Requesting Reassignment Monies
Policies Related to Faculty Alternate Assignment for Externally Funded Grants or Contracts...
At the request of a faculty member, with the approval of the relevant department chair and dean, and with funding from an outside agency, a faculty member may be given an alternate assignment to work on a grant or contract provided that:
- The university, directly or indirectly, benefits from the faculty member's involvement and hence wishes to be involved in the activity which is governed by the grant or contract, and
- The faculty member does not have a conflict of commitment nor a conflict of interest with the agency/individual/organization providing the funding for the faculty salary.
All such arrangements must be processed through the Office of Research, Grants and Contracts (RGC), who will be responsible to implement this policy.
When a department chair and a dean sign the Routing Form to show their approval for the grant or contract, their signatures indicate that the University wishes to be involved in the externally funded activity. They recognize that the University retains the liability when the faculty member remains on NKU's payroll rather than taking a leave of absence to complete an activity.
If a single grant/contract requires more than 50% "reassigned time" or if the combined reassigned time from several grants/contracts exceeds 50%, the Provost must approve the reassignment, as specified in the Faculty Handbook.
Conflict of Commitment and Conflict of Interest are defined by the University's existing policies on these topics.
Exceptions:
Under unusual circumstances, the University may wish to grant an exception and allow a faculty member to be assigned to work on a grant or contract when the faculty member has a Conflict of Interest with the funding agency. These unusual circumstances must have the express, written permission from both the dean of the college and the Provost.
Funding of alternate assignments:
Whenever a faculty member will be given an alternate assignment to work on a grant or a contract, the funding agency will be charged the percentage of the faculty member's actual salary and benefits comparable to the percentage of time that will be spent on the project. For example, if a faculty member is reassigned to a grant or contract part-time for one semester, in place of teaching one course, the grant/contract budget will be charged 12.5% of the faculty member's 9-month salary and benefits.
Basis for exceptions:
- The costs for actual salary and benefits will cause the budget to exceed the maximum allowable costs.
- The costs for actual salary and benefits will cause NKU's proposal to be non-competitive.
- NKU is required to provide matching funds and the salary differential (for example, between actual and replacement costs) is deemed a good way to provide the match.
- When an exception is approved, the amount charged to the grant/contract will be as close to actual salary and benefits as possible, but in no case will it be less than the comparable replacement cost (including benefits).
Salary Savings:
When all or part of a faculty member's actual salary plus benefits are charged to a grant or contract and the faculty member's normal duties are handled by a lower paid (temporary) employee, the University realizes a salary savings.
The distribution of salary saving dollars stays with the faculty member's college department.