University of Denver - Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

Who Is the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs?
The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs supports the University community in their pursuit and management of externally sponsored projects including research, instruction and other activities.

Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Research
Dr. James Moran is the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Research and serves as the chief academic research administrator of the University. Other responsibilities include representing the University in multiuniversity consortia and on state committees, aiding the faculty in their search for external funding opportunities, creating and distributing funds to support faculty in their scholarly/research endeavors, encouraging a better understanding in the external and internal community of the relation between teaching, research, and other scholarly activities, distributing flowback funds to indirect cost generating departments, negotiating cost-share agreements, and fostering ongoing development of a fertile and creative research environment.

Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP)
ORSP is the key point of contact for faculty in the area of sponsored research, instruction, and other activities. ORSP reports to the Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Research and indirectly to the Vice Chancellor for Business and Financial Affairs on financial matters.

ORSP provides assistance with locating funding opportunities, preparation of budgets, interpretation of guidelines, completion of forms, review for compliance with University and sponsoring agency requirements, obtaining University signatures, copying and mailing proposals, negotiations, account initiation, post-award administrative compliance, financial reporting, audit liaison and closeouts.

Assist PI with guideline interpretation and will contact agency personnel with any questions regarding their guidelines.
Work with PI to prepare budget to ensure that all potential costs have been identified, that fringe benefit and indirect cost rates are used and calculated correctly, that the budget conforms to the agency's guidelines, assist PI in preparing the budget narrative, and help identify costs that may be included as cost share or match when required.
Assistance with the cover page, budget, and representations and certifications forms. Prepare and obtain signatures on any representations or certifications required by sponsoring agency.
Obtain signatures on behalf of the University from those designated by the Board of Trustees as authorized signers. Since only a few individuals are authorized to sign on behalf of the University, it is important for your ORSP project administrator to be in receipt of the required forms and supporting information well in advance of the deadline.
Copy and mail proposals.
Provide internal documents requested by agencies, such as audited financial statements, tax-exempt documents, list of board of trustees, and indirect cost rate agreements.

Accounting

Prepare and submit, in accordance with the requirements of the award, all financial reports and billings.
Review all expenditures related to the award to insure that they are reasonable, consistent and allowable.
Insure that the award is in compliance with all federal, state, and internal policies in regards to financial matters.
Establish and close out accounts.
Develop indirect cost rates for research and prepare the indirect cost proposal for the University.
Maintain the University's space and property database.
Serve as the audit liaison for government and independent auditors.

Research Compliance and Education

Research compliance and education encompasses a wide variety of responsibilities including identifying and managing compliance concerns in any given research project.
Our research compliance staff can help to clarify University, Federal, and specific agency policies, as they relate to human subjects in research (IRB); care and use of animals in research (IACUC); and biosafety concerns (IBC);
Identify and manage conflicts of interest;
Investigate misconduct in research/research non compliance;
Established educational programs in human subjects and animals in research, responsible conduct of research and research ethics.

ORSP Directory

James R. Moran
Vice Provost for Graduate Studies and Research
(303) 871-2706
email: jmoran@du.edu

Administration
Director - Open Position
(Please contact Department Area Managers related to specific questions. For senior management questions, please contact James Moran.)

Karl French, Staff Assistant
(303) 871-2121
email: kfrench5@du.edu

Research Compliance and Education
Sylk Sotto, Research Compliance Manager
(303) 871-4052
email: ssottosa@du.edu

Malcolm Woolum, Research Compliance Administrator
(303) 871-4050
email: mwoolum@du.edu

Project Administration
Crystal Streit, Project Administrator Manager
(303) 871-4046
email: cstreit@du.edu

Katherine Buranapiyawong, Project Administrator
(303) 871-4040
email: kburanap@du.edu

Lynn Backstrom-Funk, Project Administrator
(303) 871-4044
email: lbackstr@du.edu

Grants Accounting
Julie Cunningham, Grants Accounting Manager
(303) 871-4039
email: jcunnin2@du.edu

Janet Wallace, Senior Grants Fund Analyst
(303) 871-4038
email: jwallac1@du.edu

Ritu Martinez, Grants Accounting Specialist
(303) 871-4054
email: rmarti22@du.edu