Office of Research and Project Administration

CLASP
Continuous Learning for Administrators of Sponsored Programs

** NEW ** Register now in SharePoint for one of the CLASP Annual Update Sessions to be held in January, 2010. Registration for the 2010 CLASP sessions will now be through the SharePoint Training Registration Site. To register for a CLASP session simply logon to SharePoint from the registration link on this page using your UR or URMC Domain Account (credentials that you use to logon to your computer). Please see SharePoint Help for information on how to register for a class, obtain a Domain Account, and how to configure your browser (Internet Explorer) for SharePoint.

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Please use this SharePoint link to register for each of the following sessions:
CLASP Core Sessions, CLASP Update Sessions, or CLASP Elective Sessions

CLASP is a classroom-based educational program consisting of basic and comprehensive instruction for sponsored programs compliance.  The goal is to ensure that all administrators having functional responsibility on sponsored programs complete CLASP training. Functional responsibility may be characterized by having an ability to originate, authorize, or approve transactions associated with sponsored programs; involvement with proposal preparation; or active review and monitoring of the financial activities within sponsored program accounts. 

A Sponsored Programs Overview, taught by senior managers in ORPA, ORACS and University Audit, consists of the core information critical to sponsored programs compliance.  This includes an overview of the federal circulars and how they pertain to departmental administration, the roles of administrators vs. central offices vs. investigators, the F&A rate, the departmental role in compliance, and cost accounting standards.  In addition to the Overview, the following sessions are offered:

1)   Sponsored Programs Overview (4 hrs.)

2)   Preaward Functions, Proposal/Budget Development and Costing Issues (3 hrs.)

3)   Post-Award: Processes and Transactions   (3 hrs.)

4)    Post-Award: Accounting and Oversight:  (3 hrs.)

5)   Effort reporting and cost sharing (3 hrs.)

6)    Project closeout (2 hrs.)

The Overview is four (4) hours in duration and is limited to 50 participants.  Follow-on sessions are two to four (2-4) hours in duration; these follow-on sessions are limited to twenty five (25) people in order to discuss case studies, and encourage questions and discussion.  It is required that a participant proceed through the six CLASP modules in order.  This represents a minimum of approximately eightteen (18) hours of education in the initial year of certification.   

Upon completion of these modules, participants receive a Certificate in Sponsored Program Management and a comprehensive manual and practice aids to facilitate proper oversight of sponsored program activity.

 The “continuous learning” aspect of CLASP is as follows.  To maintain certification, administrators need to annually attend a minimum of three (3) of the monthly sponsored program administrator meetings (offered at both the Medical Center and River Campus sites).  These sessions include presentations on particular topics of interest in addition to updates and guidance from relevant central service departments.  Additionally, administrators need to attend a two (2) hour Annual Update session that is part of CLASP and one elective course (two hours in duration).  This represents a minimum of ten (10) hours of education annually after the initial year.

There is no fee for participation in the CLASP program. 

Upon completion of these modules, participants receive a Certificate in Sponsored Program Management and a comprehensive manual and practice aids to facilitate proper oversight of sponsored program activity. CLASP certified administrators are required to participate in the CLASP “CLASP Electives and Continuous Learning”

CLASP ELECTIVES and CONTINUOUS LEARNING

The CLASP program offers a “continuous learning” aspect for CLASP participants and in order to maintain CLASP certification, CLASP certified administrators are required to participate annually in a minimum of ten hours of continuing education and meetings.

Annual CLASP Certification requirements include:

Annually attending a minimum of three of the monthly sponsored program administrator meetings (offered at both the Medical Center and River Campus sites).  These sessions include presentations on particular topics of interest in addition to updates and guidance from relevant central service departments. 

Additionally, administrators are required to attend a one hour Annual CLASP Update Session and one of the two hour annual CLASP elective courses. 

CLASP Program Module Descriptions

Sponsored Programs Overview

· Requirements of the CLASP Program
· Sponsored Programs defined
· Roles and Responsibilities of ORPA, ORACS,
· Principal Investigators, Deparatment Chairs, Dean’s Office and Sponsored Program Administrators
· Compliance Issues and the Effect of Noncompliance
· OMB Circulars
· Cost Accounting Standards
· Introduction to the Web Portal
· Conflict of Interest
· Space Management

Preaward Functions, Proposal/Budget Development and Costing Issues

· Preparing a Proposal – from start to finish
· Budget preparation
· F & A (Indirect) Costs
· Sign-off Procedures
· Review by ORPA/Role of ORPA

 

Post-Award: Processes and Functions

· Steps in Account Creation

Contingent Accounts
Notice of Award
Change Notice

· Internal Controls for Specific Transactions
· Procurement Methods
· Cost Sharing
· Program Income
· Expanded Authorities
· Sponsor Approvals
· No-Cost Extensions
· Cash Management
· UR GEMS capabilities

Post-Award: Accounting and Oversight

· Introduction to the University Ledger and Accounting Methodology
· Allocating and Charging Direct and Indirect Costs
· Subcontracts
· Administrative and Clerical Salaries
· Monitoring of Project Spending
· Cost Transfers
· UR GEMS demonstration

 

Effort Reporting and Cost Sharing

· General Principles of the Plan Confirmation System
· Personnel Forms
· Faculty Effort and handling changes in effort
· Summer Salary
· Types of Cost Sharing
· Common Questions regarding Cost Sharing
· NIH Salary Cap

Project Closeout

· What reports are submitted
· What is needed to submit a report
· What happens if a report isn’t submitted

 

CLASP Program Elective Descriptions

Self Study Option

It is now possible to obtain elective credits for CLASP certification through a self-study option.   While instructor-facilitated sessions are believed to be the most effect education medium, acknowledgement is also given to the reality that CLASP electives are offered in limited quantity and often conflict with other commitments or life situations (i.e., maternity or medical leaves of absence).  

Effective immediately, follow this procedure for self-study elective credit.

 

NSF FastLane

This workshop will cover what you need to know about NSF FastLane.

 

Subcontracts

This 2 hour workshop will cover what you need to know to effectively manage subcontracts during the pre-award, post-award and closeout process.

 

Training Grants

This workshop will cover what you need to know to effectively manage NIH training grants from preparation and proposal submission to project closeout. Participants will get a thorough overview of appointment/termination forms, progress reports, annual closeout and renewal.

 

Update Session

The Annual Update session will inform participants of updates to federal guidance/requirements (final and proposed). It will also provide updates regarding changes to University policies and procedures related to sponsored programs. This session will also reinforce the policies and procedures for specific areas of sponsored program administration that are noticed as recurring audit exceptions or topics of recurring administrator questions.

 

Other Electives

Other Electives include miscellaneous presentations, workshops, video conferences, etc. that will not be held on an ongoing basis, but will count for CLASP elective credit.

 

If you have any questions regarding CLASP, please contact one of the following individuals overseeing the CLASP program:  Donna Beyea (Assistant Director, ORPA), Gunta Liders (Associate VP for Research Administration, ORPA), or Mike Ritz (CLASP Facilitator, ORPA).