The Research Office - Oakland University

Research Guidance Update: 7/22/21

Over the past ~18 months, OU researchers have complied with COVID restrictions on investigation, keeping faculty, staff and students as safe as possible in the middle of a pandemic. Despite the necessary restrictions and problems caused by COVID-19, OU researchers have been very productive. Total funding for this year increased by 50% to $12.6M, research funding increased by 56% to $10.5M, and the amount requested in proposals increased by 30% to $91M.

Because of the progress Michigan has made in reducing the transmission of SARS CoV-2, the availability of effective vaccines, and the reopening of Michigan and OU, research practices are now returning to near pre-pandemic conditions.

The Guidance for Research Labs will follow that established for the University. Currently this guidance includes:

Vaccinated individuals are not required to wear a mask, but may do so at their own discretion
Unvaccinated individuals must wear a mask indoors
Faculty are not to inquire about students’ vaccination status
All individuals must complete the daily health screening form
All research workers - faculty, staff, and students - are encouraged to upload their vaccination status through the patient portal on the Graham Health Center webpage.

The most up-to-date information regarding Oakland University guidance for operations, including travel, can be found on the Grizzlies Together Again webpage

Cayuse for IBC and IACUC Application Management

NOTICE: OU is rolling out the Cayuse IBC (Biosafety) and IACUC (Animal Care and Use) modules. Effective 5/11/2021, IBC and IACUC application management will be moving from RAM to Cayuse.

What this means for application submissions:

All IBC and IACUC applications for review at the June, 2021 meetings and beyond will need to be submitted through Cayuse.
Starting May 11, 2021, researchers will have access to their existing applications in RAM for viewing and download of materials only. No new applications or amendments will be accepted through RAM. (Submissions already in review can continue in RAM.)

To access Cayuse:

Instructions, reference materials, and links to Cayuse can be found here: https://espace.oakland.edu/course/view.php?id=1606

Changes to Grant Regulations:

Federal grant awards are regulated by the Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards ( 2 C.F.R. Part 200). Research administrators tend to just call this document the Uniform Guidance – and it’s changing effective November 12, 2020.

Most of this 300-page revision affects things that happen in the background of grants management, and PIs may well never notice the difference. There are a few key takeaways, though, that will change how Principal Investigators manage their awards and implement their projects.

For more details, see the "Upcoming Changes to Grant Regulations - October 2020" summary on our Grant & Contract Administration page, under the "General" tab.

Virtual Info Sessions and Workshops

IRB Cayuse Training - Ongoing

IRB Updates:

Cayuse for IRB submissions is Live
Anyone submitting applications to the IRB for human subjects research should now use the Cayuse application: https://oakland.cayuse424.com/

More information can be found here: https://wwwp.oakland.edu/research/compliance/irb/

For assistance, contact Judette Haddad (haddad@oakland.edu) or Kate Wydeven (kwydeven@oakland.edu).

FIND US ON TWITTER! @OaklandResearch #OaklandResearch

OAKLAND COUNTS! For research projects, connect with professors and non-profit organizations using the Oakland Counts website.

Annual Research Reports:

ANNUAL RESEARCH REPORT (FY20)

ANNUAL RESEARCH REPORT (FY19)

Quick Links:

Upcoming Workshops and Events

Access our workshop resources on espace.

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION (NSF) UPDATES

NSF Update (8/27/2020) - Virtual Fall 2020 NSF Grants Conference

Out of an abundance of caution in response to COVID-19, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has canceled the in-person Fall 2020 NSF Grants Conference that was scheduled to take place in San Antonio, Texas this October.

NSF is now planning to hold a Virtual Grants Conference in the November – December timeframe. To get notified, join the NSF grants listserv by signing up for the mailing list here.

In the meantime, please check nsfpolicyoutreach.com for the most up-to-date information, and view recordings of sessions from last year’s event.

NSF Update (5/22/2020) - Fillable PDF Templates Available

NSF has released the fillable PDF forms for the biosketch and the current and pending support forms that will become one of the two acceptable ways of providing this information for NSF proposals beginning October 1, 2020. (Updated from April 2020 announcement)

Access Dear Colleagues letter and templates on espace.

CAYUSE RESEARCH SUITE

As part of Oakland University's ongoing commitment to supporting faculty scholarship and growing funded research, we have upgraded our research administration software to the Cayuse Research Suite. This software solution will allow faculty investigators to submit and manage grant proposals in a web-based and user-friendly environment.* Chairs and deans will be able to approve proposals for submission and obtain real-time pictures of research activity in their departments. The software will enable all of this and more while also reducing administrative burdens. Please note that this system is for external proposals and not internal awards.

Click here for Fast Facts about the Cayuse Research Suite, including log-in information.

Click here for direct link for Cayuse production instance, USED FOR SUBMITTING PROPOSALS (not a training or practice instance) AND FOR IRB APPLICATIONS

For Deans/Directors/Chairs - How to Authorize a Proposal (step-by-step instructions)
For PIs - How to Certify a Proposal (step-by-step instructions)

Training sessions are required of research-active faculty who plan to submit grants, and will be offered again in Winter 2020. If you need immediate assistance with Cayuse, contract your grant officer in the Research Office.

* Note: at this time, Cayuse for IBC/IACUC is separate from Cayuse for submitting proposals and for IRB application management. For IBC/IACUC applications, refer to this information: https://espace.oakland.edu/course/view.php?id=1606

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ARMS - Advanced Research Methodology Services

The Research Office provides Advanced Research Methodology Services (ARMS), which aims to help faculty improve the quality of the research design and data analysis sections of their grant proposals. The ARMS team will assist with research and analysis upon receipt of funding. We are in the process of building an ARMS team, and are seeking faculty to serve as methodological consultants in areas of their expertise. Contact ARMS Coordinator Dennis Condron to join the team, or to access ARMS for assistance with your own proposal.
Word documents with more information can be downloaded with the links below:

ARMS Recruitment (for faculty who would like to be part of the ARMS team)
ARMS Summary (for faculty who would like assistance with their grant proposal)

Oakland University is a member of the Michigan Corporate Relations Network (MCRN), a statewide university network designed to create partnerships that will connect Michigan's corporations to critical university assets to help promote innovative research and grow Michigan's economy.