Integrated Department Administrator Training: Uniting Research Administration Across College and Administrative Units

Andrea R. Ward Ross, Ph.D., CRA Assistant Dean, College of Arts and Sciences The Ohio State University Karla Gengler-Nowak, Ph.D., CRA Assistant Director, Office of Research College of Medicine The Ohio State University Aimee Nielsen-Link, CRA Director, Health Sciences Office Office of Sponsored Programs The Ohio State University Tom Kornacki, CRA Director, Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Bowling 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 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? SubjectDescription 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 SystemsUsing the PI Portal, ePA-005, eActivity eReportsUsing 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? SubjectDescription BudgetingBudgeting for sponsored programs, particular items of costs, OMB circulars, F&A rates and bases, benefit rates Emerging issuesPolicy, 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 issuesTime and effort certification, common missteps in program management, recognizing red flags and handling appropriately and professionally Project monitoringBest practices for project management, recognizing issues, preventing overruns, PI communication, using all available tools, preventing delinquencies Basics of clinical trialsLearn 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?