MISSION STATEMENT - Function of the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Services

PURPOSE - Purpose of the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Services

SERVICES - Assistance available from the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Services

ORGANIZATION - Institutional reporting structure

MISSION STATEMENT

Video of Audrey Wineglass Foster, Assistant Dean of the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Services, communicating the OSPRS Mission Statement: "Advancing the Gallaudet University community by providing services and support to faculty and professional staff seeking external funding for scholarly research and training."

PURPOSE

The Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Services (OSPRS), a unit that reports to the Dean of the Graduate School and Continuing Studies, provides services and support to Gallaudet faculty and staff seeking outside funding for projects of benefit to the Gallaudet community. The OSPRS disseminates information concerning appropriate funding opportunities and offers guidance to the campus community in the development and submission of proposals and in the negotiation and finalization of grants and contracts. In addition, it assists with various administrative issues arising from extramurally funded projects and acts as the liaison with the University's Institutional Review Board for the Protection of Human Subjects for projects funded through grants and contracts. The OSPRS's authority as the central office to oversee sponsored programs is found in the Administration and Operations (A&O) Manual policy 2.09.

The OSPRS is committed to augmenting institutional resources in order to enhance the University's research and educational programming. Through a coordinated effort to match Gallaudet's faculty and staff with extramural sponsors, the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Services functions as a catalyst transforming the creativity of the Gallaudet community into the reality of funded research, training, and technical assistance projects.

SERVICES

The federal government, state and local governments, and certain profit and nonprofit entities provide funds which enable colleges and universities to create new programs, expand research opportunities, and undertake developmental activities which benefit both the general public and the educational institution itself. The Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Services encourages faculty and staff efforts to obtain such outside sponsorship through its provision of services and support to the Gallaudet community in these endeavors. Within its purview, the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Services:

  • Assists in locating potential funding sources and provides individual training in the use of grants.gov and other funding search databases;
  • Disseminates individualized information pertinent to the availability of (and deadlines for) external funding opportunities for research, training, and services through various funding search databases.
  • Guides faculty in the preparation of proposal applications, including budgets, to ensure conformity with university policy, sponsor criteria, and federal, state and local regulations;
  • Reviews proposals from an editorial perspective, when sufficient lead time prior to the OSPRS's deadline is available, and provides feedback as needed to ensure a quality proposal is submitted in the University's name.
  • Negotiates terms and conditions of grants and contracts, in coordination with the principal investigator, and prepares such grants and contracts for acceptance by the Authorized Institutional Official (the Gallaudet staff member who is authorized to commit the University to the performance of the proposed projects) per A&O Policy 2.09;
  • Coordinates compliance with federal and District of Columbia regulations for federal grant proposals as well as university policies including required internal "Intent to Submit" and "Routing and Approval" processes;
  • Prepares award congratulations letters for all awards for distribution to appropriate faculty and staff; Maintains files of proposals to the federal government, some annual reports, prior approval of budget revisions under expanded authorities, and final reports requiring the signature of an authorized institutional official.
  • Facilitates projects for adherence to sponsor terms and conditions, including rebudgeting actions, and requests for extensions, continuations, supplements or renewals of existing awards;
  • Assists in matters relating to patents, copyrights, and publication agreements;
  • Directs faculty in compliance with sponsor requirements regarding the administrative close-out of awards, and serves as official liaison between the university and the sponsor.
  • Is a central point of reference for non-financial compliance including: protection of human subjects, financial conflict of interest, export control, radiation and biosafety, subrecipient commitment, and training related to compliance.

ORGANIZATION

The Assistant Dean of the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research Services reports to the Dean of the Graduate School and Continuing Studies. The OSPRS is a faculty and professional staff service for the entire campus community.