Argues that research administrators would function more effectively and enjoy their work more with a better understanding of research. Offers examples of how some basic principles of research design can be readily conveyed to administrators with little or no research training. Discusses ways research administrators might benefit from better…

Research administrators must establish and maintain control over discretionary spending, assure all deliverables are completed on time, and assure adequate and controlled funding for grants and contracts. Steps and approaches for accomplishing these tasks are outlined, including planning, tracking, and reporting techniques. (MSE)

Using personal computer spreadsheet software, standard corporate financial analysis can help university research administrators communicate the value of research and development to sponsors and other stakeholders; balance projects, technologies, or categories of research; and continually assess the value of investing in ongoing projects. It also…

Technology Opportunities Analysis, a research management activity of the Georgia Institute of Technology, identifies and assesses the implications of emerging scientific areas and new research technologies and helps the university plan and prioritize research and educational efforts. Program design and activities are profiled, and a number of…

A study found that formal federally mandated equipment screening requirements are negligible in meeting their stated objectives of preventing purchase of unnecessary/duplicative equipment. Savings resulting from purchases not made represented under 0.008 percent of all federal dollars used to purchase equipment, with $10.35 spent for every dollar…

A survey of 344 colleges and universities investigated current practices concerning the dissemination of information, within the institution, about research funding opportunities. Results indicate that paper dominates electronic communication for such information dissemination, and selective, targeted distribution to faculty correlates positively…

The research administrator of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation (Pennsylvania) discusses issues in the transformation of the company from a technology-driven to a business-driven organization, a process in which the technical and business segments of the organization work as teams toward successful innovation. (MSE)

In 1987, Texas created two competitive grants programs for faculty at Texas higher education institutions, designed to help diversify the state economy. The second funding cycle of the two programs (fiscal year 1990-91) is described, including the administrative infrastructure to support proposal solicitation and grant awarding. Project…

A 1990 Institutional Management for Higher Education workshop on university research in the new European Community is summarized. The report focuses on potential changes in university research structures and patterns and implications of those changes and strategies to keep research vital, including development of international computer networks…

After a continuing effort to improve its grant application process, the department of medical microbiology and immunology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is submitting many more applications and realizing increased funding. The methods and strategy used to make the process more efficient and effective are outlined. (Author/MSE)

Based on experience in two different university-based social research centers (SRCs), the author discusses factors influencing support for university-based SRCs, the difficulty of transferring research findings from the SRC to the outside world, and how the social context influences the role research administrators play in this type of research…

Three major professional associations for research administrators (National Conference on the Administration of Research, National Council of University Research Administrators, and Society of Research Administrators) are described and compared in terms of their objectives, group membership, and activities. The three are seen to serve different…

A discussion of the federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) policies concerning computation of indirect costs on federally funded research projects at universities focuses on recent policy changes. Significant revisions are examined, future points of scrutiny are noted, and ongoing initiatives are described. Three options for indirect cost…

To address concerns that universities are overcharging the federal government for indirect costs of research programs, data from seven major research universities were used to simulate a standardization of costs and policies to eliminate differences widely assumed to contribute to rate variation. Results suggest universities are not overcharging…

A study of fringe benefits requested by 19 research institutions on behalf of recipients of postdoctoral and junior faculty fellowships found differences reflecting varied institutional policies. It is suggested that, given current funding agency concerns about resource allocation, these and other costs might be more appropriately shared by the…