1. Department of Research Administrators Workgroup (DRAW) September 15 th, 2009 George Putnam Room

2. Agenda 1. Introductions 2. DRAW Mission 3. Training Questionnaire 4. Research Intranet: - SPIN Database - New COI form - New Cost Transfer form & electronic process - PeopleSoft - SSRI: Swap Shop & RideShare Initiative: Nicholas Yale 5. Update on effort reporting: Jacyln Gavino 6. ARRA Updates: John Cavanaugh 7. InfoEd Updates 8. Discussion: closing out PO’s 9. Questions

3. DRAW Mission DRAW supports the two-way communication and coordination between Research Administration and Research Administrators. As research regulations and compliance become increasingly complicated, regular updates and communication is essential, and these monthly meetings will be a key method for keeping up with the latest policy and process changes.

4. RA Challenges: Burdened with grant proposal deadlines, budget deadlines, monthly, quarterly and annual financial reporting Working with uncommunicative PI’s Dealing with constant interruptions since our doors, email and phone are always open The list goes on and on…

5. RA’s…where we stand? As a whole, the research community is undergoing many technological changes affecting the way research is funded, administration of awards, financial reporting, and research compliance The role of the research administrator will not become easier over time, and there will always be the hectic days, the impossible deadlines, and the occasional feeling of being overwhelmed

6. What do we do? Learn and adopt new techniques & tricks Become aware of, understand, and be able to implement changes so as to help our PI’s avoiding non-compliance issues that could be detrimental to our institutions Use of time management techniques and the search for and sharing of tips and practices that can help restore control to the workday

7. Partners RA Training Robin Cyr, Partners Training Director will be coming out to provide training Survey distributed will be used to capture the needs and work on training modules for everyone Sessions to be determined

8. Training Course Questionnaire Name (Optional): Number of Investigators you Support: Number of Funds you are Responsible for: Number of Staff in your PeopleSoft Tree: What System(s) would you like to receive training in: Peoplesoft, Insight, Kronos, InfoEd, Document Direct, Microsoft Office: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Others: What Topic(s) would you like to know more about: Pre-Award – SF424 Guidelines – Other Support – Budgets – JIT – Progress Reports – Subcontracts: items needed for the application – Conflict of interest Post-Award – OMB Circulars – NIH Grant Policy Statement – Cost Transfers – Fund Closeout – Financial Management – Effort Reporting – Administering and monitoring subcontracts – Partners Research Management Policies & Standard Operating Procedures Other Topics not listed above: Please list the weekdays & times you are mostly available to attend trainings:

9. Case Study Addition of a “Case Study” session to the DRAW meetings will provide the group a chance to tackle real-life situations and discuss how they should be handled with their peers You would volunteer to write case studies that touches on multiple issues confronting RA’s Topics could include: cost sharing, effort reporting, developing budgets, audits, intellectual property, COI, troublesome clauses or tough negotiations. Case studies can be transactional or policy driven. Real life experiences where you can “change the names to protect the innocent” can make great case studies

10. Research Intranet SPIN Database New COI form New Cost transfer form & electronic process PeopleSoft (reminder) SSRI – Swap Shop & RideShare Initiative: Nicholas Yale

11. Update on Effort Reporting: Jacyln Gavino

12. ARRA Updates: John Cavanaugh McLean Hospital has received 7 awards totaling $1,774,205 in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) support to-date. Additionally there are 4 JIT request that represent close to 8 million dollars that we are waiting to hear on. All totaled McLean Research Administration submitted a total of 77-ARRA related applications and Sub Contracts totaling over 41 Million Dollars. Unlike standard NIH reports on scientific progress and financial status, ARRA reporting requires significantly more detail, are time sensitive and due quarterly (April 10 – July 10 – Oct 10 – Jan 10). The majority of the reporting will be completed by Research Management; however, Principal Investigators will be expected to provide essential data such as progress reports and information on the number of jobs created and retained. There will be questionnaires sent to the PI’s with the ARRA Awards via the Insight reporting system that must be filled out in a timely basis. Research Management is in the process of finalizing the reporting process and will communicate this information once available. In the meantime, refer questions to Daniel Salvati, ARRA Manager, dsalvati@partners.org, 617-954-9775. dsalvati@partners.org

13. InfoEd Updates The InfoEd web-based software package that provides the tools necessary to develop and submit electronic research grant proposals for all research sponsors. It will enable faculty, administrators and staff to move more efficiently through each part of the grant and contract process to track its life span.

14. Financial Status Reports (FSR’s) Currently, Research Finance prepares Financial Status Reports (FSR’s) when grants are ending. We find that reviewing the financial report after a project period of 4-5 years, is not a good business practice since it is too late to modify spending. For this reason, effective immediately, Research Finance has kindly offered to prepare annual FSR’s to keep you informed of your spending and to keep within the sponsor’s committed budget. The FSR’s will be forwarded to you for your review and approval as usual.

15. Open Office Hours at McLean Why? When? How? Who?

16. Discussion: Closing out PO’s

17. Questions?

18. Contact Raquel Espinosa Phone: 617-855-2868 respinosa@partners.org respinosa@mclean.harvard.edu

19. Mary Castellana Please join me in wishing Mary Castellana the best after 15 years of service!