Resources, Professional Development & Upcoming Events

Effective communication is at the heart of any thriving organization. Each day we ask questions, offer and seek updates, and strive for understanding and good outcomes. 

In our new remote work culture, and with the increased stress and demands of a pandemic, we all can benefit from a refresher on established protocols and clear expectations for communications. 

The RAAC (Research Administration Advisory Council) Communications Subcommittee has updated our Best Practices in Communications brochure to guide us with communication between U-M research project teams and central offices (like the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects (ORSP) or Finance-Sponsored Programs), whether through traditional means or via the eResearch proposal management system (eRPM).

• Page 1: General Tips to guide any communication scenario.
• Page 2: eRPM Communication Matrix to guide on when to use different communication eRPM activities, accompanied by links to eRPM step-by-step guides.
• Page 3: Email vs. Phone Communication Matrix with tips on when to email vs. when to phone.  

In addition to the brochure, in the last Research Administrators’ Network (RAN) meeting Craig Reynolds shared the following guidelines for when project teams encounter questions or need to contact ORSP.

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Tips when contacting ORSP and other Central Offices

1. First, check locally. Often questions can be answered by your supervisor, your unit research administrator, or your dean’s office. More general questions can be asked on the new U-M Research Administration Forum on Workplace. Your colleagues can help. Peer-to-peer support is indispensable!
    
2. The “Request ORSP Action” activity is still the preferred method (when it’s available) for communicating about a specific project. It places the item into the PR's eRPM work queue and can be seen by colleagues providing coverage, should the intended PR be out of the office.
    
3. We are not forwarding phones. This is consistent with current guidance from ITS. 
    
4. Project teams are encouraged to call and leave a voicemail for urgent matters. Your voicemail message will be transcribed and received via email. The PR’s voicemail greeting will inform the caller if the PR is out of the office.
    
5. Any urgent message must include the reason for urgency and the consequences for a delayed response.
    
6. If you find that your PR is out of the office, call the PR’s Support Staff team member or whoever the PR’s out-of-office message directs.
   
   Beyond that, avoid communications to multiple people as it can create redundancy in effort among ORSP staff. Be mindful of ORSP Response Time Goals.
    
7. Unless a PR has specifically asked you to communicate with them via Google Chat, please refrain from using this method to contact ORSP staff.
    
8. When leaving messages, always include the PAF, AWD, or UFA number, along with the PI’s name and a succinct description of the problem.
    
9. Project teams should plan ahead for all deadline-driven activities (including proposal submissions) to allow ample time for questions.

Your help is appreciated!
Download the Best Practices in Communications brochure.

We applied an enhancement to the Publication Restriction Project Team Impact Form document, and it now allows for multi-line entries.

When do we need this?

Sometimes a sponsor requests a publication restriction that runs counter to our principle of open scholarly exchange and openness in research. 

Such restrictions must be approved by the vice president for research via an Agreement Acceptance Request (AAR) using this form.

The Taubman Health Sciences Library is offering virtual workshops on the National Institutes of Health Public Access Policy by request. Complying with the Policy can be a daunting task that can be time-consuming and frustrating

The workshop will help in navigating the complex process required in complying with the policy, covering the NIH Manuscript Submission System (NIHMS), tracking compliance, eRA Commons and the Research Progress Report (RPPR).

To schedule a workshop, send an email to oriley@umich.edu.

Did you know the ORSP website hosts video content from NCURA? You will find this rich professional development content behind a password-protected area, to be accessed only by our U-M community. The most recent video is:

Title: NCURA Compensation Compliance Webinar
Date: November 17, 2020
Description: This webinar focuses on the compensation requirements outlined in the Uniform Guidance (UG) 200.430 and provides an overview of the Internal Control Framework for compensation compliance.

Other NCURA video resources include:

• ORCID: Connecting the Research Community Webinar
• NIH Fundamentals
• NSF Fundamentals
• Proposal Development 1, 2, and 3
• Award Negotiation and Acceptance 1, 2, and 3

View NCURA video page.

Learn more about sharing Research Tools and Biomaterials and how TechTransfer can help.

What are Research Tools and Biomaterials? 

Common examples of research resources or research materials include:

• antibodies, peptides, and engineered proteins
• small molecules, antisense oligonucleotides
• research reagents
• expression plasmids and proteins derived from them
• cell surface receptors
• cell lines
• animal models (e.g., knockout mice)
• research devices

Contact a team member at 734.763.0614 or email U-M Tech Transfer.