Award Management

Successful grant management requires teamwork. Understanding the roles and responsibilities of the various players will help the PI/PD successfully manage his/her grant. 

The Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA) is the Senior Research Officer (SRO) of the University. The President of the University has delegated to the VPAA the authority to sign all grant contracts, awards, agreements, certifications, representations, and other documents incidental to research contracts and grants. The SRO also serves as the University’s compliance officer for research and all sponsored projects, especially with regard to human and animal subjects, environmental impact, and research integrity.  

The Principal Investigator/Project Director (PI/PD) is the individual who has final responsibility for seeing that the project is being carried out as proposed. PI/PDs are accountable for their grant’s fiscal and program management, fulfillment of proposal goals, and preparation of pertinent reports. In their capacity as grant project directors, and regardless of their academic affiliation, all PIs/PDs of grant-funded programs must report to ORSP on all grant-related issues. 

The PD/PI must comply with the terms, conditions, and policies of both the sponsor and the university, including oversight of the budget, personnel review, time and effort reporting, and timely submission of all reports. Grant funds must be expended as approved by the funding agency. All PD/PIs must comply with pertinent federal guidelines; documents are on file in the ORSP office.  

All Principal Investigators/Project Directors are expected to uphold the highest integrity in data collection, analysis, and dissemination and to avoid every act, or appearance, of plagiarism. 

When the PI/PD is a faculty member, the Executive Director of the School (or the Chair of the Department) where the PI is affiliated and the Dean of the College provide guidance and support for the PI/PD. When the PI/PD is staff, the Dean of the college or VP of the division where the grant is located provides this support. Often the Director/Chair or Dean is an experienced grant administrator and can offer suggestions to a new PI/PD that will help ensure the success of the project. In any case, the PI/PD should feel there is an open door to discuss the grant with his/her supervisor and request guidance whenever needed. 

ORSP, as part of the Division of Academic Affairs, has responsibility for compliance oversight for all sponsored project activities. ORSP also serves as the central management resource for all sponsored project activities. ORSP provides information, guidance, and training to all PI/PDs on the procedures necessary for successful implementation of their sponsored projects. ORSP approves all budgets, budget revisions, and cost transfers.  

ORSP promotes education and training in the responsible conduct of research. ORSP helps ensure that all research activities, sponsored or unsponsored, meet ethical standards and follow federal, state, and university regulations and procedures. 

Kean University’s Institutional Review Board (IRB), administered by ORSP, reviews all research, sponsored or unsponsored, involving human subjects to protect the rights and welfare of the people who participate in Kean University research.  

Grants Accounting has responsibility for processing all expenditures related to grants, preparing and submitting all financial reports, billing sponsoring agencies, initiating the request for the Budget Office to draw down funds from federal grants, processing cash receipts for sponsored projects, and closing out grant and contract accounts after the final reports have been submitted. Grants Accounting works closely with Post-Award to ensure timely and accurate processing of all grant-related activities.