Developing Training Programs at PUIs

1. Developing Training Programs at PUIs Pam Whitlock, CRA Director, OSP, UNCW Emeritus Educational Consultant Jeffrey Ritchie, CRA Director, OSP Lewis University

2. How long have you worked in research administration? • > 1 year (Newbie) • 1 – 5 years (Wet behind the ears) • 6-10 years (Seasoned) • 11 + (Veteran)

3. What best defines your role in professional development? • Trainer • Supervisor • A and B • Central administration allocating resources for training

4. “The whole purpose of training, instruction, and education is to enable people to learn. Your mission is not to transmit information but to transform your learners.” Stolovitch, H. D., & Keeps, E. J. (2002). Telling Ain’t Training, p.16.

5. Why Train Campus • Complies with federal requirements • Provides protection to institution • Promotes cost efficient operations • Allows for clean audit reports • Promotes inter-departmental cooperation • Ensures more success in grant-seeking http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/33/Alcatraz_dawn_2005-01-07.jpg

6. Who Should We Train • Faculty (educate, not train) • Administrative staff (departments, OSP) • Other offices – accounting, purchasing, etc. • Upper Administration (again, educate, not train) • Subaward partners • Don’t forget internal auditors!

7. How Do We Train • Face to face • Written materials • Group experience • Online • Videos, podcasts, use technology

8. Things to Consider • Learning styles • Age differences • Experiential differences • Varying objectives • Motivation/desire to learn what we’re teaching • Mandatory or voluntary • Different levels, “need to know” http://simmonsatshowcase.wikispaces.com/file/view/Testing_Cartoon.jpg/33641679/Testing_Cartoon.jpg

9. Challenges • Time • Available Resources • Culture • Money • Systems (IT) Culture Eats Strategy for Breakfast

10. Now what? • Evaluate training needs • Identify topics and levels • Create structure & schedule • Identify resources to design program • Obtain institutional support

11. Where are you now? • Thinking about starting or expanding a program – in the “conceptual” stage • Trying to assess administrative commitment • Attempting to gain department buy-in • Assessing the need for training topics • Determining institutional resources • Trying to encourage faculty participation

12. What is the biggest challenge at your institution? • Time • Money • Culture • IT Systems • Management support (more than just words)

13. SWOT Analysis Methods of assessing goals, priorities and needs • Interviews • Training Committee • Surveys targeting specific groups • Emerging research areas (ARRA/RCR) • Benchmarking • Mandated by law, senior management, or the University http://blog.perksconsulting.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/swot_img2.gif

14. Sources of Training Content • Matrices • Body of Knowledge (RACC) • Annotated BOK (SRA) • Topical Outline (NCURA, SRA) • NCURA Fundamentals, et al. • Federal requirements – animals, humans, NSF and NIH mentoring requirements

15. How Structured Will You Be? • Different institutions have different needs and resources • Culture on campus will determine method and many topics • Tailor your program to your needs • Prepare ahead but grow into needed areas/methods http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/uimages/la/031609_seedlings.jpg

16. Define and Prioritize Needs • What is missing that can lead to legal issues? • What areas are at highest risk? • What in-house expertise do you have? • What resources are available? • Possibly most critical – what’s your upper administration's opinion?

17. Faculty as Learners • Sell to your solid supporters • Enlist expert faculty to teach • Blend into other events • Remember educate, not teach • Respect their time • Keep it interesting • Customize topics to their perspective

18. Staff as Learners • Recognize their work • Be flexible on schedules (don’t plan a lot at exam time) • This is only a part of their job • Coordinate with other staff organizations…build into accounting program • Bring subject matter experts

19. Staff Professional Development Resources • Involvement with process design • Opportunity to lead on campus • Engaging staff with campus community • Field Trips • Employee Recognition • Professional Organizations • SRA • NCURA • COGR • FDP

20. Training Development Resources • Polices and Procedures • Checklists • Reference Manual (former training manual) • Federal Grants Management • Manual (hard copy and online) • Sponsored Research Administration: A Guide to Effective Strategies and Recommended Practices

21. Training Development Resources • A Guide to Managing Federal Grants for Colleges and Universities • Training DVD’s (NCURA) • OMB Circulars/FAR • Subject Matter Experts (SME) • Other web resources

22. Keys to Success • Take advantage of subject matter experts • Use existing resources • Organizational commitment • Management and overall “Buy-in” is essential • Lead mentor is critical to success • Feedback and evaluation/Continuous Improvement

23. Don’t Reinvent the Wheel cartoon by Eric Jacobsen

24. Let’s Recap • Design a program around your needs and resources • Ask other organizations for examples • Don’t worry if you don’t have the resources to do what you see at larger organizations • Keep it educational and interesting • Most of all….

25. Remember….. • We train to • protect our university, • promote quality work and management, and • enhance the “research” agenda of our faculty • NOT to enforce our will

26. The Golden Rule of Training… “Train others as you would have them train you.” Stolovitch, H. D., & Keeps, E. J. (2002). Telling Ain’t Training, p.60.