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  • 1.  Information Needed by Cayuse Approvers

    STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 12-02-2021 06:52
    Hi, everyone!

    Does anyone have tips on how to ensure that important information is provided for Cayuse proposal approvers?

    If the comments field is limited to a certain number of characters, there may not be enough space for all of the things we want approvers to make note of.  We can add a supplementary document, which I am leaning towards, but I think that will also need a succinct and consistent naming convention.  I've been trying to work on some basic naming conventions for most of our supplementary files anyway, but haven't had great results with that yet. I am not giving up.

    I'll also take suggestions on how to get people to actually look at what they are approving.  ;-) (I'm sure we are the only ones who have people who approve things without actually looking at many of the documents.  Right?)

    Thanks!

    ------------------------------
    Pamela Vargas
    Director, Research & Grant Development
    Southeast Missouri State University
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Information Needed by Cayuse Approvers

    STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 12-03-2021 06:56
    In the 15 years I've been in this business, I've never once found consistency among approvers as far as reading documents is concerned. Back in my early days, we used to walk folders around campus for approvals before we switched to an eRA system - and when our student workers who usually handled that task weren't available, I sometimes walked folders around myself. Far too many of the approvers to whom I handed those files only wanted to know where they were supposed to sign.

    A naming convention (as long as it's simple, and, at least for documents that approvers need to look at, uses terms that they will understand and not necessarily the RA jargon we're comfortable with) is a good way to start. I also try to "stack" the Cayuse attachments so that when the file gets to an approver, the most important ones are right at the top of the list (the research plan, the budget, the budget justification). Notes are good - but sometimes they might be too public (Simon, here's a thought for a product enhancement - can we get the option to target notes to specific approvers, or at least a specific class - say department chairs, or deans?) or only apply to one person in the approving chain.

    For people who are new to the role, we're considering doing training - both in how to navigate the files in Cayuse, but also to reinforce the things we need and want them to consider as they're weighing whether or not to approve something. We do want them to question things that commit them to resources they're not willing (or able) to provide, for example - but we don't want them second-guessing the science unless they also happen to be an expert in the particular sub-field the investigator is working in.

    ------------------------------
    Michael Spires
    Research Development Officer
    Oakland University
    Rochester, MI
    (he/him)
    mspires@oakland.edu
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Information Needed by Cayuse Approvers

    SUPERSTAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 12-06-2021 06:29
    Full disclosure: Michael and I work at the same place ;)

    I don't want approvers challenging the science or even "correcting" proposals at routing stage.  It's too late - even though the occasional approver tries.  Their job is to review for things that they can see from their chair that I can't see from mine.  Is that equipment really available to this PI?  Is there money/commitment for any cost-share?  That course release?  Can the PI really take it?

    I don't use a supplementary document - Like Michael, I doubt approvers would look at it.  Rather, I encourage PIs to review these things with Chairs and Deans early - and when they inevitably don't, I do it.  And if something is REALLY odd in a proposal, which does happen, I email the approvers minutes before the proposal routes with a heads-up to check this-and-that particulars in the proposal.

    ------------------------------
    Andrea Buford
    Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
    Oakland University
    ------------------------------



  • 4.  RE: Information Needed by Cayuse Approvers

    STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 12-06-2021 06:39

    Thanks, Andrea and Michael.

     

    I agree with your thoughts.  And I am not looking at someone to correct science, etc, either, but always tell my proposal person the same as you've indicated:  they are looking for things that they know that we are likely not to know.

     

    And of course, the idea situation would be to have that all discussed with the chair and other appropriate people long before Cayuse approvals, but..... that doesn't always happen.

     

    And just to add a bit of spice for you all, one of the reasons I asked is because I have had a couple of instances of chairs and others approving without the budget being included.  (Non-Federal proposals, being submitted in a separate system or by email.)  That kind of made it hit home that people may not be looking at any of the supporting documents.... Eek!

     

    Pam

     

    Pamela A. (Krauser) Vargas
    Director
    Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

    Southeast Missouri State University

    One University Plaza, MS0125

    Cape Girardeau, MO 63701

    573.651.2196
    pvargas@semo.edu

     






  • 5.  RE: Information Needed by Cayuse Approvers

    SUPERSTAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 12-06-2021 07:01
    Right?!!  We "require" the guidelines, the budget, a more-or-less final draft of the research plan, and the guidelines to be attached prior to routing.  Really, I WANT THOSE THINGS IN THE CAYUSE RECORD AT ROUTING STAGE.  (Yes, this is me, hollering)  But the GCOs sometimes forget and it's a rare Chair or Dean who even notices.  Makes me nuts.

