All personnel working on sponsored projects must be assigned by the department chair or other responsible individual for the period of time and percentage of effort devoted to the sponsored project. This assignment may be compensated by the grant or paid from departmental funds as cost sharing to the project. However, if personnel are appointed to and paid from the sponsored project, “salary savings” occur within the departmental budget and can be released for other purposes within the university, subject to administrative approval. Refer to Proposal Development/Develop a Budget.

The faculty member is expected to be released from the portion (percentage) of the full-time contact hour equivalency. Salary and fringe for this portion is recaptured as a percentage of salary savings. This percentage may vary depending on the individual’s assignment. For example, Professor A has an assignment for a given semester to teach 9.0 contact hours (3 courses) and to provide advising, research and service for the remaining 3.0 contact hours of the required 12.0 contact hours required for a fully-funded FTE position. Professor A is released from one course but is expected to continue previously assigned advising, research and service. The contact hour equivalent of 3.0 contact hours equals a percentage of effort of 25% of the 100% effort assignment. Professor B has the same work assignment but is released from one course and any additional expectation of other departmental research or scholarly activity so the contact hour equivalent released is 4.0 contact hours to equal 33% effort of the 100% effort assignment. Whenever an appointment is made to a sponsored research activity, the faculty member’s work assignment should be made taking into account this consideration or amended if the commitment occurs after the work assignment is accepted.

Both release time and cost sharing of a faculty member’s effort are subject to reporting according to the appropriate contact hours through the Faculty Activity Report System (FARS) and should also be reported as the equivalent percentage of effort on the Personnel Activity Report System (PARS) forms (both forms were replaced by CAERS as of 5/7/08). The contact hours required generating a 1.0 FTE for a faculty member who has responsibilities related to the FTE generation of E&G funds and the percentage of the individual’s cost effort (prorated 100% effort) should be reconciled at the end of each semester by the submission of the CAERS report. For assistance in determining the appropriate contact hour or cost effort equivalents, contact the college budget managers or your RSP Grants Specialist.