University-Funded Start Up & Research Account Guidance

August 28, 2020

Dear Colleagues, 

I hope you and your families are healthy and well, and thank you for your work to prepare for the year ahead.

I recognize that there have been many, many email communications over the last few months. I am writing in particular to follow up on questions I have received about the use of University-provided research/startup funds and other policies we have put in place to address the financial consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In general, given the very significant operational and financial constraints the pandemic is imposing on the University, spending from startup and research funds is limited to essential functions. This limitation is effective through the 2020-21 Academic Year. 

Please adhere to the following guidelines for the use of University-funded startup and research accounts:

Personnel (other than students): Individual startup and research funds, as well as departmental support from Grant Incentive Funds, master’s income, patent income, etc., should be used for hiring only to meet existing commitments (commitments made prior to AY 2020-21). This includes existing commitments to multi-year postdoctoral fellowships and visiting and adjunct positions. 

Hiring review: Unless funded through external sources, all proposed new hiring and extensions of existing contracts—including postdoctoral fellows and other research personnel—must be reviewed by the relevant dean for final approval by the provost.

Student Employment: Startup and research funds may be used to fund regular graduate student stipends and other fees. Funds may also be used to hire undergraduate and/or graduate student research assistants provided there is an established need for the research assistance, and subject to department chair approval.

Purchasing: All purchases of supplies, equipment, as well as expenses such as professional society dues, subscriptions to data services, etc., must be kept to an absolute minimum and postponed whenever possible. All purchases over $500 must be approved by the relevant dean.

Major Equipment: Purchases of major equipment should be delayed until the associated lab activities can be restarted safely, and even then, please consider whether work can be shifted to use existing shared facilities in order to defer major expenditures. Please contact the cognizant dean for any questions about major equipment purchases.

Travel: University travel restrictions remain in place in this public health emergency. When traveling safely becomes possible, only approved categories of travel will be permitted. This will include essential academic travel, travel funded through grant or other external sources, or travel to conduct essential University business. Travel must be approved by the relevant dean. 

Summer salary: Summer salary may be charged to startup/research funds if this explicit provision was stated in a hiring contract. Summer salary may only be charged during periods of time in which the faculty member is devoting effort to their Brown research.

Home Office Support
We have also received questions about supporting work from home. Brown’s Computing and Information Services (CIS) is available to support faculty with resources for home offices, such as strengthening wifi performance to support teaching, learning, research and other related work. CIS will also be launching a program for faculty who plan to work remotely only and want to borrow equipment from their campus offices to do so. Please contact the CIS-helpdesk or your departmental computing consultant to learn more.

Many faculty members are conducting or plan to conduct their work on campus.  These faculty have worked with their department chairs to submit requests through the University’s established processes for arranging safe and coordinated access to their departmental offices. (Please see this guidance.)  In light of these plans, home office supplies and equipment will not be reimbursed by the University.  Faculty who have health conditions or other special circumstances that prevent them from coming safely to their offices should contact the cognizant dean.

Thank you again for all of your efforts to prepare for fall 2020 and the year ahead. Please continue to review communications and updates on the Healthy Brown website, or the Office of the Provost website.

Sincerely,

Richard M. Locke
Provost