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Indirect Cost Recovery Fund Huron Consulting Final Report

Indirect Cost Recovery Fund Huron Consulting Final Report. Jim Rankin Report to Faculty Senate April 13 2011. Project Objectives and Scope.

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Indirect Cost Recovery Fund Huron Consulting Final Report

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  1. Indirect Cost Recovery Fund Huron ConsultingFinal Report Jim Rankin Report to Faculty Senate April 13 2011

  2. Project Objectives and Scope • To identify recommended revisions to the current formulas, policies, and procedures that might enhance the impact of these important funds to support overall strategic research objectives.

  3. Summary Observations • Recovered F&A is approximately $7-8M per year • UA stakeholders state the indirect cost distribution lacks transparency and clarity. • Significant other sources of university funds – above and beyond recovered F&A – also support the research enterprise. • Significant opportunities available for F&A funds, including core research facilities, research administration, and research development. • 21 recommendations in the report

  4. Research Activity Recommendations • Research Activity • Invest in strategies aimed at strengthening the research enterprise and capturing increasing amounts of externally-funded research and other sponsored projects 2. Effective Indirect Cost Recovery • Increase effective indirect cost recovery • Possibly limit distribution of RIF to generating units only on projects for which the maximal allowable F&A rate is being recovered. • Develop a policy on F&A rates • Effective rate over recent two year period: 11.5%

  5. Research Activity Recommendations 5. Supporting Centers and Institutes • Explore a more uniform approach to distributing a share of RIF to productive research centers and institutes on campus 6. Council of Center Directors • We recommend that UA create a “Council of Center Directors.” 11. Guidelines for Voluntary Cost Sharing • Develop guidelines for voluntary cost sharing aimed at minimizing such expenditures with less than optimal effectiveness and return on investment.

  6. Research Management Recommendations 4. Unit Expenditure Accountability • Explore development and implementation of enhanced research investment accountability processes for its units. 20. Research Investment Report • Develop, and share with the university community, a “Research Investment Report.” 21. Research Management • Conduct additional examinations related to strategic management of the research enterprise.

  7. F&A Investment Recommendations 7. Research Administration • Devote a share of the RIF to bolster and support central research administration services – e.g., RSSP 8. Core Facilities • Devote a share of RIF to supporting central core research facility coordination, management, and support

  8. F&A Investment Recommendations 9. Faculty Start-Up • Devote a share of RIF toward faculty start-up 10. Cost Sharing • Devote a share of RIF for cost share funds

  9. F&A Investment Recommendations 12. Research Development • Devote a share of RIF to establish an Office of Research Development with defined goals and activities 16. Radiation and Hazardous Waste Disposal • Devote a share of RIF to support radiation and hazardous waste disposal costs 19. Joint Research Opportunity Fund • Devote a share of RIF to a “Joint Research Opportunity Fund” directed by the VPRED, Provost, and VCFA

  10. General Fund Recommendations 13. Graduate School • Transition RIF supporting Graduate School to General Funds 14. Academic Affairs • Transition RIF supporting Academic Affairs to General Funds 15. Research Facility Debt Service • Transition RIF supporting current research facility debt service to General Funds

  11. General Fund Recommendations 17. General Fund Investment in Research • We recommend that UA no longer explicitly distribute recovered indirect costs to UA’s General Fund • Although General Funds are being used for research-related activities and investments, it lacks transparency 18. Libraries • Continue to support the libraries’ missions using central and unit General Funds • Explore mechanisms by which library-specific research costs can be funded by faculty start-up packages.

  12. College/Unit Recommendations 3. Generating Unit Distribution • We recommend that UA transition over time to distributing a common, reduced share of recovered indirect costs to all generating units. • This is being separated into two parts: • College of Engineering RIF percentage reduced from 80% to 40% • RIF percentage for all units reduced from 40% to 35%

  13. Timeline • Timeline for implementing recommendations • Immediate (FY12) – we will be considering those items that impact VPRED, Academic Affairs, and General Fund • Intermediate – Core facilities, center and institute support, Research Development, • Longer term/ Phased in – Changes to College and Unit F&A

  14. The full report may be found on the VPRED website at:http:// vpred.uark.edu

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