The September 2022 COGR Update provides a thorough overview of recent developments, initiatives, and ongoing issues relevant to the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) and its member institutions, which are primarily engaged in research administration and compliance. Key announcements include the opening of registration for the October 2022 meeting, the launch of the COGR Member Portal, the initiation of the COGR presidential search, and the scheduling of webinars on topics such as Digital Persistent Identifiers (DPIs) and NIH's Data Management and Sharing (DMS) Policy.
A major focus of the update is the implementation and impact of federal policies on research data management, science and security, and research compliance. COGR is actively responding to the new NIH DMS policy, which becomes effective in January 2023, by providing guidance documents, conducting cost and administrative burden surveys, and organizing webinars to assist member institutions with compliance. The update also details broad implications of the recently enacted CHIPS and Science Act, emphasizing its provisions for research security, diversification of the STEM workforce, and for the first time, direct federal funding for university technology transfer activities; however, many of these authorizations await appropriations for full implementation.
The document addresses evolving federal and agency requirements related to research security, including the National Security Presidential Memorandum-33 (NSPM-33), research disclosure norms, and new Department of Defense requirements for transparency regarding work in China. COGR is also reviewing and preparing commentaries on proposed government forms and guidelines, conducting surveys on the cost of compliance, and advocating for federal support to address rising administrative and operational burdens, especially as they pertain to smaller institutions.
Additional committee updates cover a wide range of compliance and ethical issues, including responsible conduct of research, animal and human subject research regulations, cannabis research challenges, and revisions to conflict-of-interest and research misconduct policies. Financial compliance concerns are addressed with attention to F&A rate negotiations, federal audit developments, and the impact of the retirement of certain federal reporting requirements. Finally, logistical issues such as the Grants.gov downtime and shifting federal mandates (e.g., COVID safety for contractors, OSTP public access requirements) are highlighted, reflecting COGR’s ongoing role in monitoring, interpreting, and communicating regulatory changes to the research community. The report concludes with acknowledgments of committee leadership and a detailed list of committee members, underscoring the collaborative and multidisciplinary nature of COGR’s work.
