The Sponsored Projects Training for Administrators in Research (STAR) program is a comprehensive certificated program developed by the UCSB Office of Research to meet our campus research administration needs. The program’s goals are to improve campus understanding of regulations, policies, and procedures; to strengthen internal controls; and to provide staff members with access to key resources and contacts when they need help
STAR Class Schedule
The program consists of eleven (11) course and is designed for employees with duties and responsibilities related to contract and grant administration. Participants are welcome to take one or several courses in areas of particular interest to them—and they may opt to earn a STAR Program Certificate.
All courses will be conducted virtually via Zoom and will be offered within one calendar year from January through October.
To earn a STAR Certificate you:
- Must take all eleven classes.
- Courses must be completed within no longer, than a two-year timeframe from the date courses were begun.
- As of the 2024 cycle, in order to receive credit for a course, you must be in attendance for the entire time of that class. Zoom provides a record of how long each participant is logged into the Zoom class. If you were not logged in for the whole class, you will NOT receive credit and will have to retake the class when it is offered again. If a situation arises and you are unable to stay logged in for the full class time, please email training@research.ucsb.edu. Exceptions for class credit will only be considered on a case-by-case basis.
To register, visit the UCSB Learning Center website. Once you have logged in, use the search box and type in STAR to view all 11 courses. Please note that registration within UCLC will also require a separate registration via a specific ZOOM Registration Link. The Zoom Registration link is located within the Description course of UCLC & under the URL field in Additional Information section. You must be registered via BOTH UCLC and through ZOOM Registration Link.
If you want to confirm the classes you still need to complete the certificate, please do the following: Log into the Learning Center go to Self then click on Learning then Training Schedule & finally select Complete to see what classes you have attended. Any classes taken in 2023 will count towards your certificate completion. Furthermore, any classes taken in 2024 will also count towards completion of a certificate in 2024.
For more information about Sponsored Projects training courses and opportunities, please send an email to training@research.ucsb.edu
1. Overview of Contract and Grant Administration (2 hours)
This introductory course provides an overview of the administration of sponsored projects at UCSB and lays the foundation for later courses. Topics covered are campus research rankings, the Office of Research infrastructure and role, shared responsibilities, the general legal principles and policies that guide research activities, resources to help locate and secure extramural funding, and tools, such as the Office of Research website.
Offered: Wednesday, January 17, 2024; 9:00am-11:00am
Instructors: Jim Fong & Maria Napoli
Powerpoint, Handout 1 and Handout 2: You can choose to print for note-taking.
To register, visit the UCSB Learning Center website. Once you have logged in, use the search box and type in STAR to view all 11 courses. Please note that registration within UCLC will also require a separate registration via a specific ZOOM Registration Link.
Zoom Link for Overview of Contract and Grant Administration
Complete registration for the each course requires registration through the UCLC system AND via the above Zoom link. To ensure full participation & credit for the course you must register in BOTH areas.
2. Cost Principles and Cost Accounting Standards (2 hours)
This course covers the primary federal regulation governing what costs may be included in proposal budgets and charged to contracts and grants: OMB Circulars A-21 and A-110, which now all fall under Uniform Guidance.
Offered: Wednesday, January 31, 2024; 9am-11:00am
Instructors: Otilia Rodriguez & Pam Cabrera
Powerpoint: You can choose to print for note-taking.
To register, visit the UCSB Learning Center website. Once you have logged in, use the search box and type in STAR to view all 11 courses. Please note that registration within UCLC will also require a separate registration via a specific ZOOM Registration Link.
Zoom Link for Cost Principles and Cost Accounting Standards
Complete registration for the each course requires registration through the UCLC system AND via the above Zoom link. To ensure full participation & credit for the course you must register in BOTH areas.
3. Proposal Budget Preparation (2 hours)
This course provides an in-depth exploration of the components of a proposal budget, including salary and benefit costs, equipment, participant support, supplies, and indirect cost calculation. This course will also include interactive exercises for preparation of proposal budgets and Academic employment titles.
