Research Financial Services (Campus Controller’s Office) and the Office of Contracts and Grants (OCG) have teamed up to launch CU Boulder’s Department Research Administrator (DRA) Cohort Program. We kicked off our first Cohort in January 2023 and we begin a new cohort every academic semester. The next DRA Cohort will begin in August 2024 and the application window will open early July 2024.

This program is designed with the new research administrator in mind and seeks to accomplish the following objectives: 

  • Provide an immersive training experience for new Department Research Administrators (DRAs) spanning a wide range of topics with guidance from experts across campus 

  • Grow and nurture the CU Boulder research administration community and provide opportunities for staff to meet, interact, and problem solve with each other   

  • Complement the available online courses, such as the DRA Essentials eCourse and the Financial Research Onboarding suite, with nuanced discussion 

The DRA Cohort Program is offered each Fall and Spring semester. The program is an 18-week commitment that takes place over the course of the academic semester and requires participants to attend a virtual session every other week and participate in small group discussions in the off-weeks. We highly recommend that interested participants confirm their availability to participate with their supervisors. 

A department research administrator, or DRA, is a staff member within a campus unit who performs administrative or financial tasks related to sponsored projects (grants and contracts). While Department Research Administrator is not an actual job title, the central offices at CU Boulder consider “DRA” as an all-encompassing term to include department staff members with titles such as financial manager/coordinator, sponsored projects manager/coordinator, administrative manager/assistant/coordinator—and any other title whose responsibilities include the management of the department’s sponsored projects.

  1. Break Out of the Silos | Your staff will have the opportunity to interact with experienced DRAs from various campus units and experts from the "central" office (OCG, CCO), exposing them to new resources, different tools/reports, and a deep-well of knowledge that can speak to the kind of complex, nuanced issues they confront on a day-to-day basis
  2. Outsource Part of Your Onboarding Training | Participation in this program frees up some of your department’s resources to focus your onboarding efforts elsewhere
  3. Get Connected | It provides your employees with a network of research administrators across campus who are available for support and guidance as they assimilate into their new role, which is likely to increase the retention rate of department employees

The program is an 18-week commitment that takes place over the course of the academic semester and requires participants to attend a virtual session every other week and participate in small discussions between sessions. We highly recommend that interested participants confirm their availability to participate with their supervisors.

Virtual sessions (every other week) are 60 minutes. Small Group Discussions (every other week) are 30 minutes.

The Spring 2024 DRA Cohort will kick-off late January and end in May, and virtual sessions will be held every other Thursday 10:00-11:00 am.

Below is the topic list from last semester's cohort:

  • Kick-Off Event | Welcome & Communication Preferences Workshop (in-person)
  • Session 1 | Introduction & the Lifecycle of an Award
  • Session 2 | Using eRA InfoEd & CU-Data
  • Session 3 | Financial Award Set-Up: SpeedTypes, Payroll, Procurements, Equipment, Cost Share, Splits
  • Session 4 | Marketplace & Setting Up Collaborators
  • Session 5 | Award Management Part 1: Administrative Approvals, Cost Principles, Sensitive Expenditures
  • Session 6 | Award Management Part 2: Cost Transfers, PETs, Effort, Participant Support, Travel
  • Session 7 | Financial & Administrative Award Closeout
  • Session 8 | DRA Hacks for Surviving & Thriving
  • Closure Event | TBD (in-person)

In the off-weeks, participants will be assigned small groups and discussion topics.

Staff members within campus units who perform administrative and/or financial tasks related to sponsored projects. Ideal candidates have at least some experience in their role but less than 3 years of experience in research administration at CU Boulder. While we consider all applicants regardless of years of experience, the program is geared towards those whose sponsored project experience at CU Boulder ranges from beginner to intermediate. We also encourage staff members who may not have peers or mentors in their own dept/unit to apply. One of the primary goals of this program is to cultivate a DRA community across campus and to connect new DRAs with other experienced DRAs as they navigate unique issues related to sponsored projects.

While there are no prerequisites to apply, we do ask that all chosen participants complete the following online courses before we begin virtual sessions:

All participants will receive 24 hours of professional development credits in SkillSoft and a certificate of completion at the end of the program.