Criteria* for Notifying the Provost’s Office of Potentially Risky Proposals
Updated 4/07
Process for Notifying the Provost’s Office of Potentially Risky Proposals: Until the Assoc. Provost for Research position is filled, please send any potentially risky proposals to Beverly Simmonds only.
The dollar amount of the request (over $5M)
The Sponsor
Any new sponsors
Any sponsors that are likely to be controversial (e.g., gambling associations, tobacco companies)
Some foreign governments (see #4)
The degree to which the project deviates from the school’s existing mission, for example:
Gambling
Patient Care
Technical Assistance
The amount of international participation in the project
Subs in international locations without infrastructure
International projects in locations that pose a threat to the individual(s) (see #10)
The relationship of the project to current world events, for instance:
AIDS
Iraq
Tsunamis
Travel to countries on the State Department's Travel Warning List
Mechanics within the program announcement that may deviate from standard protocols
PEPFAR Expedited Review: $106M awarded in 7 days
Anything about the project that would automatically trigger national or local news coverage
Stem Cells
Any exceptions to current University research policy (this varies by school)
Issues/problems with a previous segment of the award, for example:
PI has historically not signed CoI
We wouldn’t apply for renewal on an award funded by a gambling association.
The extent to which the project may create genuine health/safety risks to Harvardpersonnel.
Sending students to Nigeria, Sudan, etc.
A project with a large number of subcontracts where the vast majority of the work is not being done by HU.
50% or more of salaries are elsewhere
*Please note: examples provided for each category are not an exhaustive list, but are rather included to illustrate the issue.
