Certified Research Administrator
Encyclopedia
The Certified Research Administrator (CRA) designation is granted in the United States
by the Research Administrators Certification Council to individuals who demonstrate the knowledge necessary to serve as an administrator of professional and sponsored research
programs. Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree, possess at least three years of related experience, and pass the Certified Research Administrator examination before being conferred the right to use the CRA designation.
with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
As of June 22, 2010, approximately 1,398 active CRAs are listed in the RACC's online database.
. Active CRAs sit on the council and have the role of certifying that an individual possesses adequate knowledge for serving as a professional research administrator of sponsored programs, such as grants
.
and three years of substantial involvement in administrating sponsored research programs, in either a sponsoring, recipient, or self-funded organization. The Research Administrators Certification Council may waive the requirement of a Bachelor's degree if an applicant petitions the council and possesses an Associate's degree
and at least six years of experience or eight years of substantial experience working with sponsored research programs.
Candidates must pass a written Certified Research Administrator examination designed by the RACC and administered by Professional Testing, Inc., which covers fundamental information necessary for meeting the demands and responsibilities of a career in sponsored program administration.
covered by the CRA examination is referred to by the RACC as the "Body of Knowledge," and has four broad components:
, bioethics
, human subjects' involvement in research (and regulation by institutional review boards and federal statutes such as the National Research Act of 1974
), animal care
(regulated by the Health Research Extension Act of 1985, and Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966, and professional conduct. This section requires that candidates demonstrate knowledge of patents, trademarks, copyrights, licensing, commercialization
, data, proprietary information, and relationships between universities and industries. In addition, candidates are tested on matters dealing with the registration and renewal of institutional accounts and profiles with funding entities such as the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, U.S. Department of Education, and Grants.gov.
), institutional or sponsor requirements for publication, fair labor standards
, health, International Traffic in Arms Regulations
, and export administration regulations
. In this section, candidates are also tested on their understanding of appeal procedures when dealing with federal or other sponsoring entities, and legal delegation of authority
.
tests candidates' knowledge of budgeting and accounting, including accounting systems, management information systems, special projects (reporting of effort, program incomes, internal control, gifts), and rebudgeting procedures. Candidates are also tested on their knowledge of facility and administrative costs (including indirect costs
), indirect cost rates, cost sharing, and fund matching. In addition, candidates must demonstrate knowledge of federal or sponsor financial reporting and audit
ing (including types of audits and internal
and external auditing requirements).
tests candidates' knowledge of facility management
, including property management
, utility and equipment management, safety and health requirements, hazardous and nonhazardous materials, security, renovation and construction, biohazards, and control of foreign assets. Candidates are also tested on legal concepts behind contract management and purchasing, as well as termination
and appeals procedures. As well, candidates must demonstrate knowledge of records management
and human resources management, including employee relations, career development
, staffing, Affirmative Action
, and Equal Employment Opportunity.
activities and a collection of several questions for potential use on future revisions of the CRA exam.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
by the Research Administrators Certification Council to individuals who demonstrate the knowledge necessary to serve as an administrator of professional and sponsored research
Research
Research can be defined as the scientific search for knowledge, or as any systematic investigation, to establish novel facts, solve new or existing problems, prove new ideas, or develop new theories, usually using a scientific method...
programs. Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degree, possess at least three years of related experience, and pass the Certified Research Administrator examination before being conferred the right to use the CRA designation.
CRA Designation
According to the RACC, the CRA designation carries numerous benefits to those who hold it, such as recognition among professionals, a sense of personal satisfaction, indication of expertise in the administration of sponsored research endeavors, greater opportunities for employment, greater opportunities for advancement, robust credibility, and the ability to serve as a role model to research peers. The CRA designation is a registered certification markCertification mark
A certification mark on a commercial product indicates five things:* The existence of a legal follow-up or product certification agreement between the manufacturer of a product and an organization with national accreditation for both testing and certification,* Legal evidence that the product was...
with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
As of June 22, 2010, approximately 1,398 active CRAs are listed in the RACC's online database.
History
In 1993, the Research Administrators Certification Council (RACC) was founded as a private non-profit organizationOrganization
An organization is a social group which distributes tasks for a collective goal. The word itself is derived from the Greek word organon, itself derived from the better-known word ergon - as we know `organ` - and it means a compartment for a particular job.There are a variety of legal types of...
