Updates from the Office of Research: Proposal Submission Deadlines

College of Arts and Sciences – Proposal Submission Policy Reminder

The University changed its proposal submission deadline to three business days on September 1, 2021.  All proposals must be submitted to the appropriate pre-award office (and released to the AOR in any relevant systems) by 5 pm three (3) business days prior to the sponsor’s due date. 

The proposal is due to the CAS Research Office five (5) business days prior to the sponsor deadline. For the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) to complete its required administrative review prior to submitting to OSPA, proposals are due to the CAS Research Office two (2) business days PRIOR to the institutional deadline.

The deadlines below should clarify the standard days and times for proposal submissions.  These are modified when the University celebrates a holiday to allow for three business days for review. Holidays are not considered business days. 

If the SPONSOR DUE DATE is on a: Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
The proposal is due to the University OSPA on: 5 pm the preceding Wednesday 5 pm the preceding Thursday 5 pm the preceding Friday 5 pm the preceding Monday 5 pm the preceding Tuesday
The proposal is due to CAS Research Office on: 5 pm the preceding Monday 5 pm the preceding Tuesday 5 pm the preceding Wednesday 5 pm the preceding Thursday 5 pm the preceding Friday

Example:

  1.  A proposal is due to the sponsor on Wednesday, October 13, 2021, at 5 pm.
  2. This proposal is due to the CAS Research Office on Wednesday, October 6, 2021, by 5 pm.
    1.  The CAS Research Office will review, and request updates/edits as needed.
    2. The CAS Research Office will advise the PI when their review is final, and no further updates are necessary and to release the proposal to the AOR in relevant systems.
  3. The CAS Research office will then route to OSPA for institutional approval on or before Friday, October 8, 2021, at 5 pm.
    1. The proposal MUST be released to the AOR in a relevant system at this time, if appropriate.
    2. If an Exception Request is warranted, it MUST be submitted prior to the 3-day deadline (before Friday, October 8, 2021, at 5 pm)
  4. OSPA will review, request clarifications or edits as appropriate, and submit to the sponsor on or before the deadline, Wednesday, October 13, 2021, at 5 pm.

This change in policy is to allow appropriate review of all administrative components of the applications.

Exceptions to this policy may only be granted by the Vice President for Research, or their designee, and will require the submission of the Exception Request Form.   The Exception Request Form can be found in the Proposal Submission Policy.  Exception requests must be submitted prior to the 3-day submission deadline. 

During September, several exception requests were submitted due to a lack of understanding of “business days” and the Labor Day holiday.  Beginning October 1, 2021, exception requests may not be approved for reasons other than those listed in the policy.