PSU President Cudd Commissions F&A Utilization Task Force
From Rick Tankersley, Vice-President, Research & Graduate Studies
With the substantial growth in research awards and expenditures at Portland State, now is the ideal time to take a closer look at the distribution and application of Facilities and Administration (F&A) funds generated through sponsored research activities. This milestone comes at a time when there is a broader push for academic innovation and interdisciplinary research and scholarship, making it imperative for us to ensure that our F&A funds are managed effectively and aligned with these evolving priorities.
In response to this need, President Ann Cudd, after consulting with faculty and leadership, is commissioning a task force to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the utilization of recovered F&A (indirect) costs. This initiative aims to evaluate how F&A funds are being used and invested to further support, enhance, and accelerate the growth of research, scholarship, and creative activities. We must examine the utilization of F&A funds through a lens of continued growth and efficiency, and ensure that our processes and policies align with our aspirations, federal guidelines, and best practices. Our utilization of funds should also reflect our commitment to innovation, ethical stewardship, and collaboration. I am confident that the task force’s review and analysis will yield valuable insights and identify opportunities to optimize our resources and strategies, thus enriching support for future growth.
FOCUS
The Task Force will focus on the following key areas:
Generation of F&A Funds
- Analyzing sources, rates, and strategies involved in generating F&A funds
- Benchmarking against peer institutions
- Examining alignment with federal guidelines and ethical practices
Utilization of F&A Funds
- Assessing distribution and utilization across colleges, departments, and research units
- Identifying potential areas for optimizing funds usage and investment
- Evaluating alignment with strategic goals, federal regulations, and best practices
Transparency and Communication
- Developing strategies to effectively communicate F&A funds utilization to stakeholders
- Ensuring the university’s approach reflects a commitment to transparency in how funds are generated and expended
- Assessing the approach for linking recovered F&A funds to projects, PIs, co-PIs, and research and academic units in a fair, equitable, and transparent manner
Alignment with Research Growth, Collaboration, and Faculty Success
- Proposing ways to use F&A funds to expand support services and foster innovation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and overall growth in research activities
- Assessing how current policies impact research development and proposing changes to support research growthExploring ways to use F&A funds to foster and support faculty career growth and success
MEMBERS
Kim Pendell, Social Work and Social Sciences Librarian, Professor, and Chair of the Faculty Senate Research Committee, and Margaret Rea, Senior Fiscal Officer in RGS, will co-chair the task force. The following faculty, staff, and administrators have agreed to serve as members:
David Brown, Assistant Dean of Finance & Administration, School of Social Work
Heejun Chang, Associate Dean for Research, CLAS
Derek Davis, Interim Budget Director, FADM
Jay Gopalakrishnan, Professor of Mathematics, CLAS
Antonie Jetter, Associate Dean for Research, MCECS
Ericka Kimball, Associate Professor, School of Social Work
Marguerita Lightfoot, Associate Dean for Research, OHSU-PSU School of Public Health
Jenny Liu, Director of Center for Urban Studies, Asst. Director of Northwest Economic Research Center, Interim Co-Director of Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies, CUPA
Chris Monsere, Interim Vice Provost for Faculty Success, Provost’s Office
Mary Morningstar, Professor of Special Education, College of Education
Amy Mulkerin, Vice Provost for Academic Budget & Planning, Provost’s Office
Mary Oschwald, Director of Regional Research Institute, School of Social Work
Will Parnell, Professor of Curriculum & Instruction, College of Education
Barbara Sestak, Professor of Architecture, College of the Arts
Ethan Sharygin, Director of the Population Research Center, CLAS
Martin Siderius, Chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering, MCECS
Diane Xiong, Assistant Dean for Finance, CLAS
In the coming weeks, the Task Force will be developing a detailed work plan for this review, including methodologies, key stakeholders involved, and an outline of the specific questions the task force will answer. The final report, complete with findings and actionable recommendations, will help us align our F&A funds policies with current and best practices and the areas of focus identified in the strategic plan. I anticipate they will complete their work by the end of April 2024.
The work of this task force supports our ambition to further Portland State University's recognition as a leading urban research institution. I am confident that it will help us continue to embody our guiding principle to 'Let Knowledge Serve the City.’
If you have any questions about the Task Force, please email research@pdx.edu.