Office of Research Services and Sponsored Programs

The Office of Research Services (ORS) is the service unit on campus responsible for the oversight of externally sponsored programs.

ORS provides complete sponsored programs administration and support including (a) identifying funding sources, (b) assisting faculty in proposal development, and (c) monitoring funded projects. ORS also administers internal grant programs and the return of indirect cost monies to departments. It is the administrative unit responsible for seeing that the university remains in compliance with federal and state policies pertaining to research, serving as the coordinating office for human and animal compliance activities. The maintenance of federally required policies—misconduct in science, intellectual property, conflict of interest, etc.—resides in ORS.

Although the role for the principal investigator or project director is paramount in the performance of sponsored activity, the university is the recipient of the award and the responsible party to the related agreement. In accepting a grant or contract, the university assumes legal responsibility for observing the terms and conditions of the agreement and for delivering to the sponsor such assurance of compliance as may be required. Therefore, all proposals, including proposals submitted to funding agencies which award grants or fellowships directly to individual faculty members, are to be submitted to ORS with appropriate internal forms and signatures in time to assure review by university administration.