Happy Holidays from Your OER Team!

On November 20, 2015, the federal government announced a settlement with the University of Florida for issues related to research accounting systems from 2005-2010. The university agreed to pay $19,875,000 to resolve the matter. The settlement closes an investigation of the university by Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice primarily dealing with deficiencies first discovered nearly nine years ago that have since been remedied with significant upgrades in systems and procedures.

This incident serves as a reminder to faculty and staff regarding the importance of compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, policies, and procedures. The COE OER is committed to promoting compliance and facilitating research. We also are fortunate to have the Coordinated Services–Post Award Office led by Rosabel Ruiz and her team of fiscal support staff to assist with this effort.

For more information on the settlement, see the UF news story Federal Settlement Comes Long After UF Overhauls Its Research Accounting System.

UF’s Division of Sponsored Programs and Contracts and Grants are pleased to announce a full line-up of Research Administration and Financials Training (RAFT) opportunities for 2016. RAFT is a professional development series providing UF research administrators with “a lifeline” to the research community.

RAFT Level One Cohort

Applications are now being accepted for the spring 2016 RAFT Level One Cohort, a program designed for research administrators with 18 months or fewer of grants management experience. The cohort is a thirteen-session classroom series that will provide a thorough introduction to all aspects of sponsored programs management at UF. Program participants will also be paired with senior research administrators who can provide guidance and assistance throughout the program. Participants who successfully complete the series will be awarded a certificate of completion. The cohort series will begin in January with sessions continuing through April.

Interested applicants should email a completed program application form to Steve Slater, grants training manager for UF Training and Organizational Development, by December 14th. Applicants from previous semesters can simply email to request their application remain active. If you have questions about the RAFT Level One Cohort, please contact Stephanie Gray, assistant vice president for the Division of Sponsored Programs, at (352) 392-3516; or Tiffany Schmidt, associate director for Contracts and Grants, at (352) 273-3101.

RAFT Level Two Training Series

The RAFT Level Two Training Series is designed for research administrators and others who support sponsored research and extension at UF. Sessions will run on a monthly basis and cover a range of topics across sponsored programs management. Offerings will be a la cart so you can choose specific topics that interest you.  Enrollment will be available in the myTraining system.

RAFT Forums

The RAFT forums will be held on a quarterly basis and cover special topics of interest to the grants community. No registration is required. The first forum will be held on January 14th. More details to follow.

RAFT Core Office Workshop

This special half-day workshop is designed specifically for the core offices and individuals that provide peripheral support to sponsored programs. Attend this workshop to gain a high level understanding of the sponsored project lifecycle.  The time and date will be announced in early 2016.