    A






  • 6.  RE: Information Needed by Cayuse Approvers

    SUPERSTAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 12-06-2021 07:02
    Ummm.... we don't require two copies of the guidelines ;)  I got myself all worked up.....

    A

    On Mon, Dec 6, 2021 at 10:00 AM Andrea Buford <abuford@oakland.edu> wrote:
    Right?!!  We "require" the guidelines, the budget, a more-or-less final draft of the research plan, and the guidelines to be attached prior to routing.  Really, I WANT THOSE THINGS IN THE CAYUSE RECORD AT ROUTING STAGE.  (Yes, this is me, hollering)  But the GCOs sometimes forget and it's a rare Chair or Dean who even notices.  Makes me nuts.

    A



    --
    Andrea Buford
    Director, Office of Sponsored Programs
    Oakland University
    (248) 370-3789



    Pronouns: she/her What does this mean?

    Oakland University resides on the ancestral, traditional, and contemporary lands of the Anishinaabe, known as the Three Fires Confederacy, composed of the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi. The land was ceded in the 1807 Treaty of Detroit and makes up southeast Michigan.





  • 7.  RE: Information Needed by Cayuse Approvers

    STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 12-06-2021 08:41

    Hahahaha!

     

    I understand, Andrea.  As you may realize, I am trying to gather documentation to help me address things I may already have an opinion on, but didn't want to steer the conversation directly where I hoped it would go.

     

    To elaborate a bit, we actually had an instance where my staff prepared two distinct proposal entries for someone, and asked them to start approvals for the one that was ready.  The person actually saw both, and approved them both, even though the second one was barely started, with no details, no supporting documents, etc.  And because we add the person in our office working on the proposal manually to the routing chain, it was approved by a chair and dean that way before we knew.  Of course I have now advised our staff to enter the ORSP person immediately, and a few other things, but it did highlight that people *may* not be reading what they are approving. 

     

    Pam

     

    Pamela A. (Krauser) Vargas
    Director
    Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

    Southeast Missouri State University

    One University Plaza, MS0125

    Cape Girardeau, MO 63701

    573.651.2196
    pvargas@semo.edu

     






  • 8.  RE: Information Needed by Cayuse Approvers

    Posted 12-07-2021 08:51
    As the primary approver in our college, I am looking for the following documents:
    • Internal budget
    • Budget justification
    • Scope of work
    • FCOI form
    Other items that I need before I approve, the PIs need to certify the proposal and I am looking for equipment cost-share or some other oddities in the budget.

    I agree that it is helpful when our pre-award coordinators contact me before routing if there is something out of the ordinary concerning the proposal because I am notorious for rejecting proposals...lol!

    ------------------------------
    Latica Jones
    Business Officer
    University of Memphis
    ------------------------------



  • 9.  RE: Information Needed by Cayuse Approvers

    STAR CONTRIBUTOR
    Posted 12-07-2021 15:06

    Oh, Latica, I want to work with you!  ��

     

    Thanks for the response, though, in all seriousness.  We're renewing our focus on getting people to talk to approvers before the proposal is finalized and routed, but I have had several comments along the lines of "that's what Cayuse is for, isn't it?"....

     

    We're also looking at training for chairs and other approvers, to be sure they understand what they need to look for and what they are approving.  There's a tendency to not want to say "no," but when pressed about verifying or certifying something, there's often hesitancy.

     

    Pam

     

    Pamela A. (Krauser) Vargas
    Director
    Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

    Southeast Missouri State University

    One University Plaza, MS0125

    Cape Girardeau, MO 63701

    573.651.2196
    pvargas@semo.edu

     






  • 10.  RE: Information Needed by Cayuse Approvers

    Posted 12-07-2021 09:20
    As the primary approver in our college, I am looking for the following documents:
    • Internal budget
    • Budget justification
    • Scope of work
    • FCOI form
    Other items that I need before I approve, the PIs need to certify the proposal and I am looking for equipment cost-share or some other oddities in the budget.

    I agree that it is helpful when our pre-award coordinators contact me before routing if there is something out of the ordinary concerning the proposal because I am notorious for rejecting proposals...lol!

    ------------------------------
    Latica Jones
    Business Officer
    University of Memphis
    ------------------------------