The SRA Symposium - College of Medicine

Papers
State and private institutions of higher learning will be examined. Although there are some philosophical
and funding differences between state and private institutions of higher education, they
are still faced with many similar problems in creating innovative services and programs for society.
Both state and private institutions also solicit and receive funding from common sources, including:
(a) federal and state agencies, (b) private and corporate foundations, and (c) industries.
As society has become more complex in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, there have been
increasing demands for institutions of higher education to offer new services, and become more
adaptable to the world’s changing needs. With the evolution towards globalization, higher education
institutions are challenged to transform their way of doing business while at the same time
facing many roadblocks.
The United States (U.S.) has changed rapidly since the end of World War II, from 1945 to 2005.
Educational institutions have played a highly significant role in not only preparing our population
for the technological changes taking place, but also bringing many innovative technologies and
policy changes to our society in those 60 years. Consequently, state and federal legislators, who
have been pivotal in funding many of the innovative research and service programs to institutions
of higher education during that time demand that the education sector continue to develop and
create opportunities for our ever-changing U.S. and international society—be it innovative curriculums,
community service, or new technologies. The challenge of doing so is only compounded
by the limitations of resources--the most limiting being lack of funding.
The downturn in the economy has effected both private and state higher education institutions.
State institution’s budgets are most directly affected through reductions in their appropriated dollars.
However, all of higher education has to respond to the limitation on dollars available from
external funding sources. The burden of increasing external funding is often placed on the sponsored
programs offices. To do so, though, requires an expansion of the role of such an office. If we
expand our view of Sponsored Programs offices as facilitators to include development, we see great
possibilities in providing the needed resources to assist institutions of higher education in meeting
some of the challenges they face today.
Traditionally, the role of development is defined as assisting the institution in developing strategies
and creating relationships specifically tied to fundraising activities with the target audience
being individuals or corporations providing gifts through a university foundation. As we discuss
development here, our definition differs from the traditional advancement fundraising efforts of
institutions of higher education in that the target audience is more attuned to state or federal government
or corporate entities providing funds through contracts or grants.
The duties and tasks of sponsored programs offices are varied. Every research office is set up a little
differently according to their organization’s structure and mission. However, the goal of all sponsored
programs offices should be to facilitate the procurement of funding for sponsored programs,
and the administration of the programs brought to fruition. They do so under three common
functions categorized as: (a) pre-award, (b) post-award, and (c) compliance. Research offices are
the institution’s rules enforcer and liaison with funding agencies and organizations. They play a
pivotal role in interpreting and following federal and state guidelines for funding programs, and
assuring compliance with institutional, state, and federal regulations, as applicable. Sponsored
programs office personnel are also strategically positioned to advocate faculty and institutional
specializations while also identifying funding opportunities.
Society looks to institutions of higher education to resolve the academic and research needs of
the world. Today’s challenges in meeting those needs include providing access to an ever-changing
population and expanding upon and imparting the knowledge and technology required for a
global economy. To answer these challenges while facing budget cuts further complicates the issue.
152 2005 Symposium Proceedings Book