PI Eligibility Requirements

If you have questions regarding your eligibility, it is strongly encouraged to consult with your Chair, Dean, or appropriate academic/administrative authority before engaging in external sponsored program activities.

1. Faculty Appointments:

These individuals, by virtue of their titles or positions at UNO, are automatically eligible to serve as PI: Assistant Instructor, Lecturer, Instructor, Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, Research Fellow, Senior Research Associate, Research Associate, Community Service Associate, Coordinator, Counselor, Librarian (all specialties).

• Phased Retirement: Faculty members on phased retirement may serve as Principal Investigators (PIs) or co-Investigators (co-Is) if research is included in their 50% work plan for phased retirement, with approval from department leadership and relevant college or division dean. Those with retirement plans through the State of Nebraska cannot earn additional income as a PI. For further details regarding phased retirement agreements, please refer to the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA 3.6.4) and/or your college policies.

2. Other Faculty Positions:

Adjunct, visiting, emeritus, or other faculty members, including professors of practice, with approval from department/school leadership and the relevant college or division dean. Co-PI designation may be required in some cases. Chair and Dean shall accept full fiscal and administrative liability and responsibility for the actions of the PI included in this category.

• Emeritus Status: Emeritus faculty members pursuing research have the same rights as active faculty in applying for research grants. PIs in this category must name an eligible co-PI from category 1, Faculty Appointments, for project administration. For further details regarding emeritus status, please refer to University of Nebraska's Board of Regents Policy RP-4.2.6 and/or your college policies.

• Non-Graduate Faculty Status: PIs without Graduate Faculty Status who are planning to hire graduate assistants must name an eligible co-PI from categories 1 for project administration and assistance with hiring and supervision.

• Visiting Researcher Status: Visiting faculty may serve as PIs on sponsored projects if (1) a category 1, Faculty Appointments, serves as the co-PI, and (2) the PI’s unit Chair and Dean agree by approving the NuRamp form to meet contractual obligations of the award should the PI not perform as required. This includes the timely provision of all required deliverables and reports, payment of unallowable costs, reimbursement of the funding agency for work not completed, etc. The right to serve as PI is contingent on responsible performance on grants management. All projects must be performed within the visitor’s term appointment period at UNO.

3. Administrative Appointments:

All individuals holding professional or academic administrative appointments, such as, but not limited to, Deans, Acting or Interim Deans, Associate Deans, Assistant Deans, department chairs, program directors, Associate and Assistant Vice Chancellors.

4. Staff Appointments:

Staff member (who are not also students) with approval from department/school leadership and relevant college or division dean or administrative unit vice chancellor.

Student Eligibility:

• Graduate Students: Typically, graduate students are not designated as PIs. However, graduate students leading pre-doctoral sponsored projects under faculty mentorship and with approval from department/school leadership, relevant college or division dean, or administrative unit vice chancellor may serve as PIs. In such cases, the faculty mentor serves as the co-PI.

• Undergraduate Students: Undergraduate students are generally not designated as PIs. However, if sponsor guidelines require a student to be listed as PI, the student’s mentor/advisor will be the PI of record in the University's electronic research administration system, NuRamp and will be responsible for project conduct and oversight.

Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) Eligibility:

UNO researchers eligible to be PIs are also eligible to be Co-PIs. Collaborators from other institutions without appointments at UNO may be listed as Co-PIs if they serve as PI of a subcontract. Individual collaborators from other institutions may also serve as consultants on sponsored projects, when appropriate, without PI or co-PI status.

New Hires:

New hires meeting eligibility criteria must obtain approval to submit proposals by providing a signed offer letter detailing the start date and position, along with confirmation of eligibility from the department chair or college/division dean. Upon receipt of these documents, the department will initiate a NuRamp record containing project details. Once the individual's position status is confirmed in the university's system, SAP, indicating their official appointment, the proposal will be finalized and routed accordingly. In the event that the position status is not confirmed in SAP before the submission deadline, the new hire’s Chair will serve as a temporary substitute, with the necessary updates made subsequently.

In addition to the criteria outlined above, individuals must also meet the following eligibility requirements for PI or Co-PI/Co-I status

1. Have the ability to carry out the proposed work by meeting the following criteria:

• Appropriate qualifications or professional credentials.
• Adequate campus facilities and resources.
• Approval from leadership of a department/school and the approval of the dean of the relevant college or division, or the vice chancellor of an administrative unit.

2. Maintain a UNO paid employment appointment term covering the effort proposed for the entire sponsored project cycle. This appointment must be within a UNO school, department, college, or unit that falls into one of the categories above.