RAC Minutes

10-March-2003 meeting - items discussed:

We all introduced ourselves.

OGRD now has the services of a Notary. Nancy Shrope in OGRD now is a Notary and if that ever becomes a need please contact her (5-9661)

Craig Mayers was introduced as a new Accountant. Craig started at the first of the year.

Status of Database Use: OGRD is now using the Gateway to complete Award Reviews On-line which were previously done on spreadsheets. Brenda Carlson had a few changes on the Electronic Account Setup form but SPS will start using that form instead of a paper-based system now that OGRD has switched over.
Peggy Bowe provided an update from her perspective of being involved with the Tech. Efficiency Working Group and let everyone know that she is providing data to the group based on departmental administration experiences.
Excellent feedback on Andrea's training on the database. The training is thorough, provides time for questions, and has been very helpful. The March 13th training is full. Andrea is looking for a morning session for the next training and that will soon be posted on the website.

Meeting Reports - Mary Hoffman attended the NCURA FRA conference and here are her notes:

2004 budget Bush proposes to reduce number of NIH non-competitive renewals. Not likely to appear in final budget but the message is to be diligent and watch carryforward.

WSU changes-folks aware of this? Effective March 5, 2003, changes to how certain customers are to be billed via the Service Center Billing System will be implemented. If you have service centers and used the .94 divisor to calculate your billing rate, then you should follow up on this with Robert Wright. (NOTE: Barry Johnston has communicated this information to the Dean's Council, the Budget Committee, and the Finance Officers as well as adding an electronic note to the Service Center system).
Subsidizing costs - if service centers are subsidized you should include all costs in account and then do revenue transfers later on so that costs will be accurately reflected for purposes of distributing costs to proper categories for determination of F&A rates. For example, if you are using state funds to pay an employee who is working on a service center, the wages for that employee should be charged to the service center and a fund transfer done to recover the costs.
Recovering costs - need to adhere to rules in A-21. Suggestion: We need service center training.

U of Min and U Texas Examples - only collect sponsored program data and then have "residual" category for all other effort. Have nice controls built in.
Explain WSU's system - WSU collects data in section A to distribute effort among F&A cost categories but doesn't need to do this because WSU uses formulas to determine this. So last time this information was used was in 1984 but still requiring us to collect data.
Provide short-term solutions: do not complete section A or H; do not have administrators sign forms; do not require administrators to complete forms because WSU isn't using the information (getting it elsewhere); wait 90 days before printing reports.
Long-term (EAA? Web based?). Vanderbuilt's uses EAA form to certify effort.

Lori Selby from SPS discussed the issues related to the assigning of account numbers and the reasons why WSU does but she also researched how accounts were setup at UW to bring more data to the mix. Lori is not opposed to setting up accounts longer but wants to research the risks a bit more and also wants feedback from the Community on their possible risks. Other pieces of information necessary would be what the Chairs and Deans think of "guaranteeing" beyond a current budget period.
SPS Changes:
- Research Account Request Forms otherwise known as RCAR's or sideways forms - Dan Nordquist (OGRD) no longer needs to sign RCAR's being used for the purpose of establishing sub-accounts. Since Dan's signature will no longer be required for the purpose of allocating or de-allocating funds to and from sub-accounts a SPAR form may be used for this purpose rather than an RCAR.
- SPAR forms - Deans signatures are no longer necessary when moving money:
  - between objects under the same account and award.
  - from an account to a sub-account under the same award, in the same department.
- SPAR forms - SPS is still researching whether Dean's signatures are necessary when moving money:
  - from one account to another account under the same award, however, this transfer of funds between accounts involves two different departments.
  - from one account to another under the same award, however, this transfer of funds between accounts involves two different colleges.

There was an NRSA stipend increase that I wanted to get out to all of you. Please see the attached link for detailed information. http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-03-033.html

NCURA Video Conference information
Exploring the Lifecycle of Costs: Budget to Audit - June 24, 2003
A Primer on Intellectual Property for the Research Administrator - September 16, 2003
NCURA Regional Conference in Denver, April 6-9 (http://www.ogrd.wsu.edu/r6ncura/meetings.asp)

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