OSR: John Carroll University

A Welcome from the Academic Vice President's Office

With the recent restructuring of some university offices, sponsored research and research compliance will report to the Office of the Academic Vice President. This restructuring emphasizes the importance of ethical research activities to the university.

I look forward to working with faculty, staff, and students, as well as the various offices at the university involved in issues of sponsored research and research compliance. I hope to continue facilitating the development and administration of funded academic projects while ensuring compliance with government, agency, and university regulations related to pre- and post-award research activities.

During the coming months, our plans include updating the website, offering workshops and other opportunities in grantsmanship, and increasing collaboration with the Development Office. The Guide to Grants, Contracts, Fellowships, & Research: Basic Information for Faculty, Staff, Students, & Administrators at John Carroll University will be revised this summer to reflect changes in procedure and reporting.

As the newly-appointed authorized institutional official for research grants and contracts, I would like to take this opportunity to remind you of the policies and procedures currently in place.

Externally sponsored research:
Pre-award: The process for submitting grant proposals is available on the web (see “How to Submit Grant Proposals”). With the increase in electronic research administration at the federal and agency level, advance lead time is necessary to guarantee a successful submission process.

Post award: Grant funds should be expended in accordance with the agency-approved budget following agency and university financial policies. Reimbursements, salary payments, and large expenditures should be approved through the Office of Sponsored Research. Visit the Post Award site for more information.

Research compliance:
Use of human subjects in research: Faculty, staff, and students who conduct human subject research on campus or off should file an application with the Institutional Review Board and receive approval prior to soliciting subjects or collecting data. The IRB will provide assistance in determining which projects are covered by the regulations and in completing the application. While the John Carroll IRB rarely rejects an application, it often makes suggestions to lessen the participant risk/benefit ratio.

Use of animals in research: Faculty, staff, and students who use animals in teaching or research projects should file an application with the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee and receive approval prior to the purchase or acquisition of animals.

During this transition period, I encourage you to send me any questions you might have regarding sponsored research and research compliance or any suggestions for improving the research process at John Carroll.

James Krukones, Ph.D.
Associate Academic Vice President

January 9, 2007