CRIS Management using Electronic Tools and Strategic Communications

1. Breakout Session #5 May 23, 2011 CRIS Management using Electronic Tools and Strategic Communications

2. Today’s Speakers Nancy L. Wilkinson nwilkin@ufl.edu Director of Finance Florida Agricultural Experiment Station (FAES) University of Florida Conroy Smith roycon28@ufl.edu CRIS Coordinator University of Florida

3. IFAS includes • Multiple Colleges • CALS • Vet Med • Multiple Schools • Forestry • Natural Resources • 16 Academic Departments • 12 off campus Research & Education Centers • 67 county extension offices

5. Session Objectives Share our approach for CRIS management at the University of Florida (UF); Within the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) 1 3 2 Creation of CRIS Help Desk for managing CRIS related matters Review of CRIS projects before submission to USDA Communication strategies with our CRIS Liaisons Creation of CRIS Help Desk for managing CRIS related matters We invite your comments/questions

6. What is CRIS? • Current Research Information System (CRIS) • Created in 1966 • Provides documentation and reporting • for ongoing . . . research activities for • the USDA—with a focus on • the NIFA grants • Participants include USDA, State • Experiment Stations, Land Grant • Institutions, State Forestry Schools, and • Cooperating Schools of Veterinary • Medicine

7. CRIS Review Tracker Presented by: Nancy L. Wilkinson

8. CRIS Review Tracker • Web enabled application that uses workflow to review a proposed CRIS project • 3 perspectives with 3 different views • PI; Unit Leader; Reviewer • Developed and released in the 2008 • Input from 3 Units to determine requirements • Beta tested by another Unit • Then released to all • Enhanced in December 2008 • Feedback from several faculty users

9. CRIS Review Tracker Purpose: • Facilitate required review of PI’s CRIS project • Finalize the reviewer assignments (by a Unit Leader) • Provide central repository for comments from all reviewers (internal/external) • Compile all reviewer comments (by the Unit Leader) for feedback to the PI

10. CRIS Review Tracker • IFAS made this an optional tool that Units could choose to use • We restricted access through a login which we could control (based on each Units designated personnel)

11. CRIS Review Tracker- System Walkthrough • A brief look at how the system works • More details are provided in the CRIS Review Tracker User Guide

12. PI Perspective/View • Provide information on the proposed CRIS project and recommendations for at least 3 reviewers (internal/external) • Receive comments from reviewers (confidentially) to improve the CRIS project draft before submission to USDA

13. Starting a New Review The PI begins the review process by logging into the system and clicking the “Start a New Project Review” button • PI then uploads a project statement

14. Starting a New Review PI enters information on suggested reviewers • Provides basic info • PI suggests reviewers, entering their name and email address • Once finished, the Unit Head is notified of the new CRIS project review by email

15. Unit Leader Perspective/View • Web based console provided to manage all of the CRIS projects under review in that Unit • Allows orderly determination of reviewers (internal/external) by the Unit Leader • Once reviewers are approved, they receive electronic notification and follow up reminders directly

16. Assigning Reviewers • The Unit Head is provided with the project details and a list of reviewers suggested by the project PI • The Unit Head then has an opportunity to add or remove reviewers from the project • Once finished, the selected reviewers are notified by email After receiving email notification, the Unit Head will log into the system to assign reviewers to the project

17. Reviewer Perspective/View • Web based interface • Reviewer may also decline to participate • Reviews the PI provided Project Statement • Comments are provided based on our review criteria • Reviewer comments then go directly to the Unit Leader… not the PI

18. Reviewing the Project • The reviewer is provided with the project details and statement document • The reviewer then answers a series of questions regarding the proposed CRIS project • Once all reviewers have completed their reviews, the Unit Head is notified Each reviewer is provided with a unique code in their email notification. This code ensures that both internal and external users can review only the specific projects they’ve been assigned to

19. Review Criteria Does this project … Address an important problem for agriculture, natural resources, and urban or rural life? Offer potential benefits to the state or region? Provide a clear and rational hypothesis?

20. Review Criteria Does this project … Describe scientific procedures in sufficient detail? Offer the potential for cooperation with others? Finally, any additional comments can be provided

21. Granting Final Approval • The Unit Head is provided with a view of all reviewer feedback and the ability to add to or edit as needed • Finally, they are given the chance to provide a final comment and then grant final approval • Once approval is granted, the PI and CRIS Coordinator are automatically notified by email Once the reviewers have finished and submitted their reviews, one last step is required before final approval is granted

22. CRIS Review Tracker • With final review in hand, the PI then completes all internal paperwork + completes AD 416 / AD 417 • Instructional guidance is on Dean’s web site • CRIS Review Tracker Instructions

23. Questions and Comments

24. Presented by: Conroy Smith How Do We Communicate?

25. Service-Driven • UF is a large institution • Increase growth may yield decrease service • UF IFAS research: 16 departments and 12 Centers • Goal: To provide exceptional customer service to CRIS Liaisons and faculty • CRIS Liaison: Personnel within departments who administer CRIS matters • i.e.: AD-416 AD-417 AD-421 AD-419 etc.

