The March 2015 COGR Meeting Report provides a detailed overview of significant developments, discussions, and policy issues affecting research universities and institutions in the United States. The report highlights ongoing efforts to reform and streamline federal research regulations, such as the collaboration with the Administrative Conference of the United States (ACUS) to improve regulatory efficiency, the passage of new legislative initiatives aimed at reducing research regulatory burden, and the implementation of the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act (DATA Act). COGR's active engagement with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) regarding the Uniform Guidance underscores concerns with issues such as conflict of interest policies, subrecipient monitoring, procurement standards, grant closeouts, and compensation documentation. The report notes agency-specific perspectives and challenges with uniform implementation, further emphasizing the need for enhanced clarity and consistency across federal agencies.
In addition, the document reviews developments in contracts and intellectual property, including responses to changing USPTO patent guidelines, ongoing Senate hearings on patent reform, and new data evidencing the economic impact of academic technology transfer. Policy updates from federal agencies, such as the NIH Genomic Data Sharing Policy and revisions to human subjects research regulations, are explored, with attention given to the administrative and financial burdens these may impose on research institutions. Other topics include efforts to update and harmonize audit and compliance standards, the impact of export controls on academic research, and new public access requirements from the National Science Foundation. Taken together, the report reflects COGR’s commitment to advocating for the research community, fostering dialogue with policymakers, and providing guidance on regulatory compliance in an increasingly complex and dynamic environment.