. Active CRAs sit on the council and have the role of certifying that an individual possesses adequate knowledge for serving as a professional research administrator of sponsored programs, such as grants
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
.
Requirements
Candidates must hold a Bachelor's degreeBachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
and three years of substantial involvement in administrating sponsored research programs, in either a sponsoring, recipient, or self-funded organization. The Research Administrators Certification Council may waive the requirement of a Bachelor's degree if an applicant petitions the council and possesses an Associate's degree
Associate's degree
An associate degree is an undergraduate academic degree awarded by community colleges, junior colleges, technical colleges, and bachelor's degree-granting colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study usually lasting two years...
and at least six years of experience or eight years of substantial experience working with sponsored research programs.
Candidates must pass a written Certified Research Administrator examination designed by the RACC and administered by Professional Testing, Inc., which covers fundamental information necessary for meeting the demands and responsibilities of a career in sponsored program administration.
CRA Exam Curriculum
The curriculumCurriculum
See also Syllabus.In formal education, a curriculum is the set of courses, and their content, offered at a school or university. As an idea, curriculum stems from the Latin word for race course, referring to the course of deeds and experiences through which children grow to become mature adults...
covered by the CRA examination is referred to by the RACC as the "Body of Knowledge," and has four broad components:
- Project Development and Administration
- Legal requirements and Sponsor Interface
- Financial Management
- General Management
Body of Knowledge
The "Body of Knowledge" which collectively forms the curriculum for the CRA exam is developed and revised by the RACC. This body of knowledge contains the following sections which are deemed to be fundamental knowledge that will be utilized by individuals who seek to administrate funded programs.Project Development and Administration
The section on project development and administration tests candidates on internal and external marketing concepts, as well as candidates' ability to locate and identify funding opportunities (both private and public funding), identify internal capabilities relevant to funding opportunities, and assemble resource documents and application information and materials. Candidates must demonstrate an understanding of project development, showing that they know how to organize and write actual proposals, prepare and justify budgets, document the satisfaction of a sponsor's requirements, route proposals for internal processing, employ negotiation techniques, and demonstrate an understanding the fundamentals of contracts. Candidates must demonstrate knowledge of project administration, showing that they can monitor the activities of sponsored programs, prepare financial reports and progress updates, understand continuation of funding and related requirements, conduct closings, and handle changes in the status of a sponsored program. Candidates are also tested on such matters as conflicts of interestConflicts of Interest
"Conflicts of Interest" is an episode from the fourth season of the science fiction television series Babylon 5.-Arc significance:* Garibaldi begins to work for William Edgars. In the process Garibaldi is reintroduced to his ex-girlfriend, Lise, who is currently married to Edgars.* The "Voice of...
, bioethics
Bioethics
Bioethics is the study of controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and philosophy....
, human subjects' involvement in research (and regulation by institutional review boards and federal statutes such as the National Research Act of 1974
National Research Act
The National Research Act was enacted by the 93rd United States Congress. It created the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research to oversee and regulate the use of human experimentation in medicine. It was partly a response to the infamous...
), animal care
Animal testing
Animal testing, also known as animal experimentation, animal research, and in vivo testing, is the use of non-human animals in experiments. Worldwide it is estimated that the number of vertebrate animals—from zebrafish to non-human primates—ranges from the tens of millions to more than 100 million...
(regulated by the Health Research Extension Act of 1985, and Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966, and professional conduct. This section requires that candidates demonstrate knowledge of patents, trademarks, copyrights, licensing, commercialization
Commercialization
Commercialization is the process or cycle of introducing a new product or production method into the market. The actual launch of a new product is the final stage of new product development, and the one where the most money will have to be spent for advertising, sales promotion, and other marketing...
, data, proprietary information, and relationships between universities and industries. In addition, candidates are tested on matters dealing with the registration and renewal of institutional accounts and profiles with funding entities such as the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, U.S. Department of Education, and Grants.gov.
Legal Requirements and Sponsor Interface
The section on legal requirements and sponsor interface tests candidates on an overview of relevant regulations and legislative processes, including governmental relations and mandated requirements. Candidates are tested on compliance with sponsors and management practices, such as appropriate representations and certifications, federal requirements, institutional committees (including institutional review boards and institutional animal care and use committees), federal disclosure requirements (such as FERPA protectionFamily Educational Rights and Privacy Act
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 is a United States federal law.It allows students with access to their education records, an opportunity to seek to have the records amended, and some control over the disclosure of information from the records...
