Baylor PI Newsletter - February 23, 2026
Reminder: Post-Award Research Administration Model Now in Effect
On February 2, Baylor implemented the new streamlined post-award research administration model. The Post-Award URA position has been dissolved, and faculty now work directly with their Business Office—primarily their Financial Manager—for day-to-day post-award financial needs, creating a single point of contact for both sponsored and non-sponsored financial activities.
The Office of the Vice Provost for Research continues to provide behind-the-scenes support to Business Offices through the newly created Post-Award Research Administrator role. Both Pre-Award processes and Central Post-Award financial reporting and accounting functions remain unchanged.
COI Certifications and Training Requirements Prior to Project Activation
Once an award is received, the Office of the Vice Provost for Research (OVPR) begins the award setup process. Before the award setup can be completed, making funds available for spending, each Principal Investigator (PI) and all Senior Personnel listed on the project must complete their Conflict of Interest (COI) disclosure and any required trainings.
Common requirements may include COI training, CITI training (such as Responsible Conduct of Research or Research Security), or other sponsor-mandated certifications. These are sponsor requirements, not Baylor policy.
When action is needed, OVPR will notify the responsible party, typically the PI, via email from the CARA inbox. Please watch for these messages, as delays in completing required certifications or trainings are a common cause of award activation delays, which postpone the ability to spend project funds.
Helpful resources:
Update Disclosure Profile Quick Guide: https://ia.web.baylor.edu/outside-activities-and-interests
CITI Registration and Training Guides: https://resources.research.baylor.edu/research-offices/research-compliance/conflict-interest-research/education-and-training
NSF, Research Misconduct, and Use of AI
NSF has updated its definition of research misconduct to include the use of AI-based tools. Per NSF, research misconduct means fabrication, falsification, or plagiarism, whether committed by an individual directly or through the use or assistance of other persons, entities, or tools, including AI-based tools, in proposing or performing research funded by NSF, reviewing research proposals submitted to NSF, or in reporting research results funded by NSF. Proposers are encouraged to indicate in their project description the extent to which, if any, AI technology was used and how it was used. For more information, please see the applicable NSF Notice to research community.
NIH Salary Cap Update
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced an increase to the Executive Level II salary limitation. As outlined in NOTOD26034, the new salary cap for individuals paid on NIH awards has been raised to $228,000. For active awards, institutions may re-budget to accommodate this increase if sufficient funds are available and if the revised cap aligns with the individual’s institutional base salary. This adjustment is optional and subject to institutional and award-specific rebudgeting policies.
Changes to Research.gov Project Reports
Take note of recent changes to research.gov project reports, which include:
Auto-populating PAR IDs as Persistent ID links from PAR into Project Reports for journal articles, conference papers, datasets and workshop reports.
Auto-populating Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM) and Version of Record (VOR) metadata from PAR into Project Reports for journal articles, conference papers and workshop reports.
Prohibiting direct dataset entry into project reports within Research.gov.
PAPPG Policy Revisions
The following sections of the PAPPG are revised to align with NSF's Gold Standard Science implementation plan:
Public Access to Research Products (Chapter XI.D.2.c)
Dissemination and Sharing of Research Results (Chapter XI.D.4)
Data Management and Sharing Plan (Chapter II.D.2.(i).(ii))
Please note that the revised NSF Data Management and Sharing Plan policy specifies that the plan must be generated using the new tool within Research.gov. However, this new tool has not yet been activated. Until NSF launches this tool, applicants should continue to upload the Data Management and Sharing Plan as a PDF. The new requirements are scheduled to take effect April 27, 2026.
Further Changes to the NSF Public Access Repository (PAR) include:
Removing the 12-month publication embargo from all Portable Document Format (PDF) product types.
Enabling input of Author Accepted Manuscripts (AAM) and Version of Record (VoR).
Making machine-readable versions of publications in Extensible Markup Language (XML) format available for download.
