As research administrators look to define their roles as professionals, the need to address perceived administrative burden becomes a valuable next step in improving research administration. A qualitative investigation into the causes of the perceived burden identifies local variability of research administration as regulatory burden for those…

Aim: To identify the prevalence and correlates of burnout among research administrators. Background: Research administration is characterized by increasing government regulation, hyper-competitiveness, institutional management of growing complexity, and changing economic conditions. However, there is a lack of research on burnout among research…

The most difficult aspect of financial conflict of interest (FCOI) and compliance with federal regulations involves the assessment and management of identified FCOIs. While some federal agencies provide examples of the structure and content of management plans, it is up to institutions to evaluate FCOI to determine whether and how research may be…

Effort-reporting compliance at higher education institutions was examined to discern best practices from those that would recommend their effort-reporting process. Data were derived from a survey of effort administrators--the research administrators responsible for the effort-reporting compliance program at their respective higher education…

Academic institutions modified their financial conflict of interest policies (FCOI) in response to the Public Health Service's (PHS) 2011 revised regulations (42 CFR 50 Subpart F) on "Responsibility of Applicants for Promoting Objectivity in Research and Responsible Prospective Contractors" (45 CFR 94), which were to go into effect on…

Discusses issues in the recent debate on cost sharing within the federal government-university partnership, the historical roots of cost sharing, and limitations on the recovery of costs under federally funded research. Notes that the Presidential Review Directive process is working toward a set of guiding principles and recommendations to enhance…

A discussion of informed consent by human subjects in experimentation presents background on the consent issue, including federal requirements; lists factors that may affect a subject's ability to understand the consent document; and offers suggestions for preparing consent forms to ensure the subject's better comprehension. (Author/MSE)

Addresses ongoing issues in research cost sharing between government and universities in the context of the current Presidential Review Directive on the Government-University Research Partnership. Issues include the procurement vs. assistance conundrum, systemic shifting of costs of research from the government to universities, and the failure of…

A discussion of federal policy on research integrity and scientific misconduct chronicles the history of federal involvement in accountability in the scientific community, forms of intervention, determination of the boundaries of misconduct, and the rights of whistle blowers. Official definitions and standards are presented. (MSE)

Building an attractive patent and technology portfolio for potential licensees requires involvement and diligence by the technology transfer office and the inventors. Steps outlined in this article, such as proper treatment of IP to assure rights are not lost, preventing premature disclosures, assuring proper ownership and inventorship of…

New federal regulations concerning direct cost accounting for college and university research projects are explained. It is concluded that the new standard allows institutions to reduce the signatures required on cost transfers and use reasonable cost allocation methods to simplify distribution of direct costs when research is supported by…

Looks at how universities can monitor relationships that researchers and their families have with industrial partners, and how the institution can manage resulting conflicts, based on Department of Health and Human Services and the National Science Foundation regulations issued in July 1995. Discusses definition of conflict of interest, and…

The ways in which accountability issues have affected federal-university relationships, particularly in the area of academic research, are examined. Lessons university administrators have learned since issuance of Office of Management and Budget Circular A-21 in 1958, Congressional hearings on the operations of the National Institutes of Health…

Summarizes and compares Public Health Service rules and National Science Foundation policy concerning conflict of interest in research projects, and describes how large research universities have implemented them and developed appropriate conforming documents for disclosure and reporting purposes. Also discusses institutional considerations and…

The principles of research administration emerged during the 1960s and 1970s, a time when research in institutions of higher education generally was unencumbered by external factors. Over the past three decades, however, regulatory, economic, and political forces have altered dramatically the boundaries of sponsored research, calling into question…