The June 2023 Committee Reports and Hot Topics document from COGR provides an in-depth overview of recent activities, updates, and ongoing concerns across four key committees: Costing and Financial Compliance (CFC), Contracts & Grants Administration (CGA), Research, Ethics & Compliance (REC), and Research Security & Intellectual Property (RSIP). The CFC committee is focused on modernizing cost elements to better reflect current research practices, addressing topics like library costs, increased research-related expenses, compliance with disclosure requirements, and impacts on Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs). The CGA committee highlights regulatory updates and responses to various federal requests, with particular emphasis on data management and sharing, evolving compliance requirements for subawards, and the implementation of federal guidance, such as limitations on the use of TikTok on government devices.
The REC committee details engagements with agencies like the NSF regarding research security analytics, the impact of Chinese regulations on research conducted in China, and evolving conflicts-of-interest policies. There is also a focus on efforts to reduce administrative burdens in animal research and compliance with new standards related to research security. Future REC projects will focus on frameworks for analyzing academic activities under security requirements and examining the use of new technologies, such as AI, in research environments. The RSIP committee reports on ongoing consultations with federal agencies regarding research security programs, NSPM-33 implementation, intellectual property compliance, and anticipated responses to federal policy changes including Bayh-Dole "march-in" rights. Throughout the document, COGR emphasizes community engagement through listening sessions, calls for comments, and ongoing dialogue with stakeholders to ensure effective advocacy and implementation of research policies and compliance standards.