Enabling PAR Identifiers (IDs) to behave as Persistent
ONE URC Deadline- March 16
The University Research Committee is accepting applications for Standard (up to $5,000) and Large ($5,001 - $50,000) awards. The Spring award cycle will require funds to be used between June 1, 2026, and May 31, 2027. Consistent with Baylor’s strategic priority to broaden interdisciplinary research and impact outlined in In Deeds, proposals that emphasize interdisciplinary collaboration are preferred.
Submit all applications to URC@baylor.edu by March 16th at 11:59 pm. The application has been modified and can be found on the website.
OVPR Grant Writing Workshops
Improving your 1-Pager (Specific Aims/Project Summary/Abstract)
Friday, March 6, 2026, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm, BSB E.234 or Teams
Your 1-pager is a key document to help you win your grant. This workshop will explain what makes a compelling 1-pager and help you edit yours to be more effective. Register here: https://baylor.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_9nvHjijCuvxLoF0
How to Get Published: Virtual Workshop with Aleta Kalkstein, Senior Publisher with Springer Nature
Springer Nature's interactive online workshop offers practical tips and guidance to help you publish with confidence. Join to discuss the challenges researchers face in publishing:
Structuring your research article
Choosing the right journal
Exploring Open Access opportunities and maximizing visibility
Understanding Peer Review and Editorial Opportunities
Navigating the evolving role of AI tools in research writing and the publishing process
Two versions are available:
Humanities and Social Sciences Faculty, Staff, Postdocs, and Graduate Students may register here for the March 26 webinar, which runs 3:30-4:30 pm: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/5528304235840469087
STEM Faculty, Staff, Postdocs, and Graduate Students may register here for the March 27 webinar, also 3:30-4:30 pm: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/40164513581678169
NSF CAREER Grant Workshop
Friday, April 10, 2026, 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm, Teams
This workshop will give you tips, tools, and resources to help you write a competitive NSF CAREER proposal. The workshop will explain grant components, writing tips, and Baylor grant tools. As a follow-up to this workshop, you can sign up for a one-on-one consultation with our team and receive personal editing and feedback on your proposal. Register here: https://baylor.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bq5vUa85nFaJ5xs
Write Winning Grants for NIH and NSF Seminar
Tuesday, May 19, 2026, 8:30-4:30 pm, BSB E.125 (in person only)
Presented by Dr. John Robertson from Grant Writers’ Seminars and Workshops (GWSW), the full-day workshop will address the practical, conceptual, and rhetorical aspects of writing competitive grant proposals.
Emphasis is placed on doing the “extra” things that can make the difference between being funded versus not. This seminar is appropriate for junior through senior faculty members, postdoctoral fellows, and doctoral students who have had some exposure to writing grant applications. Note that there will be a workbook cost, price TBD.
Register here: https://baylor.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3rv7jBCeSaV3aYK
Lilly Exploring Christian Practices RFP - Limited Submission Information and Meeting
The Lilly Endowment Inc. posted a Request for Proposals (RFP) related to their Exploring Christian Practices Initiative. The RFP is a limited submission with a due date (May 18, 2026) more than 8 weeks away, so we will follow OVPR’s limited submission competition process detailed here: https://resources.research.baylor.edu/project-life-cycle/find-funding/limited-submission
Pre-proposals for the internal competition are due March 23rd and should include the OVPR application form, a 1-2 page pre-proposal, and an CV for each proposed investigator. The pre-proposal should address the specific components and guiding questions laid out in the Lilly RFP.
Given the high level of interest already expressed among faculty, OVPR invites all interested investigators to a meeting on Monday, March 2 from 11:30-12:30 in person in Pat Neff 330 or on zoom (Link here: https://baylor.zoom.us/j/85282792239?pwd=82SgVsYopansMqX0fQGMWUlZw7Xwz7.1) to learn more and discuss ideas for potential collaborative proposals.
If you have questions or would like to express your interest, please contact Kasey Ashenfelter (Senior Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations, Kasey_Ashenfelter@baylor.edu) or Sarah Schnitker (Associate Vice Provost for Interdisciplinary Initiatives and Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, sarah_schnitker@baylor.edu).
