The document summarizes the findings and recommendations of the National Science Board’s Task Force on Administrative Burdens, presented by Dr. Artie Bienenstock at a February 2014 Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) meeting. The task force was charged with examining the administrative workload placed on federally funded researchers at U.S. colleges, universities, and non-profit institutions, with the aim of offering recommendations to alleviate unnecessary burdens. Core areas identified as most problematic include financial management, grant proposal preparation, progress and outcome reporting, oversight of human and animal research, and compliance reporting (such as time and effort certification).
Key recommendations call for a focused effort to streamline and harmonize requirements across federal agencies, reducing duplicative and unnecessary administrative tasks that divert investigators’ attention from research. This includes proposals to simplify proposal and reporting requirements, implement just-in-time submissions, and restrict annual reports to essential outcomes. For human subject and animal research, the Board supports regulatory reforms—such as central IRBs, expedited review for minimal-risk protocols, and reassessment of compliance policies that do not contribute to better outcomes. The report also urges a reevaluation of conflict-of-interest regulations, industry-derived safety requirements applied to academia, and audit practices, recommending more risk-based approaches. To ensure effective, lasting implementation, the Board advocates for the creation of a high-level, multi-agency committee to coordinate regulatory reform, dissemination of best practices, and improved communication to researchers about the origin and necessity of compliance requirements.
