The June 9-10, 2016 COGR Meeting Report provides a thorough overview of current issues and developments affecting research institutions, particularly in the context of federal regulations, compliance, and administrative processes. Key topics discussed encompass audit and regulatory updates from agencies such as the NSF and HHS, including findings regarding internal controls and subrecipient monitoring, as well as new and prospective legislative changes aimed at reducing regulatory burdens for federally funded research. The report highlights institutional efforts to streamline administrative requirements, such as the release of an Administrative Burden Checklist and the promotion of retrospective policy reviews by the Department of Energy. Notably, legislative efforts like Congressman Lipinski’s University Regulations Streamlining and Harmonization Act reflect ongoing attempts to codify recommendations to reduce research regulatory complexity.
The meeting also addressed significant issues in human subjects and animal research policy, including implementation updates for the NIH Single IRB policy and concerns related to the Precision Medicine Initiative’s intellectual property frameworks. In the area of research costing, discussions focused on procurement standards revisions, unresolved aspects of Uniform Guidance, and the impact of the Affordable Care Act on graduate student health coverage. Additionally, the report covers contracts and intellectual property matters such as revised export control definitions, compliance challenges with defense acquisition regulations, ongoing invention reporting issues under Bayh-Dole, and debate over the use of governmental authority in drug pricing. Lastly, the document touches on broader research administration challenges, such as adaptation to new Department of Labor overtime rules, updates in the NSF Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide, and ongoing engagement with the Division of Biomedical Research Workforce at NIH. The report reflects an active effort by COGR to monitor, guide, and advocate for effective and equitable policies within the evolving landscape of research compliance and administration.
