*** Please see the memo below from the Office of Financial Analysis. *** In collaboration with effort reviewers from multiple schools, we have identified a system glitch that occurred during the creation of the effort certification documents for this period. While most effort documents have not been initiated, the entire population was impacted. As a result, effective this evening, the original impacted […]
Announcements
New Federal Executive Order on DEI and Implications for Sponsored Projects
A new federal executive order (EO) issued on March 26, 2026 introduces additional compliance considerations for institutions that hold or seek federal contracts. Under this new EO, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs and practices could constitute unlawful discrimination. The EO specifically targets what it defines as racially discriminatory DEI activities, meaning disparate treatment based on race or ethnicity […]
NIH Community Days – Securing Controlled-Access Data
Announcement: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) provides access to a growing volume of controlled-access data, including sensitive genomic, clinical, and participant-level information. As data sharing requirements expand, so do expectations for how institutions secure, manage, and govern access to this data. NIH policies increasingly align with federal security standards, placing greater responsibility on both researchers and institutions […]
NIH Guidance on Collaborative International Research Project (PF5) Applications
Announcement: On March 19, 2026, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) published new guidance in the NIH Extramural Nexus outlining the required and optional components of a Collaborative International Research Project (PF5) application. The article provides clarification on what must be included in each section of the application and highlights common areas that require careful attention during proposal preparation. The guidance includes a […]
MicroLearning Monday – Service vs. Research at USC: Understanding Service Agreements
Welcome back to MicroLearning Mondays, our biweekly series of bite-sized research administration trainings brought to you by the Department of Contracts and Grants. This week’s topic: Service vs. Research at USC: Understanding Service Agreements Why It Matters: Service Agreements fall outside USC’s sponsored singtoto research framework and must be properly classified and managed to ensure compliance, protect intellectual […]
NIH Security Best Practices for Users of NIH Controlled Access Data Repositories (CADRs)
Announcement: Effective February 25, 2026, all downloads of data from NIH designated Controlled-Access Data Repositories (CADR), must meet a set of stringent cybersecurity standards found in the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800.171. These cybersecurity standards, which were first applied to NIH genomic repositories beginning in January 2025, now extend to all […]