), institutional or sponsor requirements for publication, fair labor standards
Fair Labor Standards Act
The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 is a federal statute of the United States. The FLSA established a national minimum wage, guaranteed 'time-and-a-half' for overtime in certain jobs, and prohibited most employment of minors in "oppressive child labor," a term that is defined in the statute...
, health, International Traffic in Arms Regulations
International Traffic in Arms Regulations
International Traffic in Arms Regulations is a set of United States government regulations that control the export and import of defense-related articles and services on the United States Munitions List...
, and export administration regulations
Export Administration Act of 1979
The Export Administration Act of 1979 provided legal authority to the President to control U.S. exports for reasons of national security, foreign policy, and/or short supply. However, the 1990 farm bill The Export Administration Act (EAA) of 1979 (P.L. 96-72) provided legal authority to the...
. In this section, candidates are also tested on their understanding of appeal procedures when dealing with federal or other sponsoring entities, and legal delegation of authority
Delegation
Delegation is the assignment of authority and responsibility to another person to carry out specific activities. However the person who delegated the work remains accountable for the outcome of the delegated work. Delegation empowers a subordinate to make decisions, i.e...
.
Financial Management
The section on financial managementCorporate finance
Corporate finance is the area of finance dealing with monetary decisions that business enterprises make and the tools and analysis used to make these decisions. The primary goal of corporate finance is to maximize shareholder value while managing the firm's financial risks...
tests candidates' knowledge of budgeting and accounting, including accounting systems, management information systems, special projects (reporting of effort, program incomes, internal control, gifts), and rebudgeting procedures. Candidates are also tested on their knowledge of facility and administrative costs (including indirect costs
Indirect costs
Indirect costs are costs that are not directly accountable to a cost object . Indirect costs may be either fixed or variable. Indirect costs include taxes, administration, personnel and security costs, and are also known as overhead.There are two types of Indirect Costs...
), indirect cost rates, cost sharing, and fund matching. In addition, candidates must demonstrate knowledge of federal or sponsor financial reporting and audit
Audit
The general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
ing (including types of audits and internal
Internal audit
Internal auditing is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organization's operations. It helps an organization accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk...
and external auditing requirements).
General Management
The section on general managementManagement
Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives using available resources efficiently and effectively...
tests candidates' knowledge of facility management
Facility management
Facility management is an interdisciplinary field primarily devoted to the maintenance and care of commercial or institutional buildings, such as hospitals, hotels, office complexes, arenas, schools or convention centers...
, including property management
Property management
Property management is the operation, control of ususally on behalf of an owner, and oversight of commercial, industrial or residential real estate as used in its most broad terms. Management indicates a need to be cared for, monitored and accountability given for its usable life and condition...
, utility and equipment management, safety and health requirements, hazardous and nonhazardous materials, security, renovation and construction, biohazards, and control of foreign assets. Candidates are also tested on legal concepts behind contract management and purchasing, as well as termination
Termination of employment
-Involuntary termination:Involuntary termination is the employee's departure at the hands of the employer. There are two basic types of involuntary termination, known often as being "fired" and "laid off." To be fired, as opposed to being laid off, is generally thought of to be the employee's...
and appeals procedures. As well, candidates must demonstrate knowledge of records management
Records management
Records management, or RM, is the practice of maintaining the records of an organization from the time they are created up to their eventual disposal...
and human resources management, including employee relations, career development
Career development
In organizational development , the study of career development looks at:*how individuals manage their careers within and between organizations and,...
, staffing, Affirmative Action
Affirmative action
Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including "race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation or national origin" into consideration in order to benefit an underrepresented group, usually as a means to counter the effects of a history of discrimination.-Origins:The term...
, and Equal Employment Opportunity.
Recertification
Every five years, CRAs must recertify to continue using the CRA designation. Recertification applicants are expected to demonstrate continued participation or employment in the field of research administration, including requisite hours of continuing educationContinuing education
Continuing education is an all-encompassing term within a broad spectrum of post-secondary learning activities and programs. The term is used mainly in the United States and Canada...
activities and a collection of several questions for potential use on future revisions of the CRA exam.