“Tools of the Trade”

Presented byGina Bailey, Assistant Director, Contracts and Grants Accounting

Rodney Greer, Director Office of Research & Innovation, College of EducationRobert Holm, Assistant Director, Education, Office of Sponsored Programs

AUBURN UNIVERSITY

• The tasks ahead– Develop a certification course for sponsored projects

administrators;– Develop a financial management tool for faculty and staff

• The Certification Course– Developed during the summer of 2012

• Assembled a team of colleagues from a diversity of departments – The team:

» Gina Bailey – Contracts and Grants Accounting» Rodney Greer – College of Education» Kelli Henderson – Human Resources» Robert Holm - Sponsored Programs» Teresa Logiotatos – Veterinary Medicine» Latasha Mingo – Agronomy and Soils» John Schissler – College of Education» Amy Thomas – College of Science and Mathematics» (Michelle Powell, Georgia Institute of Technology, Technical Resource)

• Started with an almost blank slate • The team decided the course should address both pre

award and post award• From this large division we developed class topics that span a

10 week period.• Topics range from organizational structure to budget

development to compliance to post award management– Rather than a member of the team teaching one or more classes we

decided to ask staff members directly involved in the topic to present to the class. For example, we have the director of internal audit presenting on that topic; the director and assistant director of contracts and grants instruct on the topic of budget development.

As the course developed, the team felt it important to assess not only how the participants were learning but how well the instructors were conveying their information to the participants. Assessment tools developed:• Pre and post course assessment form• Post class evaluation form

Examples of instructional objectives and outcomes:• Understand the difference between allowable and unallowable

costs.– Explain the difference between allowable and unallowable costs.– Give examples of typical allowable costs.– Give examples of typical unallowable costs.

• Understand the purpose of a budget justification.– Summarize the importance of a budget justification.– Explain the relationship of a budget justification to the budget.

I Understand how to complete an AU sponsored projects cover form.

I can describe how indirect cost recovery may change for fixed price residual balances.

Overall, today’s instructors presented the material in a way that helps me learn.

• How are we doing?– The course had a waiting list before it was advertised in

the human resources course catalogue– Participant input resulted in changes being made to the

spring semester course:• A midterm and final exam• Homework• Mandatory attendance• More experiential learning

• The future:– A video-conferenced course this summer– Advanced courses in the fall– Continued evolution of the course based on input from the

team and class participants

• Lessons Learned:– Time management for the instructors is critical– Class size directly affects the learning environment as does

the classroom environment– Are there too many instructors?– What does more accountability for the participants

actually mean?– The course content is constantly evolving– It is ok to make mid course corrections

Research Administration Dashboard

• Research Week 2012• Investigators and Administrators need easily-accessible

information regarding sponsored projects• Efficiency Task Force• Focus Group

• Outcome = My Funding

My Funding

• Access is based on role within the organization– PI/Co-PI– Department Head– Dean– Department/College/Central Administrator

• Includes links to pre- and post-award info, as well as links to other important Research Administration information

My Funding

• Live and historical financial and salary data, IC recovery info, search functions

• Alerts• Drill down• Download

My Funding

• BEFORE

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My Funding

• AFTER

Lesson Learned:Do not follow this advice:

• Rather follow this advice …“in an abundance of counselors there is safety”.

QUESTIONS?

Thank youGina Bailey BAILERH@auburn.edu

Rodney Greer RJG0008@auburn.eduRobert Holm RZH0021@auburn.edu