UM Research Resources: Research Management at the University of Michigan

Research Management at the University of Michigan

Stephen R. Forrest, Vice President for Research

Because the University's diverse research program is closely associated with the academic programs, its management is a distributed function, shared by faculty and administrators in the schools and colleges, the directors of research units, and central administration. Overall executive responsibility, however, rests with the Vice President for Research (VPR).

Vice President for Research

The Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR) has executive responsibility for University research programs. The mission of the OVPR is to nurture excellent research, scholarship, and creative activity by our faculty and students; promote the integration of the research, education, and service missions of the University; facilitate the sharing of knowledge and expertise with the larger society; and promote responsibility in the conduct and administration of these activities.

The Vice President for Research is assisted by three Associate Vice Presidents, one Assistant Vice President, and a team of administrative and support staff. The Assistant Vice President oversees research policy matters.

Numerous research institutes and centers (e.g., the Institute of Gerontology), and several research service units (e.g., the Unit for Laboratory Animal Medicine and the Center for Statistical Consultation and Research) report to the Vice President for Research. In addition, the Division of Research Development and Administration reports to and works closely with the Vice President for Research as the administrative arm that handles the University's research proposal and award activity. A government relations officer represents the University's research and technology transfer interests in Washington, D.C. Research Associate Deans are appointed campus-wide by the deans of the various schools and colleges to represent their research interests.

Distributed Sources of Research Management and Guidance

Advice and assistance from the University at large comes from several organized channels, as well as many ad hoc sources. The Research Policies Committee of the faculty Senate Assembly is the official faculty and student voice in research administration. It advises on research policies and helps resolve research-related issues. In addition to this central body, a number of school and college research committees and Associate Deans for Research regularly interact with the VPR and act as strong executive bodies within their units in planning and developing research, resolving problems, and allocating research resources. The Biomedical Research Council, for example (made up of representatives from the Medical School and other units of the biomedical sciences), exercises a role in the development and support of biomedical research, including the disposition of various internal and external funds for the support of biomedical research. The Rackham Graduate School's Divisional Boards also constitute an essential review function for research in various areas and for the awarding of faculty research grants and fellowships (especially in those disciplines for which external funds are not readily available). The VPR maintains a liaison with each academic department through the Research Council. The VPR often appoints special faculty committees to deal with specific research issues or to review a specific research area or unit.

Several standing faculty committees reporting to the VPR have been established to deal with on-going research problems. These include committees in each of the relevant units for the review of the use of human subjects in research, as well as campus-wide committees to review the following issues: the use of animals in research, radiation safety, recombinant DNA, classified research, and computing resources for research.

Government Relations

The Director of Federal Research Relations, Mark Burnham, is also the Assistant Director of the University of Michigan Washington, D. C. Office. He is primarily concerned with research-related issues. He acts as liaison between the University and various Congressional and Executive offices, the Washington-based higher education agencies such as the American Association of Universities, and the federal research sponsors. He attempts to provide a two-way flow of information to benefit the University's research programs and other activities dependent to some extent on the federal government.

Office of Human Research Compliance and Review

The Office of Human Research Compliance and Review oversees the efforts of the University of Michigan to ensure the protection of human participants in research.

Division of Research Development and Administration

The Division of Research Development and Administration (DRDA), directed by Marvin G. Parnes, has a professional staff of about 30 to assist faculty and research staff in all aspects of sponsored projects, from obtaining and disseminating information on funding opportunities; through the preparation, review, and submission, and negotiation of proposals; to the procedures required for the administration of the project. Project Representatives are assigned to particular agencies and organizations to provide sponsor liaison and to assist faculty with proposals and projects involving those particular sponsor groups. In addition, DRDA offers other research related services, including:

A website, www.research.umich.edu, with information for and about sponsored projects at the University of Michigan

Publications, including the Research Reporter, and other special-purpose documents.
Training: DRDA staff provide workshops on funding searches, proposal writing, and other facets of sponsored project administration. DRDA staff are also available to offer specially focused sessions for departments, schools, and colleges. DRDA coordinates the quarterly sessions of the Research Administrator's Network, and the training program for the professional development of research administrators, RAIN.

DRDA provides databases and access to information, including:

PRISM -- comprehensive statistical and financial data on the University's sponsored research proposals and awards.

Funding Opportunity Databases -- access to SPIN and Community of Science, two national databases of research sponsors and opportunities.

Documents related to research administration, such as the "Proposal Writer's Guide," indirect cost information, and procedures and forms for processing proposals.

Office of Technology Transfer

UM Tech Transfer is the University organization responsible for the transfer of University technology to the marketplace. The organization consists of a central Office of Technology Transfer and a satellite office in the College of Engineering. The offices work closely together to provide responsive, professional service to inventors and industry partners. Most of the licensing staff share responsibilities between the central office and a school office to ensure a consistent interface for all technology transfer needs.

The professional staff (including marketing specialists and attorneys specializing in intellectual property) assist faculty and staff inventors in assessing the protectability and commercial potential of their inventions and, when appropriate, initiate and oversee the drafting, filing, and prosecution of patent applications.

OTT also performs market analyses and commercial assessments of the resulting patents and markets and licenses the inventions. New business development staff help launch start-up companies based on University technology and intellectual property. The office also registers, markets, and licenses copyrightable materials.

Business Services

Business services for sponsored research are provided in the normal course of operation in most of the offices under the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Several offices reporting to the University Controller, however, specialize exclusively in service for sponsored research.

The Financial Operations Sponsored Programs Office establishes accounts, distributes monthly accounting documents, and advises concerning compliance with sponsor and University regulations for grants and contracts. Coordinators in this office are assigned to groups or types of sponsors and assist the DRDA project representatives and faculty project directors in all business matters related to sponsored projects.

The Office of Contract Administration performs fiscal and contractual review for all sponsored contracts prior to their execution by authorized University officials.

Other Business Office units that directly serve sponsored research projects are Procurement Services, Property, Travel Audit, Payroll, Timekeeping, and Personnel.

Minor updates:
September 2008
Reviewed:
February 23, 2004

UM Research Resources Contents -- School List