Endowed Chair Research and Professional Development Accounts
All endowed professors receive Research and Professional Development Accounts to cover the costs associated with their teaching-and-research activities. These accounts are requested by the Office of the Provost and are set up by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs Accounting (RSPA). Newly appointed endowed professors receive an e-mail notification from RSPA announcing the establishment of the new account and the associated restricted account number they are to use when spending against these funds.
The research and professional development funds are intended to support teaching-and-research activities. The University policy on the use of research and professional development funds (including a list of eligible and non-eligible expenses) is found on the Controller's website.
Endowed professors are expected to cover eligible expenses such as professional travel and the purchase of supplies and equipment from their Research and Professional Activities Accounts. The College will pay for the initial charge for a computer, but endowed chair holders are expected to buy subsequent computers from their funds.
Endowed professors may request reimbursement for the purchase of supplies and equipment or for travel related expenses through the TravelND expense reporting system.
Endowed professors may also request a pro card that is linked directly to their R&PD account, which allows them to charge supplies and equipment directly to the credit card. They can obtain an application for a procurement card from the Dean’s Office or the Controller’s Office.
The endowed chair holder is the budget administrator on the Research and Professional Activities Accounts. Accounts should be reconciled on a monthly basis. This is possible through the GLez system on InsideND. GLez is located under Administrative Tools. If an account is overdrawn, the faculty member is obligated to pay the University the overdrawn funds; in rare circumstances, an overdrawn account may be paid back by the next year’s allocation. In such a circumstance, a plan for responsible spending must be prepared by the chairperson and approved by the Office of the Dean, so that such an event remains a one-time occurrence. Fund balances remaining at the University’s fiscal year end (June 30) are carried forward to the following year. In those rare cases, where a fund has a substantial balance, the University has traditionally chosen not to replenish the fund until it is spent down.
The use of endowed funds to enhance departmental events, recruit graduate students or support visiting scholars is greatly appreciated. Those endowed professors moving to emeritus status should note that the balance remaining in their account at their retirement date would continue to be available for use in retirement until the fund balance is exhausted. This policy does not apply if a faculty member accepts a position at another university; in such cases, the entire account is swept up and is no longer available to the faculty member.
Unless the Dean approves other written arrangements, departing faculty members with Research and Professional Activities Accounts balances will be limited to $3,000 in applicable expenditures until his or her effective separation date. This policy does not apply to faculty becoming emeriti who are covered under a separate emeriti policy and procedure.