Dr. Costas Tsatsoulis, vice chancellor of research and graduate studies, recently announced his office will provide a new fiscal service, and he will host an open forum about the new reports at 3 p.m. Friday, April 9, via Zoom. For the link, please contact Abigayle Sherman, executive assistant, at abigayle@mst.edu. This open forum will be held in place of April’s “We Dig Research” event. The next “We Dig Research” is scheduled for 3 p.m. Friday, May 14. Please contact Sherman if you would like to present your research on May 14.

Tsatsoulis sent the following email about the new reports to S&T researchers:

“In order to better serve our faculty and to provide timely information regarding grants, the Office of Sponsored Programs has been working on a standardized project report. Starting in April, expect an email the week of the 15th of each month, with a link to a personalized report containing the expenditures for all of your open projects for the previous month.

“Reports will be sent out on a monthly basis, containing one-month worth of information and a link to log your review with our office. By reviewing your expenditures, you will be able to have timely overview of your project. The review also satisfies UM Policy 27002 ‘Allowable Costs and Cost Principles’, (Link: umsystem.edu/ums/policies/finance/allowable_costs) which requires that the PI perform a Compliance Review of Costs in a timely manner to ensure allowability of costs in accordance with Uniform Guidance and/or the terms of the specific contract or grant.

“This report is in no way intended to replace working with your departmental staff. Our hope is that the information will provide a more concise starting point to identify areas of concern and prompt questions sooner, while allowing staff more time to correct any issues.

“Your departmental fiscal staff are aware of this report and the plans moving forward. If you have any questions or concerns about these changes, please let them or our office know.”