Office of Research Administration
e-Training
The Office of Research Administration (ORA) is pleased to provide a gamut of training modules touching on all aspects of administrative functions here at Morgan State University. Check back regularly for future training opportunities on functions such as participant support processing, budget queries, contract entry for employees, and much more!
Post Award Quick Guide
Congratulations! You've won your award. Now what?!? This Post Award Quick Guide is the place to start. If you have questions, you can always reach out to ask.ora@morgan.edu. Included in this Post Award Quick Guide are modules on 1) establishing guidelines for the award using the Notice of Award; 2) determining which costs, expenses, and activities are allowable under the grant; 3) setting up the award in Banner and introducing spending instruments; 4) discussing troublesome expenses and transactions that may lead to audit findings; 5) surveying other matters of compliance; 6) defining reporting requirements; 7) determining items requiring prior approval from the funding agency; 8) considering the resources available on www.morgan.edu/ora; and 9) introducing the PI to the responsible officers at MSU.
Navigating Banner: Essentials for Research Administration
In this module, we will provide an overview of how a Morgan PI and their support staff can review grant-funded activity in Morgan State University's Banner system. We will cover multiple ways to review your project budget, how to review project encumbrances (funds held for future spending), how to perform budget transfers, and how to perform cost transfers. Mastering these skills is not just beneficial, but crucial for the successful management of your projects.
Building the Project Team: Contractual Hiring and Compensation
In this module, we will review the grant-funded activities that impact the 02: Contractual Salaries Banner pool. Such activities include hiring new staff, generating summer research contracts, processing honoraria, and more!
Travel on Sponsored Projects: Approval to Reimbursement
Learn the ins and outs of grant-funded travel in our new training module! This brief module covers key rules and regulations from MSU policy and Uniform Guidance, including how to properly submit travel authorization requests and reimbursement claims. Whether you're new to sponsored travel or need a quick refresher, this module ensures your travel remains compliant from start to finish.
Purchasing with Purpose: Procurement on Sponsored Projects
Master the essentials of purchasing on sponsored projects. This module explores key procurement requirements under Uniform Guidance and Morgan State University policy, including allowability and allocability of costs, requisition processing, vendor and service procurements, subawards, equipment purchases, and invoice processing. Whether you're new to research administration or looking to strengthen your compliance knowledge, this module provides the guidance needed to make informed purchasing decisions and successfully navigate MSU's procurement processes.
Supporting Participants: Payments, Benefits, and Indirect Costs
Participant support costs can be tricky, but this module makes them easier to navigate! Learn how to process participant stipends, student tuition and healthcare coverage, participant travel, and the budget concepts that make it all click: indirect costs, MTDC, and why participant support costs matter when calculating it.
By the end, you'll know how to support participants effectively, keep awards compliant, and avoid common processing headaches.
Show Your Work: Understanding Time and Effort Reporting
Time and effort reporting is the mechanism by which faculty, staff, and students certify their time and related salary costs spent on research projects. In this training module, the Office of Research Administration (ORA) will demystify the time and effort reporting process at Morgan State University.
It Takes a Village: Understanding Cost Share on Sponsored Projects
Cost share doesn’t have to be confusing! Cost sharing in grants is the portion of a project's total costs that is not funded by the granting agency, but rather provided by the recipient or a third party through cash or in-kind contributions. In this module, you’ll explore the different types of cost share, learn the step-by-step process for getting approvals and documentation right, and pick up practical tips for staying on track from day one. We’ll even show you how to use your project’s Banner cost share activity code like a research admin pro!