Service Objectives

In the February 1992 issue of ARD News, we first published the ARD "Service Objectives". The ARD staff have attempted to adhere to the objectives since that time. We have recently revised the "Service Objectives" and are providing them to ARD-affiliated faculty and staff to reaffirm our intent to provide the best possible service to individual faculty and IANR units.

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All Agricultural Research Division (ARD) administrators and office personnel believe that their role is to provide support and service to the research programs of units and faculty members. We will continually strive to enhance the effectiveness of all research projects to the greatest extent possible. One means of assisting the research efforts of faculty members, graduate students and support staff is to provide the highest level of administrative services possible. We are committed to excellence in administration and, hereby, establish the following "Service Objectives":

Office Personnel Commitments

• The following forms will be processed, signed and forwarded to the appropriate office/unit either the same day or the morning of the following day (in some cases additional processing may occur in Agriculture Hall before forms are returned to the unit or sent to City Campus):
  • Position descriptions
  • Personnel requisitions and related documents
  • Proposals to interview
  • Personnel Action Forms (PAFs)
  • Reimbursement vouchers
  • Research Council proposals/requests
  • IANR Faculty Development requests
  • Permission to engage in outside professional activity
  • Travel authorizations
  • NU Grants - Approval request
  • Graduate faculty nominations
  • Other routine documents
• Telephone calls will be handled in a courteous and helpful manner. Telephone messages will be relayed as soon as the person returns or can be contacted.

• E-mail correspondence will be answered in a timely manner, normally the day of receipt.

• Efforts will be made to initiate scheduling project reviews within three working days after the research project outline arrives in ARD. The time that the review is conducted depends upon the availability of the review committee members and department heads.

• ARD works with the grants.gov electronic proposal submission process and is committed to assist PI's with processing as necessary.

• All grant proposals, whether federal or private, will be processed and forwarded to either Sponsored Programs or USDA agencies as appropriate, normally within eight working hours after receipt in ARD.

• Processing of revised project outlines and AD 416/417 CRIS Forms will be initiated within three working days after arrival in ARD.

• Processing of cooperative agreements and contracts will be initiated within three working days after arrival in ARD.

Administrator Commitments

• Except in the most extreme circumstances, someone with ARD signature authority will be available every working day. Under no circumstance will there be more than one consecutive working day without this capability.

• RFPs will be sent to units within two working days after ARD receipt.

• Recurring RFPs will be anticipated and preliminary notice sent to units at least thirty days prior to the proposal deadline.

• Rationale for funding decisions will be communicated to unit administrators.

• All priority incoming mail will be processed as soon as possible and acknowledgments/responses will be sent within five working days.

• All telephone calls and e-mail to a specific individual will be returned within twenty-four hours after the person returns to the ARD office. Callers or senders will be notified of the time of return and offer to redirect the call.

• Decisions or priority rankings on proposals for "local" grant programs (i.e., Layman Fund, UN Foundation, ARD Interdisciplinary Research, Elliott Fund, Sampson Fund, etc.) will be made within two weeks after deadline for receipt of proposals. Feedback will be provided to all funded and non-funded authors.

• Decisions on recipients for ARD awards will be made within two weeks after deadline for nominations.

• Decisions regarding allocation of "new" resources (i.e., equipment funds, operating, hourly, and GRA stipends) will be made within two weeks after deadline for receipt of proposals from units. Decisions requiring joint decisions by divisions/college may require a longer period of time.

• Administrators will maintain an "open door" policy. We will be pleased to meet with any faculty or staff member or unit administrator at any time our schedule permits.

• Administrators will provide appropriate accountability on all funds.

• The ARD will strive to provide high-quality outreach materials suitable for a variety of audiences and clientele. Materials will emphasize impact and outcomes.

• Administrators will develop and communicate reasonable, attainable research productivity goals for units and faculty.

• Administrators will value, promote and support interdisciplinary research teams.

• Administrators will support faculty participation in regional research projects.

• Administrators will provide appropriate programs to support the graduate and undergraduate education of students interested in research careers.

Revised: November 2005
Revised: February 2007