Purpose/Reason: To state the position of Queen’s University on faculty member remuneration from sponsored research operating grants.
Scope: All Sponsored Research activity conducted On Campus, Off Campus, or at an Affiliated Hospital and funded by research grant sponsors; all full-time QUFA and clinical faculty members that receive full-time Institutional Base Salary over a 12-month period.
Statement:
Full-time QUFA and clinical faculty members are not permitted to receive salary as income from sponsored research operating grants while concurrently receiving a full-time Institutional Base Salary covering a 12-month period. When considered an eligible expense by a funding agency, requests for faculty member salary on research grants would be directed towards the faculty member’s Department/School or Faculty for: i) teaching release, and/or ii) cost recovery of their salary.
Context:
Canadian granting agencies typically do not permit faculty remuneration on research grants, aside from salary award and research chair programs, given the standard funding model in Canada where faculty members are compensated over a 12-month period by their institution. As such, grant agency operating funds are not permitted to pay compensation to individuals conducting research independently as part of the terms and conditions of their employment, as this would result in financial gain for the investigator.
Faculty salary as an allowable cost on research operating grants is more common in the United States (e.g., US Federal grants), where faculty members may be compensated by their institutions over a 9-month academic year, with the remaining annual salary portion covered by research operating grants or other sources. However, US Federal policy indicates that the amount of salary charged to Federal awards cannot exceed the proportionate share of the Institutional Base Salary (IBS) for that period (2 CFR § 200.430 and § 75.430). Full-time faculty members at Queen’s University receive an IBS covering a 12-month period. As such, requests for salary on US Federal awards would be in excess of the proportionate share of the IBS, as those salary funds are already paid by the employer (100% full-time employment).
To ensure institutional compliance with US Federal policy, full-time faculty members are not permitted to receive salary as income from US Federal research operating grants. Requests for faculty salary are only permissible if the funds are directed towards the Department/School or Faculty of the faculty member to cover teaching release of the investigator or as cost recovery of their salary.
Exceptions:
Full-time faculty members who are on academic leave (e.g., sabbatical), and who are actively engaged in research activities and receiving compensation below their normal IBS, may be eligible to request an income supplement from eligible operating grant funding held (e.g., US Federal research grants) to reach their respective IBS during that time period.
Responsibilities:
Where allowable by the granting agency, requests for the inclusion of faculty remuneration in sponsored research operating grants (for course release or cost recovery) must be approved by the Department Head or School Director prior to submitting the application to the sponsor. Requests must be made in writing, and a copy of the correspondence approving the request submitted with to the related Tools for Research at Queen’s (TRAQ) DSS file, along with a copy of proposal and budget.
This Procedure was created on February 21, 2024.
Definitions:
Refer to Kingston General Hospital, Hotel Dieu Hospital, and Providence Care.
Entities that provide direct support, including financial or in-kind contributions, for Research at the University and, by way of example, include entities such as the Federal Tri-Council Agencies, other Federal and Provincial funding agencies, foreign funding agencies, and industry partners.
The annual compensation that the applicant organization pays for an individual's appointment, whether that individual's time is spent on research, teaching, patient care, or other activities.
Sponsored Research activity that occurs substantially off the premises of the University excluding Affiliated Hospital-based research.
Queen’s University Faculty Association
A studious investigation or experimentation aimed at the discovery or interpretation of knowledge; the systematic collection or revision of knowledge or accepted theories in the light of new facts, or practical application of such new or revised theories; and the development and application of methodologies to increase knowledge and the practical application of knowledge to specific problems or circumstances.
Research undertaken or proposed to be undertaken using financial and/or other in-kind support from an External Sponsor, whether by participation in a competition, call for proposals, or pursuant to a Research Agreement or Clinical Trial Agreement.