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ABOUT RESEARCH ADMINISTRATION
URA Mission Statement
University Research Administration provides guidance and support for research funding and compliance to promote the mission of The University of Chicago.
Research Administration at the University of Chicago
URA provides review and institutional endorsement of all applications for sponsored funding including clinical studies/trials and Material Transfer Agreements.
URA reviews, and negotiates when necessary, awards prior to acceptance, and accepts awards officially on behalf of the University.
URA maintains a program of sponsored project information services and data for University faculty and administrators. See Proposal Submission & Award Acceptance and Authorized Signature.
URA reports to the Vice President for Research and for National Laboratories. Its four sections are under the direction of the Associate Vice President for Research Administration. These sections are:
- Grants and Contracts Management
- Research Compliance
- Information Services
- Training
Grants and Contracts Management
Grants and contracts managers review each proposal to the federal, state, and local governments, foundations, corporations, and associations prior to submission. They verify the accuracy of budget and administrative information provided in applications; ensure that commitments made in proposals can be honored; and confirm that proposals and awards meet sponsor and University guidelines. They work directly with faculty members and University administrators in this process. URA is the authorized institutional signatory for all proposals and awards.
URA grants and contracts managers negotiate grants and contracts on behalf of the University; assist in the preparation of requests for additional funding, extensions in time, and changes in scope or principal investigator; coordinate the submission of interim project reports; and coordinate all steps needed to terminate an award.
URA is the authorized institutional signatory for all Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs). Sharing of materials such as cell lines, transgenic animals, and human/animal tissues are handled through MTAs. URA negotiates and executes MTAs on behalf of University faculty and staff.
URA is authorized negotiator and signatory for clinical studies. Faculty are urged to consult with the Office of Clinical Research for additional assistance with company-sponsored trials.
Research Compliance
The University of Chicago’s Outside Professional and Commercial Interests of Faculty/Conflict of Interest Policy requires faculty disclosures (both on annual and ad hoc basis) of financial interests. Such disclosure maintains the integrity of faculty members’ research, protects the University, and addresses federal regulations regarding externally sponsored programs. URA compliance staff review financial conflict of interest disclosures submitted by faculty, and determine whether the conflict of interest needs to be managed. In consultation with the faculty member’s academic unit, the Provost’s Office will draw up a Management Plan that describes a set of required actions to eliminate, reduce, mitigate or diminish the impact of the conflicts of interest.
Information Services
The Information Services section coordinates sponsored project information services for University faculty and staff. Information Services maintains TRACS, an administrative database which tracks information about proposals submitted and awards made to the University of Chicago.
Training Group
The URA Training Group (eRA, Training, and Communications) provides training resources to campus and the Argonne National Laboratory on topics related to research administration. This group has developed a web-based certification program called TERA (Training for Excellence in Research Administration). TERA is a comprehensive, pre- to post-award training program designed for research administrators at The University of Chicago and its affiliates. The Training group also meets with new administrators to orient them to the University and research administration in general.
The Training group also provides training for the new electronic research administrative system AURA – Automating University Research Administration. In addition, the Training group oversees the multitude of electronic research administration submission platforms, maintains and creates user accounts, and provides desk top assistance relating to application submissions. URA Communications maintains the URA website, as well as releases newsletters on current funding opportunities, announcements, funding tools and training. To contact this section, email era-help@lists.uchicago.edu.
