Improve relationships with research faculty
Improve relationships with research faculty
Research site brown bags it for staff education
Being more service-oriented to faculty has been a priority goal for the research staff at Northern Arizona University of Flagstaff in recent years, and improving communication is one way this has been accomplished.
"We have tried to be more service-oriented to our faculty and to provide good one-on-one contact with them, developing a good, direct working relationship," says Bobbie Ursin, grant and contract administrator.
"By having a good working relationship with faculty, we’re able to communicate ideas and concerns to them, and they pay attention to us," she says.
Besides one-on-one contacts, the research office has set up informal training for faculty, including a brown-bag series of educational updates, Ursin says.
During one semester, faculty were invited to a variety of research topics, including a session on post-award financial management, compliance issues, NIH and National Science Foundation (NSF) updates, and conducting funding searches. Each topic featured a staff or guest speaker and was held for 1.5 hours at noon. Participants were encouraged to bring their own lunches, she adds.
"Toward the beginning, we had a very good turnout," Ursin explains. "And the session we had on the NIH was very well attended."
A representative from the NSF was the lecturer for the NSF lecture, and that session also was well attended, she says.
Providing training as needed
In another example of how the research staff worked to improve service for faculty, one of the administrators will make presentations about funding opportunities and grant applications for faculty and their departments on an as-needed basis, Ursin notes.
"She has a special presentation for graduate students or post-docs in providing training to them about the research process," she says.
Another administrator is very skilled in the financial management system and works closely with departments, faculty, and staff to help them with their post-award financial management, Ursin explains. "She provides a little better oversight on those kinds of issues and can be proactive in working with staff and faculty," she notes.
When news arrives from NIH, NSF, or the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it’s posted on the institution’s web site and is distributed to faculty through a written summary, Ursin says.
"I think the key is being service-oriented," she adds. "We’re here to help the faculty, and I think they perceive our office in that way rather than thinking we’re here to institute some regulations and make them jump through hoops."
By maintaining a friendly atmosphere with staff ever ready to provide personal assistance, the research office demonstrates concern for the institution’s and faculty’s needs, Ursin notes.
For example, frequently there are staff who work on grant proposals to the NIH, and they might not be aware of all of the stipulations on human subjects research and the content of those proposals, she says.
"So I put together an outline of the questions they need to respond to within their proposal in a particular area," Ursin explains. "And I sent them that early in the process, instead of in the last few days when I’m reviewing a proposal."
This way the faculty researchers know all of the details that are needed before they research the proposal and write it, she says.
Another example of the office’s service is in how research staff make faculty aware of such seemingly minor details as NIH’s preferred font style, Ursin says. "As soon as I hear someone is going to work on an NIH proposal, that’s one of the first things I alert them about. People use Times New Roman as a standard font, but that’s no longer acceptable font style for the NIH." Rather, the NIH prefers Arial and Helvetica fonts, she adds.
"Another instance is with an NSF proposal — if you are asked to submit a revised budget, and if the revision involves a greater than 10% change in your budget, then you also have to submit an impact statement," Ursin explains. "So I let faculty know that some text is going to be required, and if they need to change the scope of their work, they’ll need to explain that in the impact statement."
Whenever Ursin works with a new researcher, she tries to provide him or her with the information and guidance needed to develop and fine-tune a budget.
"Or I might draft a budget for them, knowing basically what a faculty member is going to be proposing," Ursin says. "I have found that our faculty are very appreciative of our comments and direction."
Being more service-oriented to faculty has been a priority goal for the research staff at Northern Arizona University of Flagstaff in recent years, and improving communication is one way this has been accomplished.Subscribe Now for Access
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