Responses to three faculty generated questions about this year's Research and Mentoring Grants
by COEHD Faculty Research
Dear Faculty,
I received three questions about eligibility or procedures related to the RFP for COEHD Research and Mentoring Awards that I distributed on Monday. I want to share those questions and my responses with you all. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Michael
Questions and Answers (Set #1) Regarding College Research & Mentoring Awards
Takeaway 1: Faculty could be involved in both a Research Award and a Mentoring award, but just not take the lead role on both. But faculty cannot be listed as involved in more than one application per award. If a faculty member is involved in a secondary role (e.g. as Co-Investigator or Co-PI) on a Research Award application submitted by another faculty who is clearly identified as the PI, then the faculty who is secondary on the other PIs Research Award application would both be eligible to receive the Mentoring Award and to serve on the other PI’s Research Award project.
Faculty member’s question: “I have a questions about multiple submissions. I am thinking about submitting an application for the mentoring award, but a pre-tenure colleague just invited me to co-author a COEHD research award application as a co-PI. The guidelines say that “Faculty will only be awarded one award, however, and by submitting both proposals faculty are acknowledging their willingness to accept the award designated by the committee.” Does that mean if I submit a mentoring award application and a research award as a co-PI application I’ll only be considered for one of the two awards (even though I am not the PI for the research award)?”
Takeaway 2: Funds may be used for summer RA/GRA appointments, because funds would have been accounted for (encumbered and set aside for this purpose) before August, even if not fully paid out until the end of August. The purpose of a July 31st spending date is to avoid a rush of last-minute (“spend it or lose it”) charges and administrative activity in August.
Faculty member’s question 2: “I was reviewing the guidelines for the COEHD faculty research awards and saw that student expenses are an allowable expense but funds must be spend by July 2019. Does that mean that summer RA’s or student works to assist in data input and analysis would be allowable expenses?”
Takeaway/Answer 3: Faculty may include participants compensation in their awards, and would not be penalized for doing so, as long as they propose a mechanism of payment/distribution that does not require COEHD fiscal administrative staff to have to process individual SIF forms and payment vouchers. For example, the use of gift cards that are distributed by a secondary vendor (e.g., Giftbit.com) would not place an undue burden on administrative staff at UTSA. PIs wanting to do this (or something like it that similarly lessens the administrative burden of participant compensations) will need to think through, plan, and describe their procedures for distributing incentives in a less administratively burdensome manner than direct payments to individuals. We are working right now to learn more about the use of online distribution methods for gift cards (e.g., Giftbit.com or Rewards Genius' Tango Card program automatically distributed via Qualtrics), and we will share more information on this as we learn more (hopefully in the next week or two). However, faculty will need to familiarize themselves with these or other alternative methods and describe how they will use that approach in their proposal. If gift cards or other such service is not feasible, then such costs should not be included in the Award Budget, or the number of payments required be kept to a minimum, or applicants may be include what is needed for their project with the knowledge that doing so may disadvantage their application relative to others’.
Faculty member’s question 3: “I have a question about budget policy on page 3. I have been doing clinical research with ___ patients, and would prepare a proposal for the COHED faculty research award in this area of study. In clinical, lab-based studies like my past studies, it is a common practice to pay for research participants (for their time and effort). However, budget policy on page 3 indicates “Not prohibited but strongly discouraged is the use of funds for participant expenses (i.e., multiple small payment)”. So, should I not pay for research participants? If I incorporate subject payment in the budget, would that almost disqualify my proposal for this grant program due to it? Can you please share your thoughts about it? I am confused about what the sentence really means.”
Michael J. Karcher, Ed.D., Ph.D.
Associate Dean for Research
Professor of Educational Psychology
College of Education and Human Development (COEHD)—UTSA
COEHD-Office of the Dean, MB 3.304D (Main Campus)
(210) 458-2032 (Direct); 458-2650 (Department); 458-5200 (Dean’s Office)
michael.karcher(a)utsa.edu<mailto:michael.karcher@utsa.edu>
