Research and Graduate Studies @ KU

Research Administration

News and announcements regarding research administration

Attend Oct. 25 meeting to learn about RGS
The Office of Research and Graduate Studies invites you to attend an open house meeting on Thursday, Oct. 25, from 10 a.m. to noon in the Jayhawk Room of the Kansas Union.

Sara Rosen, associate vice provost and dean of graduate studies, will be joined by other RGS staff in a discussion of the following topics:

• Functions of the new Office of Research and Graduate Studies
• Updates on the graduate application process
• Introduction of the new KU-Ft. Leavenworth Program for advanced degree study
• Discussion with members of the recently formed Graduate Studies Task Force

Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Rochelle Bass-Montgomery at 864-7234 or rm218@ku.edu.

Steven Warren to present on “Creative Campus”
Steve Warren, interim vice provost for research and graduate studies, will be the featured speaker at an October 24 luncheon at The Commons in Spooner Hall. His topic is “How does Creative or Multidisciplinary Research help me Secure Funding and Publish?”

RSVP’s for the noon-hour luncheon are requested by October 18 at smessick@ku.edu. Please indicate vegetarian, turkey or beef. Lunch is provided for those who RSVP, or you can bring a brown bag lunch if you prefer.

The presentation on the 24th is one in a series of programs sponsored by the Lied Center as part of a two-year project: “Creative Campus: Tree of Life: Creative—Origins and Evolution.” The project is made possible in part by a grant from the Association of Performing Arts Presenters Creative Campus Innovations Grant Program, a component of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation.

For more information about the Creative Campus project, including other events and available resources, click here.

Annual conflict of interest reporting in progress
Faculty and other unclassified staff are required to file a conflict of interest (COI) report upon employment, annually, and whenever their circumstances change. Annual COI reporting for fiscal year 2008 is now under way.

Please complete your annual conflict of interest report for fiscal year 2008 as soon as possible.

Conflict of Interest Declaration and Disclosure

The web-facilitated COI reporting site has been updated to provide you with more useful information regarding your prior reports. For instance, staff will now be able to see whether or not a fully-executed hard copy of their prior COI report is on file.

Filing an annual conflict of interest statement is a condition of employment according to Kansas Board of Regents policy and is a requirement of federal funding agencies for investigators on externally sponsored projects. Investigators must have a fully-executed COI report on file prior to submitting a proposal to an external funding agency.

COI reporting is not the same as the KS Statement of Substantial Interests reporting requirement. A request to file a statement of financial interests was sent in April of this year, but that is a separate reporting procedure required of many state employees: the State of Kansas Statement of Substantial Interests. These two reporting procedures are often confused because the questions are similar, but they are separate and unrelated requirements.

Additional information regarding the policies and reporting procedures may be found at Conflict of Interest web page. Questions may be directed to Susan MacNally, Compliance Coordinator, Research Integrity, 864-4148, coi@ku.edu.

New receptionist in 222 Strong
Absinthe Algaier, a 2007 KU graduate with a B.A. degree in psychology, joined the Office of Research and Graduate Studies on September 24 as receptionist in 222 Strong Hall. She will work closely with Sara Rosen, Rochelle Montgomery and John Augusto.

New KUCR travel per diem rates announced
As of September 1, the following per diem rates apply to business travel using KUCR funds:

• Domestic (U.S., Territories) $44 per day, $11 per quarter-day
• International (includes Canada and Mexico) $50 per day, $12.50 per quarter-day

Meals provided by a third party reduce the per diem claim by the following amounts:

Meal	Domestic	International
Morning Meal	$8.00	$8.00
Mid-Day Meal	$12.00	$12.00
Evening Meal	$24.00	$30.00

International travelers may claim reimbursement based on actual meal receipts or on a per diem basis. Only one method may be used per trip, however.

These rates provide a fair reimbursement with a reporting process that is efficient to manage and consistent for all personnel (essential to maintain an IRS-approved accountable plan). More information about travel rates is on-line at Travel Rate Schedule page.