Policy Perspective
Costing and Financial Compliance FAQs (COVID-19)
The document provides an updated supplement to previous Costing and Financial Compliance FAQs, focusing on recent Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memoranda related to COVID-19 administrative flexibilities, with particular attention to OMB Memorandum M-20-26. It outlines the timeline and rescission status of various OMB memos that temporarily allowed federal grant recipients increased flexibi
June 10-12 Virtual Meeting Report
This report summarizes the June 10-12, 2020, virtual meeting of the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR), focusing extensively on the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on research administration, policy, compliance, and funding in the U.S. Major discussions included updates on new and rescinded OMB memoranda (notably M-20-26), the expiration of previous flexibilities, and guidance from key fede
FUNDING SOURCES FOR RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES (Addendum to Finances of Research Universities – June 2014)
This document, issued by the Council on Governmental Relations in July 2020, provides an overview of the funding sources available to research universities in the context of the profound challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated economic downturn. It highlights that institutions across all types—public and private, with or without medical schools—are facing a deep financial cris
COGR Submits Comments to ORI on Sequestration RFI
The Council on Governmental Relations (COGR), representing 187 U.S. research universities and institutions, submitted this letter in response to the Office of Research Integrity's (ORI) Request for Information about the sequestration of digital data in research misconduct investigations. The letter highlights the inherent challenges of managing and securing digital data—such as its ease of mo
Research Ramp-Up Road Map: A Guide to Considerations and Resources for Ramping Up OnCampus Laboratory, Animal and Human Subjects Research as COVID-19 Restrictions are Lifted
The “Research Ramp-Up Road Map,” released on June 11, 2020, serves as a comprehensive guide for academic and research institutions seeking to resume on-campus laboratory, animal, and human subjects research as COVID-19 restrictions are eased. The document provides an annotated checklist approach, helping institutions navigate complex and regionally variable considerations associated with safely re
COI Part 2 Case Studies: June 2020 Meeting
This document presents a case study involving a major public university that faced scrutiny after receiving letters from the NIH regarding undisclosed foreign funding and faculty commitments. The case centers on a professor with significant NIH and NSF funding who engaged in a longstanding, unpaid research collaboration with a foreign institution (UU) and subsequently received an unsolicited honor
Costing and Financial Compliance FAQs COVID-19
This document, produced by the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR) as of May 28, 2020, provides an extensive series of frequently asked questions (FAQs) concerning costing and financial compliance for institutions receiving federal grants and cooperative agreements during the COVID-19 pandemic. Central to the discussion are the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) memoranda, particularly M-2
COGR, AAU, APLU and AAMC Submit Letter to OMB Requesting Flexibilities in M-20-17 Be Extended
The document is a formal letter dated May 27, 2020, addressed to Margaret Weichert, Deputy Director of Management at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), from four prominent organizations representing research institutions: the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR), the Association of American Universities (AAU), the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), and the Associ
COGR Submits Letter to DEA in Regard to Federal Register Notice, "Controls to Enhance the Cultivation of Marihuana for Research in the United States
The Council on Governmental Relations (COGR), representing 187 major U.S. research institutions, submitted comments to the DEA regarding the proposed controls to enhance the cultivation of marijuana for research purposes. COGR expressed appreciation for the DEA’s steps toward expanding the pool of authorized cannabis manufacturers beyond the current single supplier, highlighting the necessity for
