Important updates in research operations

A message from the Office of the Provost

Dear Faculty Colleagues,

The Office of the Provost is committed to our faculty’s generation of new knowledge through research, scholarship and creative activity. We have greatly appreciated your feedback across the strategic framing process on how best to strengthen our support for your critical work. We have begun putting your advice into action, and are pleased to share some significant changes in our research operations in response to your needs.

I am especially grateful to Vice Provost for Research and Scholarly Inquiry Keith Bonin, Assistant Vice President for Research Administration Lori Gabriel, and Associate Dean for Research and Community Engagement Rebecca Alexander, along with the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs (ORSP) staff for their dedication and hard work in advancing these important changes.

Grants and Contracts Managers (GCM) Support

I am delighted to share that we have established a new Associate Director position in the ORSP. Phillip Summers, previously the dedicated GCM for departments including Math, Statistics, Computer Science, and Psychology, is stepping into this inaugural pivotal role. He will oversee the organization, management, and training of all the GCMs across all academic departments in the College and facilitate communication with post-award support staff in the schools of Business, Divinity, and Law. This strategic position will enhance our GCM service quality, introduce best practices, lead professional development opportunities, and ensure seamless continuity of support services even during unforeseen staff absences.

In addition, so that every faculty member in every department and school can identify their assigned GCM or grants support staff easily, a section of the ORSP website has been redesigned to facilitate that connection. This initiative, crafted by the new Associate Director alongside our research staff, ensures every faculty member regardless of discipline has the necessary support for both pre- and post-award stages of research.

We are also delighted to welcome Janna Bailey to our ORSP team. She joined Wake Forest last month as a GCM, and supports College academic departments including Biology, Economics, and Sociology, further strengthening our GCM support network.

Proposal Submission Deadline Change

To facilitate this important grants work, we are making a crucial adjustment to our proposal submission deadlines, set to take effect on May 1, 2024. These changes, rooted in best practice recommendations from a recent Huron Consulting Group study and WFU’s Legal Department and Office of Audit and Compliance, mitigate risk and align our practices with the highest research standards:

As of May 1, 2024, all proposals must be routed and certified by the lead PI in Cayuse SP by 10 AM, five (5) business days prior to the sponsor submission deadline. This is a requirement for all submissions that will be strictly adhered to.

The PI can continue to work on the research plan up until 10 AM one (1) business day prior to the sponsor’s deadline if the proposal is being submitted electronically. Proposals that are not ready to be submitted the day before the sponsor’s deadline will not be submitted.

Please understand that late proposals (any proposals submitted less than 5 business days prior to the sponsor submission deadline) will no longer be accepted per university policy effective May 1, 2024. More details can be found on the ORSP website.

Your dedication to advancing knowledge and fostering a vibrant academic community at Wake Forest is deeply appreciated. These changes reflect our collective commitment to excellence, inquiry, and partnership—cornerstones of our University’s strategic framework and our shared pursuit of knowledge.