Integrated Department Administrator Training:

Uniting Research Administration Across

College and Administrative Units

Andrea R. Ward Ross, Ph.D., CRAAssistant Dean, College of Arts and SciencesThe Ohio State University

Karla Gengler-Nowak, Ph.D., CRAAssistant Director, Office of ResearchCollege of MedicineThe Ohio State University

Aimee Nielsen-Link, CRADirector, Health Sciences OfficeOffice of Sponsored ProgramsThe Ohio State University

Tom Kornacki, CRADirector, Office of Sponsored Programs and ResearchBowling Green State University

Why is developing training so hard?

• OSU is not huge - it is VAST 64,077 students (49,195 undergraduates) 465,000 living alumni 1,700 acres, 457 buildings (Columbus campus only) 14 colleges, 175 available undergraduate majors 22,372 regular staff (not including students workers) 3,881 faculty

• Extremely decentralized• Faculty and staff culture

Why is developing training so hard?

• Even though BGSU is smaller, more centralized Non-buy-in culture Issues with policies and procedures Overcoming the past is always difficult Similar to OSU in terms of people-problems

Two Worlds Collide• Personnel flow is from Sponsored Programs to Campus –

knowledge gap • Majority of campus personnel not familiar with Sponsored

Programs requirements• Top down information flow• Connection between Sponsored Programs and Campus not

communicated • What’s missing? Translational Training – Making the Connection

Bridge Builders• Experience from OSU: From cube mates to leadership partners

across colleges and units• Take home lesson #1: Find your bridge builders!• Experience from BGSU: From administrative office to

administrative office and then to the campus• Take home lesson #2: Many issues facing Sponsored Programs

cannot be solved alone and need input from Finance, Legal Counsel, Internal Auditing, Student Employment, Risk Management, etc.

Getting Started• Identify the training topics

Internal and external audit findings Staff needs and gaps Conversations with PIs

• Find out what is already available and assess gaps• Build your network and gather SMEs• Just do it! – Pilot small credible training unit to build upon • Build credibility and reputation

Administrative Buy In • Difficulties at both universities• Talk to your supervisor

Support from the top for you They can encourage and enable attendance

• People may feel threatened – prepare for it• Results of pilot program important• Conversations with thought-leaders

Building Your Program• Be concise - Parse out topics into 60-90 min

segments• Advertise in appropriate venues• Deliver consistent, positive, mutually

supportive messaging

Assessing Your Program• Are people attending

Take attendance Registration or open attendance?

• Do program assessments Critical for pilot Necessary for growth, modification and justification of program

• Constantly review the material Retool, replace obsolete workshops

Deliver Program

Request Participant Feedback

Assess Feedback

Adjust Training

Continuous learning

Pitfalls and Problems in Delivery• Dull speakers• Stale or out of date material• Not understanding the politics and culture of institution• Talking above or beneath your audience• Being afraid to say “I don’t know”• Poor advertising• Being impolitic and undiplomatic• Failure to establish classroom etiquette• Plagiarism

Pitfalls and Problems in Administering

• Trainer burnout Spread out the teaching load Recruit new trainers

• Failing to maintain communication and relationships with key leaders

• Failing to maintain the integrity of program Credible trainers Maintain an appropriate administrative home for the program

Sustaining Training Long-term• Make training integral to institution

Required part of employee training and development

Consistent support by institution leadership

What do our programs look like?Subject Description

The Research Enterprise at Ohio State and Working with PIs

Working with OSP (who is your SPO, when should you call), working with departmental and college partners, available resources, roles and responsibilities of this position and how they work with others, building an effective working relationship with faculty members, managing competing interests of being a research facilitator and steward of public funds

OSP Electronic Systems Using the PI Portal, ePA-005, eActivity

eReports Using eReports

People on sponsored programs

Types of faculty appointments; time and effort reporting, key personnel, GRAs, post docs, others (making appointments and monitoring those appointments), off-duty compensation, release time appointments, supplemental compensation

Purchasing on sponsored programs

Differences and similarities of purchasing on sponsored programs vs. general funds, basic rules and regulations

How do I find it? Finding information in the PeopleSoft system including vouchers, invoices, purchase orders

What do our programs look like?Subject Description

Budgeting Budgeting for sponsored programs, particular items of costs, OMB circulars, F&A rates and bases, benefit rates

Emerging issues Policy, procedure and funding updates from our sponsors

Cost-sharing on sponsored programs

Review of how to budget cost-sharing in proposals, gain approval from the department and college, and book cost-sharing after an award is made

Compliance issues Time and effort certification, common missteps in program management, recognizing red flags and handling appropriately and professionally

Project monitoring Best practices for project management, recognizing issues, preventing overruns, PI communication, using all available tools, preventing delinquencies

Basics of clinical trials Learn to recognize a clinical trial and its various Phases. Understand the basic structure of trials and recognize the roles of the faculty and staff involved.

Questions?