Policy on Self-Supporting Research Professional Positions
Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish general guidelines for the creation
and funding of self-supporting research professional (SSRP) positions that
will augment the research program of existing departments and colleges.
Operating Guidelines
The following operating guidelines have been developed to encourage the establishment
of SSRPs.
The overall responsibility for the establishment and monitoring of the SSRPs
rests with the college dean. It is anticipated that the requesting department
chair will prepare a written document for the dean's approval that addresses
the following:
Name, academic credentials, and research interests of the proposed researcher.
Statement of how the proposed researcher's interests augment the
academic/research mission of the department and college.
List of current and anticipated funding of the proposed researcher. The
department chair must also make a written assessment of the proposed SSRP's
prospects to continue as an ongoing and self-supporting unit. The department
chair also needs to address how non-funded periods will be managed.
List of space requirements and start-up costs including a plan to finance
same. Special revenue sharing arrangements also need to be documented. (See: "SSRP - Indirect
Cost Allocation" below.)
Type of researcher appointment. SSRPs can be easily established at the
Old Dominion University Research Foundation. In such cases, the researcher
will be a professional employee of the Research Foundation. If appropriate,
the researcher may also have an adjunct faculty appointment at Old Dominion
University. An alternative approach is to employ the researcher through Old
Dominion University. However, this would necessitate the researcher receiving
a contract. Under this option, the department or college becomes obligated
to insure funding of the position for the contract period.
Once the SSRP is approved by the dean, the entire request is reviewed by the
vice president for research. For SSRPs to be employed by Old Dominion University
Research Foundation, the vice president for research, in consultation with
the provost and vice president for academic affairs, makes the determination
on whether to establish the SSRP position. For SSRPs to be employed by Old
Dominion University, the vice president for research forwards a recommendation
on the establishment of the SSRP position to the provost and vice president
for academic affairs for approval. In these cases, the decision of the provost
and vice president for academic affairs is final.
Funding Guidelines and SSRP Indirect Cost Allocation
The sources of funding for SSRPs are research grants and contracts and the
indirect costs earned on these agreements. The normal distribution of indirect
cost earnings does not apply to SSRPs. Indirect cost earnings from SSRPs will
be accounted for separately by the Research Foundation, which will establish
an SSRP administrative fee for the purpose of compensating the Research Foundation
for the cost of administering the SSRPs' sponsored programs. In fiscal
year 1997-98, the administrative fee was established at 10 percent. The fee
is deducted from the indirect cost earned by the SSRPs and is calculated as
a percentage of the SSRPs' total direct cost expensed during the period.
The unique nature of an SSRP requires that non-funded periods be anticipated.
The remaining indirect cost earned for all SSRPs within a department will be
placed in a separate SSRP account in the dean's office for the further
enhancement of the university's research mission. The Research Foundation
will semi-annually report the amount of SSRP indirect cost earnings generated
by each department to the dean's office. In addition, the Research Foundation
will monitor the expenditure of these funds to assure their use for the purpose
stated above.
