Role of the Research Office

The Research & Scholarly Activity Office is charged with the responsibility to follow the guidelines outlined in the Tri-Agency Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for the administration of all research grants.

Here is the excerpt from the MOU which outlines the 'Roles and Responsibilities of the Institution':

The Institution is the administrator of funds, granted by the Agencies to Grant Holders and Award Holders to support their research and/or research training. The Institution provides physical, organizational, policy and procedural infrastructure for the conduct of research. It also establishes norms for the supervision of research personnel. These norms include, but are not limited to, policies and processes related to hiring practices and to the status of research personnel. The Institution, therefore, assists Grant Holders and Award Holders and the Agencies to meet their respective obligations. The Institution also ensures that Grant Holders and Award Holders and their research comply with legal requirements that apply to any workplace, and with ethical and financial standards. The Institution necessarily relies on the good judgment of its Grant Holders and Award Holders.

1. In consultation with the affected applicant, Grant Holder or Award Holder, the Institution may withdraw its support for a grant or award application, or for an existing grant or an award, if the requirement for compliance with an Agency policy or with that of an external regulatory agency imposes an undue burden on the Institution which cannot be resolved following discussion with the Agency. In this instance, the Agency would terminate any affected grant or award.
   
   
2. In the event that an Institutional policy conflicts with an Agency policy governing a matter, the issue will be resolved according to the principles outlined in Schedule 8: Investigation and Resolution of Breaches of Agency Policy. The Parties acknowledge that an Institutional policy may be more stringent than the corresponding Agency policy, in which case the Institutional policy will normally prevail. In such instances the Institution should inform the Agencies.
   
   
3. The Institution is responsible for:
   • providing an appropriate physical and organizational infrastructure for the conduct of research funded by the Agencies;
   • implementing appropriate and effective policies, administrative systems and controls to ensure that the research is conducted in compliance with all applicable legal, ethical, accountability and financial management standards;
   • adhering to, and furthering compliance with, Agency requirements, including withholding or withdrawing approval of expenditures that contravene Agency or Institutional policies or the terms of the grants or awards and, as appropriate, seeking advice from the Agencies;
   • providing Grant Holders and Award Holders with effective administrative support, timely and clear financial information and assistance with Institutional and Agency policies;
   • advising the relevant Agency of any changes in the eligibility status of Grant Holders and Award Holders and/or of serious problems in the use of research funds; and
   • submitting financial statements, and, from time to time and as required, reports on such issues as the implementation of new policies.