Regulatory Reform

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

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

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)