Department Research Administrator (DRA) Cohort Program

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. The next DRA Cohort will begin in August 2024.

The application window for the Fall 2024 DRA Cohort is closed. Stay tuned for an announcement about the next DRA Cohort in 2025.

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

  • Provide an immersive experience for new Department Research Administrators (DRAs) covering 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 Fall 2024 DRA Cohort will begin in mid-August and end in early December, 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.

Virtual Sessions (60 minutes)

  • Mostly formatted as informal Q&A with invited subject matter experts as guests
  • Discussion is fueled by questions and engagement from the cohort participants and facilitators
  • Depending on the session, there may also be demonstrations or screen sharing

Small groups (30 minutes)

  • Groups of 3-4 participants meet every other week
  • Groups are newly assigned by the cohort facilitators after each virtual session
  • Discussion is based on a set of questions given to the small groups each week

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.

Before applying, keep in mind that this is not a formal training program and does not follow an instructor-led format with presentations/lectures/course work.

The DRA Cohort Program is a and is based in discussion, problem-solving, curiosity, knowledge-sharing and collaboration. The success of each cohort relies on the willingness of the group to engage and ask questions.

Good Fit?

This program is a good fit for you if…

  • you’re looking to build community with and learn from other CU staff who work with sponsored projects
  • you’re interested in exploring how various roles within sponsored project administration contribute to the overall lifecycle of an award
  • you’re curious about who to contact for what and how other departments and units manage sponsored project tasks

Maybe Not a Good Fit?

This program might not be a good fit for you if…

  • you’re only interested in getting information on updated policies, procedures, and business practices relevant to your role
  • your preferred learning style is reading, listening to presentations, and observing
  • you’re unable to be on-camera and your schedule/environment does not permit you to engage and participate during virtual sessions and small group sessions
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 15 hours of professional development credits in SkillSoft and a certificate of completion at the end of the program.