Personnel/Hiring

In hiring, managing, paying, evaluating and terminating employees, Project Directors must work within the University personnel policies and confer and cooperate with the Director of Personnel Services in all matters related to personnel.  Please keep in mind that project personnel are employees of the University, making the University legally responsible for meeting federal and state laws and regulations governing all aspects of employment.  Management also includes the training and supervision of any relevant project personnel about those matters that are appropriate for each employee to know and to follow.  

Consultants/Contractors

Many projects have provisions for use of Independent Contractors (also called consultants), either individuals or entities.  If a consultant (person or firm) is not named in a proposal, Project Directors must conduct a bidding process to secure services.  Once a consultant is selected, please work with the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations and Faculty Grant Support to develop either an Independent Contractor agreement or a subcontract, depending on the circumstances.  No work should begin until a fully executed agreement is in place and the funding agency has approved the subcontractor and subcontract.  

Negotiations

The Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations and Faculty Grant Support needs to be involved in negotiations concerning the budget, scope of work and/or language of the award document or contract. Therefore, the project director should contact this office before engaging in any final negotiation and work with the staff in reaching agreement with the funder, including continuation awards.  

Project Changes

If Project Directors find that any changes are necessary during the conduct of the funded project, such as budget, scope of work, key personnel and /or language change, please contact the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations and Faculty Grant Support immediately.  Institutional grantees are required to have written procedures in place for reviewing and approving in advance proposed project changes.  Further, many federal funding agencies require prior written approval for amendments, and in many cases, the agency requires submission of amendments (language or budget changes) or time extensions 30-45 days prior to the end of the project.

As a result, you will need to complete a Prior Approval Form before implementing any changes.   This form will ensure that all grant actions and expenditures are consistent with the terms and conditions of the award, any changes do not constitute a change in the scope of the project, and any budget modification is necessary and reasonable for the accomplishment of project objectives and is allowable under any relevant cost principles.  

Faculty Buy-Outs (Reimbursed Time)

When a faculty member has Assigned or Released time from his/her regular University duties and is requesting that the portion of time be a “Buy-Out” to allow funds to be paid back to the College by the faculty member’s project, the faculty member continues to be paid by the University for his/her full appointment.  Project Directors are responsible for working with both their department chair and dean when submitting proposals requesting "buy-outs" of their time or that of other University faculty. 

Project Directors are responsible for keeping the Faculty Grants Office informed of any changes with respect to the “buy-out” that may affect the charging of costs to the project or affect the completion of the scope of work as required by the funding source.

Reporting

Project Directors are responsible for preparing and submitting all programmatic reports or information needed by the funding agency and to complete required financial reports required by the contract or grant on a timely basis.  The Faculty Grants Office is available to review and mail reports and document to the relevant agency. 

Newsletter, Website, Public Communication

The Faculty Grants Office publishes a newsletter and maintains this website that describes funded research activities of University faculty and their students.  Faculty should provide details on funded projects to the Faculty Grants Office in a timely manner.  

The University welcomes publicity on grant activities.  Project Directors are encouraged to send information to the Faculty Grants Office who will screen and pass grant successes on to the Communications Office.  As appropriate, the Communications Office will contact faculty for additional details regarding specific projects.  

Record Retention

Financial records, supporting documentation, statistical records, and all other records pertinent to the grant shall be retained by the grantee for three years from the date of submission of the final Financial Status Report.  When the conditions of a grant award require the grantee to report program income, records relating to program income shall be retained for three years from the date of submission of the last required income report.

If the three-year retention period is extended because of audits, appeals, litigation, or the settlement of claims arising out of the performance of the project, the records shall be retained  until such audits, appeals, litigation, or claims are resolved.  Unless court action or audit proceedings have been initiated, the grantee may substitute microfilm copies of original records.