Research Administration Academy Policies
RAA encompasses many facets of grant management responsibility at Duke University and Duke University Health System (DUHS). RAA is a development opportunity for employees providing numerous benefits for both the employee and the institution. Employee benefits include development or advancement of skill sets, enhanced professional advancement opportunities, and a clearer understanding of grant management responsibilities at Duke University. This investment by Duke University in its employees will provide the organization with stronger employee commitment, a more stable employee base, better information on which to make hiring decisions, and enhanced financial controls.
To promote these objectives, the following program, policies, and processes will be observed.
Eligibility for the Research Administration Academy
The Research Administration Academy is open to any Duke University employee who meets the following qualifications:
- Full-time employee of Duke University
- Has relevant grant management responsibilities at Duke and access to SAP
- Has approval of his/her supervisor to participate
- Less than one year at Duke/or Grant Management at Duke and at least 50% duties related to grant management.
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Enrollment
- RAA candidates will be nominated for the program by their supervisor and must be assigned a mentor to assist them in completing the program.
- RCC will rely on validation from supervisor as to specific eligibility requirements.
- RCC sends a Contract of Enrollment and program details to each RAA/RCC candidate and his/her listed supervisor.
- Supervisor and Participant sign Contract of Enrollment for program participation. Submission of signed contract verifies confirmation of registration information and agreement to terms of participation.
- RCC sends confirmation notification to candidate and supervisor.
- RCC sends participant a verification notice and commitment expectations reminder.
** Enrollment is not guaranteed until a candidate has received a Confirmation of Enrollment from RCC.
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Expectations of Supervisors
Professional development is central to the Duke University mission of excellence. Support for employee development opportunities is expected from all supervisors when the opportunities are reasonable, applicable, and manageable. RAA participation requires:
- Respect for program guidelines.
- Recognition of the time commitment involved in completing the program.
- Understanding of the value to professional development for your employee.
- Allowance for class attendance without repercussions. No personal time is required when employees are participating in employer-sponsored professional development.
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Failure to Attend Charge
The
RAA is based on a sequenced and structured model with time constraints for completion. At this time RCC will not charge for missed classes as RAA requires mandatory sequenced attendance. Absence in more than one class may result in termination from the program.
Expectations of Participants
Duke University’s investment in your professional development and growth dictates expectations from all participants.
RAA requires that all participants:
- Commit to attend all classes
- Fulfill official work assignments, taking the initiative to ensure work and program classes are aligned
- Clearly communicate with supervisors to ensure proper management of work and office absences
- Commit to taking any exams as required
- Commit to timely completion of assigned class project
- Commit to share information and ideas to help others in the program
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Expectations of the Mentor
While it is important for employees to participate in professional development opportunities, it is equally important to have a network of knowledgeable colleagues to support that professional development. A Mentor is a crucial part of the RAA participant's development.
RAA Mentor participation requires:
- Agreement to serve as a mentor prior to the RAA participant being accepted into the program
- Adherence to RAA program guidelines
- Support for the value of professional development of your Mentee
- Communication with RAA Program Coordinators to discuss observations, evaluation, and application of the participant's progress
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Community-Based Learning
While it is important to offer online options for some classes to manage demand and availability, for the purposes of RAA, guided "hands-on" experience is critical to building a community of colleagues. Therefore, participation in and mandatory attendance at various courses throughout the program will contribute to community building within this cohort.
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Learning Validation
- All courses have test materials at the conclusion to verify participants have command of the necessary content from the course.
- Each curriculum has a final certification exam designed to demonstrate the individual’s mastery of the necessary material.
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Test-Out Options
Test-out of prerequisites is allowed depending on specific course rules; no test-out option is allowed for RCC or RAA courses.
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Prerequisites for the Research Administration Academy Certification
These courses are required before an employee can participate in RAA:
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Recognition
Upon completion of the Research Administration Academy, participants will attend graduation where they will receive a certificate and letter of congratulations signed by senior Duke Administrators. Recognition at future programs and announcements in Duke Communications media and departmental newsletters offer additional opportunities for participants to be fully recognized. Graduation will include presentation of the assigned class project thus allowing another opportunity for recognition.
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Program Evaluations
Program participants are given multiple opportunities to provide anonymous feedback on individual courses and on the
RAA
program as a whole. The future success of this career development opportunity relies on the candid feedback from all program participants. The leaders of Duke University welcome and appreciate all feedback and will make every effort to maintain and improve upon the highest standards for our program. To this end:
- Course Evaluations will elicit written feedback to determine content, learning outcomes, facilitation, and logistics satisfaction.
- Program Evaluations will elicit written feedback to determine program satisfaction, learning outcomes, programming satisfaction, and will seek input for improvements.
- Mentor Evaluations will elicit feedback on value added to employee participation, programming and logistics satisfaction, and will seek input for program improvements.
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