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.
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Michael Spires
Research Development Officer
Oakland University
Rochester, MI
(he/him)
mspires@oakland.edu------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 12-02-2021 06:51
From: Pamela Vargas
Subject: Information Needed by Cayuse Approvers
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!
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Pamela Vargas
Director, Research & Grant Development
Southeast Missouri State University
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