Start up funds assist new faculty with development of a scholarly research program which will assist them with their generation of external research funding. The Vice President for Research provides start-up funds for new faculty to the college & school deans.
Start-up funds for Shared Facility Use Fees provide support for new faculty usage of our seven Shared Facilities including the Animal Care Facility. These start-up funds may be used to pay for time on instruments, shared facility staff time, and processing of samples. These funds may not be used to purchase equipment.
Process:
- Department chairs request start-up funds from their dean.
- The Request for Start-up Support Form is completed and a start-up funds plan is approved. Clearly state the end date of start-up fund availability in the offer letter to the faculty member; this should be no more than two years after the start date.
- If start-up is provided, the Request for Start-up Support Form, along with the faculty hiring packet is routed to the Vice President for Research office, 333 Lakeshore Center. After processing, the packet is routed to the Human Resources Department.
- Upon or within close proximity to the arrival of the faculty member, department coordinators should request establishment of an accounting index via an email message to Tracey Wood in Financial Services.
Financial Management
- A start-up index is established within the requesting department.
- The new faculty member is the financial manager.
- Duration of the index is not to exceed more than 1-2 years after the faculty start date and is to be specified in the start-up letter.
- Deans/Departments transfer the agreed commitments into the start-up index via a Request for Budget Transfer Form.
- Once matching funds from all other sources are verified, the Vice President for Research Office will transfer the VPR commitment into the index.
- All expenditures charged to start-up indexes are reported as research expenditures. All purchases are subject to standard university policies.
- Start-up funds must be spent within the time period indicated on the Request for Faculty Start-up Support form.
- If additional time is needed a Request for Modification Form is processed by the faculty member. Complete a Time Extension Modification form and provide it to the Vice President for Research Office (cmjenich@mtu.edu) for review and approval. All time extensions will need a budget plan, that must be submitted with the modification form, which provides a brief outline of how the remaining funds will be spent during the new time frame.
- Time extensions are not to exceed one year. Second requests for a time extension will only be granted under very special circumstances.
- To modify a budget category by more than 25% complete a Budget Modification form and provide it to the Vice President for Research Office (cmjenich@mtu.edu) for review and approval. All budget modifications will need an updated budget plan, that must be submitted with the modification form, which provides a brief outline of how the funds will be spent during the remaining time frame.
- Faculty members are responsible for ensuring all expenditures are appropriate and reasonable. Funds are to be spent as outlined in the final signed start-up offer documents.
- Department Chairs are responsible for monitoring the fiscal activity of the indexes and for all costs incurred in excess of the support provided.
- Moving expenses are not allowed on Start Up indexes.
Questions? Contact Cathy Jenich, Vice President for Research Office - 487-3043 or cmjenich@mtu.edu.