The COGR Meeting Report from February 2011 provides a detailed overview of the key issues and developments affecting research universities in the areas of costing policies, contracts and intellectual property, and research compliance and administration. The report emphasizes significant audit activities led by the Federal Office of Inspectors General, especially in regards to administrative and clerical costs, and the importance of strategic planning and effective documentation in navigating federal audits. It highlights ongoing regulatory burdens on universities, noting cases where regulatory relief could enhance administrative efficiency and investigator productivity, and references both the National Academies’ study on research universities and President Obama’s Executive Order 13563, which aims to modernize and streamline federal regulations while safeguarding essential protections.
Beyond costing, the report addresses substantial developments in contracts and intellectual property, such as export control reform initiatives, implications of new defense security directives following the WikiLeaks disclosures, ongoing efforts to enhance commercialization of university research in collaboration with NIST and Commerce, and legislative changes including the Senate passage of the "America Invents Act" patent reform. Research compliance topics discussed include NSF’s review of grant merit criteria with a focus on "broader impacts," NIH’s planned adoption of new guidelines for laboratory animal care, and a review of human subjects protection prompted by recent ethical concerns. The report also notes continued advocacy for harmonization and consistency in federal funding, cost reimbursement, and administrative requirements, with COGR calling for university engagement and dialogue with federal agencies to address challenges and promote effective, compliant research environments.