Offered: Wednesday, February 21, 2024; 9:00am-11:00am
Instructors: Jessica Ajao, Clarissa Cabrera & Joanna Kettmann
Powerpoint 1, Powerpoint 2 and Handout: You can choose to print for note-taking.
To register, visit the UCSB Learning Center website. Once you have logged in, use the search box and type in STAR to view all 11 courses. Please note that registration within UCLC will also require a separate registration via a specific ZOOM Registration Link.
Zoom Link for Proposal Budget Preparation
Complete registration for the each course requires registration through the UCLC system AND via the above Zoom link. To ensure full participation & credit for the course you must register in BOTH areas.
4. Introduction to Proposal Submission (2 hours)
This course provides basic overview of instructions on preparing a proposal, securing the appropriate approvals, and submitting to the funding agency. Topics covered are eligibility to serve as principal investigator, types of proposals, interpretation of sponsor guidelines, completion of both sponsor application forms and internal campus forms and proposal revisions. This course will also include an overview on the use of the ORBiT Database.
Offered: Wednesday, March 13, 2024; 9:00am-11:00am
Instructors: Amanda Hart, Sarah Payne & Brett Fortier
Powerpoint and Handout: You can choose to print for note-taking.
To register, visit the UCSB Learning Center website. Once you have logged in, use the search box and type in STAR to view all 11 courses. Please note that registration within UCLC will also require a separate registration via a specific ZOOM Registration Link.
Zoom Link for Introduction to Proposal Submission
Complete registration for the each course requires registration through the UCLC system AND via the above Zoom link. To ensure full participation & credit for the course you must register in BOTH areas.
5. Subawards (2 hours)
This course focuses on how to determine the difference between subawards and business contracts and the process for how both types of agreements are related to research. This course will discuss the process of how to propose, establish, maintain, modify and close out a subagreement. The processes within both the central office and the administrative department will be examined.
Offered: Wednesday, April 17, 2024; 9:00am-11:00am
Instructors: Daniela Gallardo & Lisa King
Powerpoint 1 and Powerpoint 2: You can choose to print for note-taking.
To register, visit the UCSB Learning Center website. Once you have logged in, use the search box and type in STAR to view all 11 courses. Please note that registration within UCLC will also require a separate registration via a specific ZOOM Registration Link.
Complete registration for the each course requires registration through the UCLC system AND via the above Zoom link. To ensure full participation & credit for the course you must register in BOTH areas.
6. Negotiation and Acceptance of Awards - Sponsored Projects, Gifts and Procurement Contracts (2 hours)
This course focuses on the various actions and issues that arise during the period between the submission of a proposal and the award of a contract or grant. The course covers the roles of key players from the University and the Sponsors. It dives into the lifecycle of the award review and acceptance process, denial and withdrawal of proposals, pre-award costs, revised budgets, and requests for approvals to spend (RAS). Sponsored Projects will provide an overview of various award terms, campus award processing, and the UCSB award synopsis. Procurement Services will provide insight on how business contracts and PO’s related to research. They will present on topics pertinent to planning conferences and events, business contracts, professional service agreement, facility use permits, university insurance requirements and signature delegation.
Offered: Wednesday, May 29, 2024; 9:00am-11:00am
Instructors: Betsy Lazarine, Kevin Loza & Calli Price
Powerpoint and Handout. You can choose to print for note-taking.
To register, visit the UCSB Learning Center website. Once you have logged in, use the search box and type in STAR to view all 11 courses. Please note that registration within UCLC will also require a separate registration via a specific ZOOM Registration Link.
Complete registration for the each course requires registration through the UCLC system AND via the above Zoom link. To ensure full participation & credit for the course you must register in BOTH areas.
7. Financial Management (2 hours)
This course addresses the financial aspects of administering an extramural award. Financial topics reviewed are direct costing, re-budgeting, cost transfers, overdrafts and balances, close-out procedures and reports, and Effort Reporting.
Offered: Wednesday, June 12, 2024; 9:00-11:00am
Instructors: Otilia Rodriguez & Pam Cabrera
Powerpoint and Handout You can choose to print for note-taking.
