55th Annual Meeting Post Highlights!

By Vivian Holmes posted Mon August 12, 2013
AM55 was a great Annual Meeting! I certainly think so and I've heard that statement from so many that I'm convinced. The days of the meeting were filled with the energy and enjoyment of meeting new people, learning new things as well as catching up with old friends and getting Updates. Although you always hear that “you can’t please everyone,” our Program Committee tried very hard to meet all the didactic needs of our members, hoping to meet the expectations of each, regardless of their field of research administration or their level. The changes made from prior years were meant to provide clarity in the offerings. Sometimes just the names were changed ...

Welcome NCURA!

By Patricia Hawk posted Tue July 16, 2013
We are now less than two week away from AM55—our very first Annual Meeting to be held in August. There are many “new beginnings” associated with this meeting, so let me just start with highlighting a few. First, we will be issuing our very first Julia Jacobsen Distinguished Service Award. Julia Jacobsen, one of NCURA’s founding members, passed away late 2012. She truly exemplified volunteerism and service. I am very excited that this year’s winners are my friends and colleagues. Judy Fredenburg, Barbara Gray, Steve Hansen, Norm Hebert, and Dave Richardson are very deserving, but it’s really an honor to be the first recipients of this re-name award. ...