CENTRAL COORDINATION OF CORE FACILITY MANAGEMENT CHALLENGES, SOLUTIONS AND BEST PRACTICES

CENTRAL COORDINATION OF CORE FACILITY

MANAGEMENT

NIH-ABRF WORKSHOP ON ENHANCING EFFICIENCY OF RESEARCH CORE FACILITIES

CHALLENGES, SOLUTIONS AND BEST PRACTICES

MARCH 28, 2015

JULIE A. AUGER

A Perspective Informed by 3 Institutions

University of

Chicago

University of

California San

Francisco

University of

California

Davis

CENTRALIZATION:

WHAT IT IS NOT

Centralized Core Management: What it is not…

Co- localization of all facilities to one

building

.

Empire Building

Scientific & technology decisions being made by a single administrator Sun- setting &

CENTRALIZATION:

WHAT IT IS

Centralized Core Management: What it is…

operations of shared research facilities • Processes for effective review

& transparency of available resources • Effective information gathering & sharing for informed decisions making research dollars go farther

Centralization: What are the benefits?

For Cores:

Increased awareness of operations

Ability to focus on science and technology, not administrative tasks

Support for needs assessments Financial stability & ability to plan; efficient billing & recovery

Additional Benefits to Cores:

• Focus on education (staff & clients)

• Increased investment by funding agencies • Increased attention to deferred maintenance • Efficiencies of scale for specialized support

Centralization: What are the benefits?

For Institutions:

• Increased strategic investment opportunities

• Increased faculty satisfaction regarding service & access = recruitment & retention benefits

• Ability to leverage group buying power

• Increased revenue recovery from external sources

• Reduced audit risk (i.e. elimination of inequitable charge practices)

Central/coordinated funding could support the

following possibilities:

• Central specialized business functions

• Educational experiences beyond service mission

(undergrad, grad & professional schools) and technical training

• Ability to conduct R&D that enables the development of next- gen applications and/or technologies

• Recruitment, retention and continuing education of core scientists to ensure they have skill sets relevant to the research community needs

Keys to Success

• Core Directors retained autonomy over the things they are really good at:

• scientific and technology decisions • Personnel management

• R&D

• Central Administrators served as partners to ensure Core Directors were getting the most information to make those decisions and supported cores in areas they were not so good at, like business skills.

Keys to Success

• Leadership that believed in the promise of

coordination and a bit of social good in a meritocratic environment

• Leadership in institutional NIH- funded centers who saw the logic & were willing to discuss a coordinated approach with cross- Institute NIH Program Officers and University Center Directors

Keys to Success

Keys to Success

• Realization that while committee work is slow, broad discussion is important for institutional guidelines, policies and investments

Keys to Success

• A recognition by the NIH that NIH- funded core facilities are key to the scientific mission

• NCRR Workshop in July, 2009

Core Director Challenges: desperate for

solutions

• Communication & Visibility Tools (yes, please)

• Search engines • Websites

• Sponsored technology seminars and Core Expos

• Grant writing support (yes, please)

• Instrumentation grants • Center grants

• Equipment management (yes, please)

• Service contracts/maintenance • Inventory

• Mechanisms for researcher training & education to create an nimble user base (we can’t charge – we’re an ACADEMIC institution)

Institutional Challenges: desperate for

solutions

• Need for change while keeping institutional integrity (history of R0- 1 based culture)

• Need reduction in deficit spending by cores and

researchers

• Limited process for evaluation of ad hoc subsidy requests

• Improvement to risk management (financial audit,

biosafety, IP protection)

• Faster discoveries resulting in increased external support of research activities

Solutions/Best Practices

• Invest in Core Scientists – technology is just hardware

• develop requirements for continuing education of core scientists to adapt to changing technologies and applications available

(really – you will pay for me to go to a conference? Or no, I don’t want to learn anything new.)

• Specialized expertise in financial management (What do you mean?)

• Rate setting methodology

• Monthly financial reports of revenue & expenses of full portfolio • Spending decisions

• Tools (use better not be harder than what I currently do.)

• Electronic Usage tracking

• Online scheduling & service requests including estimates • Automated monthly billing

Solutions/Best Practices (continued)

• Balance rechargeable activities with subsidization of R&D and Training/Education

• Definitions

• What is a “core”?

• What is a Faculty Director vs a Technical Director vs a Core Manager?

• Consistent Guidance (I was ok flying under the radar)

• Regulatory issues: biosafety, audit compliance, Unrelated Business Income Tax

• Biosafety

• Work with external clients – Business Contracts, IP consideration

• Develop appropriate incentives at EACH stage (Do not expect anyone to change if it is not easier, better, cheaper or worth the additional cost)

Needed Program Development - Opportunities

key change to moving toward more shared

environment but many Institutions remain opposed • Program support to train Core Scientists in business

skills necessary to be more efficient business managers (this is not your routine research lab)

• Improved programmatic support for acquisition of

cutting- edge technologies in core facilities. Personnel and service contract support is critical during early

Cultural Change is the Biggest Obstacle of All

It is not the strongest of the species that

survives, nor the most intelligent that

survives. It is the one that is the most

adaptable to change.