PI Eligibility

Serving as a PI on Sponsored Projects

CEHD allows both tenured/tenure-track faculty and staff to serve as principal investigators on sponsored projects, in keeping with the Board of Regents Policy on Submitting and Accepting Sponsored Projects. 

Faculty are automatically eligible to serve as PI, but must file a Report of External Professional Activities (REPA) and complete the Reponsible Conduct of Research core curriculum.  PI status may be rescinded in cases of serious mismanagement or misconduct.

Staff are eligible to serve as PI with the approval of their unit leader and CEHD’s research dean. Units should prepare a request to the research dean outlining how an individual meets the PI conditions listed below. Staff are eligible to serve as co-PIs without prior approval, assuming the co-PI is an eligible PI. Staff PIs must also file a Report of External Professional Activities (REPA) and complete the Responsible Conduct of Research core curriculum. UMN Rochester staff should contact their department chair prior to beginning work on a proposal.

Students may serve as PI in special situations when a funding agency requires that a student be the PI. However, the student must be supervised by a faculty member or staff member with active PI status. In situations where the student is not required to be the PI, the supervising faculty/staff member will serve as PI for UMN administrative purposes. Graduate students may also serve as co-investigators on sponsored projects at the discretion of the PI and with approval of the unit head. 

Serving as a PI on Sponsored Projects - CEHD Requirements

Non-regular faculty and other academic employees interested in serving as principal investigator must meet the following conditions.

1. Documented participation in the responsible conduct of research core curriculum as required by the University.

2. Obtained an advanced degree or specialized technical knowledge appropriate to the work.

3. Demonstrated a track record of effective fiscal and scientific/technical management of at least one externally funded project for at least two years. This experience could include participation in grant preparation, project management and work as a co-principal investigator or project director.

4. Maintained systematic connections to the teaching, research, or outreach missions of the College and University.

Serving as a PI on Research Involving Human Participants

Research involving human participants may or may not be funded by a sponsored project, and the requirements to lead these sorts of research projects are governed by the Institutional Review Board.  Please refer to the IRB Investigator Manual for more information.