Regulatory Reform

COGR Submits Comments in Response to NIH Guide Notice NOT-OD-22-131 Regarding Protecting Privacy When Sharing Human Research Participant Data

COGR Submits Letter to OSTP on Reducing Administrative Burden

This letter provides specific suggestions to OSTP for achieving its objective of reducing administrative burden associated with federally funded research, including suggestions regarding research security requirements.  

Posted December 21, 2021

COGR Submits Comment Letter to NSF in Response to "Notice of a New System of Records: (SORN)

This letter provides comments regarding to NSF concerning its Privacy Act notice of a new system of records that describes the use of a data analytics tool to analyze information collected from researcher disclosures. 

Posted December 8, 2021

COGR Submits Joint Association Comments with AAU, AAMC, AAAS, and APLU to OSTP on Scientific Integrity RFI

Posted July 27, 2021

COGR's Response to JCORE RFI

Posted January 27, 2020

This letter contains COGR's comments in response to the request for information on aspects of the American Research Environment [FR Doc. 2019-25604]

COGR Submits Joint Letter to EPA Expressing Concern on Proposed Rule "Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science"

Posted November 13, 2019

Conflict of Commitment Policies for COGR Member Institutions

Posted November 5, 2019

Foreign Influence Resources Provided by COGR Members (ARCHIVED)

Posted October 3, 2019

Joint Letter to HHS on Fetal Tissue Research

Posted July 12, 2019

COGR Research Regulatory Reform Matrix

Posted December 19, 2018

Engage Research Institutions on Research Regulatory Reform

Science, July 20, 2018

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COGR Releases Matrix of Recent Legislative Actions Taken to Reduce Research Regulatory Burden

Posted January 2018

Joint Association Comments on USDA Regulatory Reform

Posted November 14, 2017

COGR Recommendations on Research Regulatory Reform

Posted August 24, 2017

Recommendations for HHS and NIH Research Regulatory Reform (Updated 2/28/18)

Recommendations for Non-HHS Research Regulatory Reform

Discussion Points on Facilities and Administrative Costs and Regulatory Reform

COGR Submits Joint Association Letter on DOE Regulatory Reform

Posted July 14, 2017

This letter provides joint association comments on Department of Energy regulations, paperwork requirements and other regulatory obligations as part of the agency’s implementation of Executive Order 13771, “Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs.” 

Joint Association Request to OMB on the Research Policy Board

Posted April 27, 2017

Actions for Reducing Administrative Work for Federally Sponsored Research

Reports from the National Academies, National Science Board, Federal Demonstration Partnership and others have highlighted increasing regulatory burden for federally funded research. Many of the recommendations for reducing burden target federal regulations and policies. Part 1 of the National Academies report, Optimizing the Nation’s Investment in Academic Research, also recommended that research institutions review policies developed to comply with federal regulations to determine whether the institution has created additional and unnecessary administrative burden.

The checklist COGR has created highlights actions that more closely adhere to regulation and policy or otherwise offer the potential to reduce administrative work in a number of areas including those researchers have identified as being particularly burdensome. Many of the approximately 100 actions put forward have previously been initiated at some of our member institutions with positive effect. However, we note that they may not be relevant, or applicable, to all institutions and that institutions may have reasons for establishing criteria that exceed the minimum regulatory requirements (e.g., state law). The list is intended to represent action taken, and ideas to consider, rather than a recommended action plan. We will continue to modify and expand the checklist in response to member feedback.
 

Administrative Burden Checklist

COGR Supports Cures Legislation in Letter to Senate HELP Staff

Click here for letter

GAO Report on Federal Research Grants

COGR Preliminary Analysis of GAO Report on Federal Research Grants 

National Academies Report Optimizing the Nation's Investment in Academic Research

The National Academies Committee on Federal Research Regulations and Reporting Requirements released Part 2 of its report, Optimizing the Nation’s Investment in Academic Research; A New Regulatory Framework for the 21st Century on June 29. The full report is now available online. Appendix B of the report includes a table of recommendations.

COGR's Response to Part 1 of the National Academies Report

COGR's Response to Part 2 of the National Academies Report

National Academies Panel on Reforming Regulation and Reporting Requirements - Lisa Nichol's Remarks on Behalf of the Council on Governmental Relations

Resources

NIH Initiative to Reduce Regulatory Burden (1999)

Federal Demonstration Partnership Faculty Workload Survey Reports (2012)

National Academies report Research Universities and the Future of America (2012)

National Science Board report Reducing Investigators’ Administrative Workload for Federally Funded Research (2014)

National Academies report Optimizing the Nation’s Investment in Academic Research (2016)

Government Accountability Office report Federal Research Grants: Opportunities Remain for Agencies to Streamline Administrative Requirements (2016)

21st Century Cures Act, section 2034, Reducing Administrative Burden for Researchers (2016)

Reforming Animal Research Regulations: Workshop Recommendations to Reduce Regulatory Burden (2017)