To register, visit the UCSB Learning Center website. Once you have logged in, use the search box and type in STAR to view all 11 courses. Please note that registration within UCLC will also require a separate registration via a specific ZOOM Registration Link.
Zoom link for Financial Management
Complete registration for the each course requires registration through the UCLC system AND via the above Zoom link. To ensure full participation & credit for the course you must register in BOTH areas.
8. Post-Award Administration (2 hours)
This course addresses several aspects of post-award administration and will include presentations from selected campus representatives. Topics are award set-up, department responsibilities, obtaining campus approvals for post-award actions, travel, equipment management and reporting requirements, and closeout.
Offered: Wednesday, July 17, 2024; 9:00am-11:00am
Instructors: John Huber & John Pavia
Powerpoint and Handout: You can choose to print for note-taking.
To register, visit the UCSB Learning Center website. Once you have logged in, use the search box and type in STAR to view all 11 courses. Please note that registration within UCLC will also require a separate registration via a specific ZOOM Registration Link.
Zoom Link for Post-Award Administration
Complete registration for the each course requires registration through the UCLC system AND via the above Zoom link.. To ensure full participation & credit for the course you must register in BOTH areas.
9. Research Administration and Compliance I (2 hours)
This course addresses the research administration compliance environment, including federal and state conflict of interest regulations, significant compliance risks in research administration, research misconduct, export control, and insider tips/preparing for an audit, the UC Whistleblower Policy, and real-life examples of university research compliance issues.
Offered: Wednesday, August 21, 2024; 9:00am-11:00am
Instructors: Barry Rowan and Monica Woltman from Research Integrity and Anne-Sophie Gatellier, Darrel Paskett and Irene Camargo from Audit Services
Powerpoint and Handout: You can choose to print for note-taking.
To register, visit the UCSB Learning Center website. Once you have logged in, use the search box and type in STAR to view all 11 courses. Please note that registration within UCLC will also require a separate registration via a specific ZOOM Registration Link.
Zoom link for Research Administration and Compliance I
Complete registration for the each course requires registration through the UCLC system AND via the above Zoom link. To ensure full participation & credit for the course you must register in BOTH areas.
10. Research Compliance II (2 hours)
This course provides a brief overview of human subjects, animal subjects and stem cell use in research and Responsible conduct of Research (RCR).
Offered: Wednesday, September 11, 2024; 9:00am-11:00am
Instructors: Melodie Blakemore
Powerpoint and Handout: You can choose to print for note-taking.
To register, visit the UCSB Learning Center website. Once you have logged in, use the search box and type in STAR to view all 11 courses. Please note that registration within UCLC will also require a separate registration via a specific ZOOM Registration Link.
Zoom link for Research Compliance II
Complete registration for the each course requires registration through the UCLC system AND via the above Zoom link. To ensure full participation & credit for the course you must register in BOTH areas.
11. Working with Industry and Intellectual Property (2 hours)
This course focuses on both the benefits and the unique challenges of working with the industrial sector, and the tools and resources available at UCSB to facilitate those university-industry collaborations. Topics covered are industry sponsored research agreements, gifts, material transfer agreements, data use agreements, confidentiality agreements, consulting, basic intellectual property, and related UC policies. This course will also provide an opportunity to take a more in-depth look at intellectual property. The course will cover the basic principles of intellectual property as well as the characteristics of patents, copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets. The course will also provide an overview of the technology transfer process at UCSB.
Offered: Wednesday, October 16, 2024; 9:00am-11:30am
Instructors: Kevin Stewart, Cara Winnewisser & Jenna Nakano
Powerpoint and Handout: You can choose to print for note-taking.
To register, visit the UCSB Learning Center website. Once you have logged in, use the search box and type in STAR to view all 11 courses. Please note that registration within UCLC will also require a separate registration via a specific ZOOM Registration Link.
Zoom link for Working with Industry and Intellectual Property
Complete registration for the each course requires registration through the UCLC system AND via the above Zoom link. To ensure full participation & credit for the course you must register in BOTH areas.
Please note: the length of classes may vary slightly depending on questions, content, etc.