Were you thrown into the deep end when you entered the pool of Research Administration? Do you ever wonder where to start or what’s out there already so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel? Are you onboarding a new hire but aren’t sure where to direct them? If so, you’re not alone and you’ll be thrilled to know there’s a new resource that just might help!
The SPARC Resource Repository began as a priority project within the Postaward Workgroup and a subcommittee started meeting early 2021 with the goal to promote existing resources, make them more visible, and help new employees find starting points to assist with onboarding. It spans both pre- and post-award processes with a departmental lens to help bridge the gap between MyHR technical trainings and the trainings provided by central offices.
Through the development process, the subgroup emphasized that they didn’t want to reinvent the wheel or duplicate efforts; instead, they wanted to link to existing resources and expert partners to amplify their expertise and help more administrators benefit from existing resources. Partners from the Chicago and Evanston campuses came together to share their templates, checklists, job aides, examples, and favorite websites. Those items were then organized, vetted, and developed into a directory thanks to the help of the FSM Office of Communications and the expertise of Ann Crago, Director of Digital Strategy.
The site went live this summer and was featured in a September 2021 NURAP@Noon session. Now that the infrastructure has been developed, it’s time to open the collaborative floodgates and expand on the existing resources to help us all work smarter, not harder. The top of the site includes a submission form so new tools and resources can be submitted by anyone at NU for inclusion in the directory. The subgroup will continue to meet quarterly to review submissions and refresh the page so it can be a living repository that is sustainable long-term. Please join us in bookmarking this page, adding it to your list of onboarding resources, and submitting new resources via the form as you navigate the waters of sponsored research.
By:
Bethany Ekesa, Associate Director, SPARC Central
Katie Stastny, Senior Research Administrator, Basic Science Administration