Chapter 24. Research and Other Sponsored Programs
Section 24.2. Research Projects

24.2.1. Sponsored Research

Sponsored Research: Research supported by state and federal agencies, private foundations, and industry. The University will accept such research projects consistent with the educational objectives and research goals of the University.

Principal Investigator (PI): The primary individual responsible for conducting the research, reporting to sponsor, and all aspects of the research project.

By signing the transmittal form, chairs and deans assume the responsibility of assuring the completion of Michigan Tech’s obligations under the agreement with the sponsor. Research and Sponsored Programs office will normally not question the designation of the following individuals as PIs or Co-PIs:

• Academic tenure-track faculty, research scientists/engineers, research faculty and other regular employees.



• Employees with term appointments (such as lecturers, instructors, post-doctoral associates, etc.) at the discretion of their supervisor, chair, and dean.



• Adjunct, retired, or emeriti faculty at the discretion of their chair or dean.



• Graduate students can serve as Co-PIs on sponsored projects as long as an academic tenure-track faculty, research faculty, or research scientist/engineer is listed as the PI.

Undergraduate students cannot be identified as PIs on sponsored projects.

Research and Sponsored Programs may follow-up with the chair or dean in unusual circumstances. Refer to the Research and Sponsored Programs office web site for more detailed information in identifying PI’s and Co-PI’s.

All research proposals must be submitted to the potential sponsor through the Research and Sponsored Programs office or Corporate and Foundation Development office.

Students may work on industrial or proprietary research provided that such an arrangement does not violate the freedom of students to publish the results of their thesis on a timely basis. If there is any possibility that limitations on a student’s freedom to publish may exist, other than a modest delay for patent filings to protect proprietary rights, the project should not be used as a thesis topic and whether the project is appropriate work for academic faculty should be seriously questioned. A faculty member may waive the right to publish certain research results, but unpublished work, regardless of its quality, will not substitute for published research in assessing an individual’s professional development, academic status, salary increases, promotion, or tenure. Each individual faculty member is responsible for insuring that his/her research is suitable for consideration during promotion and tenure decisions. Faculty members are therefore cautioned to carefully review departmental and college promotion and tenure guidelines before agreeing to any restraints on publication.