26. Service-Driven • Effectively communicate with CRIS Liaisons • LISTSERV: CRIS-L • A Go-To Website: http://research.ifas.ufl.edu/research/cris/overview/ • CRIS Liaison Meetings • Material Resources

27. LISTSERV • Created LISTSERV: CRIS-L • 50 members • Benefits: • Manage email messages (target audience) • Reliable, fast, and easy – captures all members • Caution: • Excessive or non-business related use

28. CRIS Web Site • Purpose of website: • 24-7, 365 presence and resource to anyone • Convenient for Customer • Standardize procedures and message • http://research.ifas.ufl.edu/research/cris/overview/ • UF CRIS Website

29. CRIS Web Site • CRIS Life-Cycle Overview

30. CRIS Web Site • CRIS Life-Cycle Overview • Start A New CRIS Project • Step-by-step Instructions • Hatch • NIFA Grants • Multistate • McIntire -Stennis

31. CRIS Web Site

32. CRIS Web Site • Learn More About CRIS • Annual Progress Report (AD-421) • Assisted Search Instructions • Review Tracker • Project Extension/Term. • UF CRIS Policy

33. CRIS Liaison Meetings • Inaugural Meeting (May 3) • Face to a name • Connecting with one another • Shaped as the group determines

34. Pre-Meeting Survey Results • What times/days of week are best for you to attend a CRIS Liaison meeting? • Tuesday afternoon most popular • Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday Morning

35. Pre-Meeting Survey Results • How often should CRIS Liaison Meetings take place? • Split: • One large annual meeting • 1-2 smaller special interest topic/training sessions style

36. Pre-Meeting Survey Results • How would you like to engage in CRIS Liaison meetings? Please select all that apply • Other: • Hands on training • Instructor tips • Update via CRIS-L as much as possible

37. Pre-Meeting Survey Results • How would you like to communicate with other CRIS Liaisons? • Would you like to be a guest presenter? • In what areas would you like to receive more training? • As a CRIS Liaison, what challenges or barriers do you face?  

38. Personnel Training • Source of Funds  PeopleSoft: • Federal Appropriation (Formula) Fund 221 • Hatch (2101) • Hatch Multistate (2102) NIMSS • McIntire-Stennis (2103) • Federal Sponsored Programs (Non-Formula) Fund 201 • USDA (NIFA) • NSF • NIH • Others . . .

39. CRIS Assisted Search Resource

40. Resource Value • Liaisons use Assisted Search to find active CRIS projects within Dept. • Use information to notify faculty with/without CRIS Project • Policy is faculty with research appointment needs a CRIS project • Assisted Search is very useful when completing AD-419

41. Questions and Comments

42. CRIS Help Desk Presented by: Nancy L. Wilkinson

43. CRIS Help Desk • What is this tool? • Central web based resource to get help for all CRIS related matters • IT application from national company that is configured for our purpose • Searched for potential vendors • Selected and tested several • Spoke to current users at other universities • The specific tool was used and configured to provide help for grant questions within IFAS with positive results

44. CRIS Help Desk • Two ways to access? • Web address • Enter the question and receive a Help Desk Ticket # • Send an Email • Auto creates the Help Desk Ticket • Expected Users? • CRIS Liaisons • IFAS Faculty • USDA sending official approvals to UF

45. CRIS Help Desk • Web site view has many possibilities to provide help without submitting a “Help Desk Ticket” such as: • Announcements • Dean’s office will provide information relevant for the CRIS Liaison’s or the IFAS Faculty • RE: AD 419 spreadsheets due on January 3, 2011 • Solutions • Using frequently asked questions, we can post solutions to such for all to use

46. CRIS Help Desk • Creating a Help Desk Ticket is easy • Login recognizes the requestor and their Unit • Uses Active Directory when configuring this tool • Requestor determines the priority (e.g. urgent) • Requestor decides the best category that describes their question (e.g. CRIS Project Reports) • Dean’s office then provides an email response from this system • If that response meets the need we will then close this ticket • If not, we keep working together until it is resolved

47. CRIS Help Desk • In each Unit, the CRIS Liaison can: • Track any outstanding questions from their Unit • Refer back to older Help Desk ticket responses which might assist with today’s question • Make suggestions for the “Solutions” section of the CRIS Help Desk for everyone’s benefit • Generate metrics for their Unit

48. CRIS Help Desk – Probable Categories • Creating a CRIS Project (AD 416/AD 417) • NIFA funded awards • non-NIFA funded awards • CRIS Progress Reports (AD 421) • Annual • Final • CRIS Review Tracker

49. CRIS Help Desk – Probable Categories • Others might include: • CRIS Project Extension • CRIS Expenditure Reports (AD 419) • Notification to CRIS Support Office (Dean’s area) • CRIS Project is ready for our review • CRIS Identifier needed in PSFT • Upload internal forms needed

50. CRIS Help Desk - Advantages • One place to respond to all inquiries • No longer in individual email boxes • Provides for continuity of service • Review original request • Review all comments since • Potential to specialize and refer inquiries to those who will directly handle such • Hopeful that we can even have USDA send notifications to this tool