NEWS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY MAILMAN … · a lack of development of newer treatments on the part of pharmaceu-tical companies. Right now, only 1.2 percent of the industry

DECEMBER 2010

burden which gets only 2 percent of the world funding,” he said.Part of the reason owes to the populations they most impact:

children and the elderly in developing nations, who have difficulties drawing attention to authorities.

Another problem is a dearth of awareness about the disease and how to treat it.

“Parents should be able to recognize the symptoms of the dis-ease, understand when the child is sick, and seek treatment before it is too late. Then there should be support from government and donor organizations to ensure availability and distribution of the vaccines and antibiotics,” Dr. Schluger said.

Other obstacles include a weak system of vaccine distribution and a lack of development of newer treatments on the part of pharmaceu-tical companies. Right now, only 1.2 percent of the industry is working on new treatments, in part because they do not consider ARIs to be attractive markets for their products, according to Dr. Schluger.

Despite all of these hurdles, Dr. Schluger says low-cost solutions can be put into place quickly, and recommends long-term efforts such as a public awareness campaign and more work on vaccination development by the pharmaceutical industry.

“We hope that this Atlas will be a valuable resource for public health workers, advocates, government officials, journalists and others who are interested in this most serious problem.”

Schluger N. The Acute Respiratory Infections Atlas. New York: World Lung Foundation, 2010.

NEWS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY MAILMAN SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY

VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 9

Supportive Administrative Infrastructure, Page 9

Acute respiratory infections are a forgotten pandemic

2 UPCOMING 3 PUBLICATION HIGHLIGHTS 4 SUBMITTED GRANTS 5 FACULTY PROFILE 6 STUDENT PROFILES 8 STRATEGIC PLAN 10 STAFF PROFILES 13 LIFE CYCLE OF A GRANT 15 GUIDE TO ADMINISTRATION 25 FACULTY ARTICLE BIBLIOGRAPHY

1

New Acute Respiratory Infection Atlas shows magnitude of disease that every year takes the lives of millions of children around the world

Dr. Neil Schluger, Professor of Epidemiology, Chief of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, and Chief Scientific Officer of the

World Lung Foundation, was at the 41st Union World Conference on Lung Health in Berlin November 11-15 to unveil an Acute Respiratory Infection (ARI) Atlas, drawing attention to the lack of resources that have been directed at fighting one of the world’s top causes of illness and mortality.

“Acute respiratory infections are a forgot-ten pandemic, despite the fact that they are the lead killer in the world of children under 5, and the leading cause of death overall in the developing world,” he said. “They have become just so much background noise.”

The Atlas includes data, maps and photographs that illustrate ARIs’ high death toll, as well as the lack of recognition they have been accorded by the global health community, which does not view them as a distinct disease group.

ARIs—which include pneumonia, influ-enza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)—are primarily caused by malnutrition, indoor and outdoor pollution, overcrowding and cramped living conditions and tobacco use. They claim over 4.25 million deaths per year across the globe.

Nearly one-quarter of the world’s deaths from the diseases occur in India, where conditions like overcrowding and pollution are a significant problem.

However, ARIs do not get the attention from authorities and pharmaceutical companies that they deserve, according to Dr. Schluger.

“It is 26 percent of the global disease

Epi Faculty Member Maps Devastation Of Global Respiratory Infections

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DECEMBER 2010 SUPPORTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE INFRASTRUCTURE

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Dear colleagues,

Welcome to the December 2010 issue of Two by Two, the Epidemiology Department newsletter. This issue is dedicated to Supportive Administrative Infrastructure and is fourth in a series of four newsletters addressing the key elements of our Department Strategic Plan. Previous issues this fall were devoted to Innovative Scientific Contributions, Dynamic Educational Opportunities, and Engaged, Productive Faculty. Future newsletters will be bimonthly and will expand on elements of our Department Strategic Plan, feature new science produced by our faculty, and highlight inven-tive initiatives underway in the Department.

We have taken substantial steps with regard to our administrative infrastructure during the past year. Faculty, staff, and students have been organized into clusters that support the intellectual and administrative needs of individuals focused on similar aspects of the field. The office of the chair has also undergone some restructuring over the course of the year, making for a more tight-knit and effective central team.

We have streamlined a range of departmental operations and worked to communicate the administrative workings of the Department to faculty, staff, and students. This issue includes a full copy of our expanded and updated Guide to Administration that provides clear policy and procedure around the most critical functions in the Department. A visual snapshot of the lifecycle of a typical grant is provided as a tool to establish a yearly calendar of critical milestones for both faculty and administrators.

As always, we like to highlight the people who make our work possible. The three senior admin-istrators in the Department are featured and so are the four Senior Cluster Administrators (SCAs). I couldn’t be more pleased with the progress they have made toward an effective, supportive infra-structure and I am confident that we are poised to make 2011 our most productive year ever.

Wishing everyone the happiest of holiday seasons, and looking forward to a terrific 2011 together.

Warm regards,

SOCIAL EPIDEMIOLOGY

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 02 10:00-11:30 AM

ThUrSday, dEcEMbEr 09 10:00-11:30 AM

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20 12:30-2:00 PM

PSYCH / NEURO EPIDEMIOLOGY

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2 12:30-2:00 PM

THURSDAY, JANUARY 20 12:30-2:00 PM

LIFECOURSE EPIDEMIOLOGY

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 3 10:00-11:30 AM

EPIDEMIOLOGY INNOVATION

TUESDAY, JANUARY 25 12:00-2:00 PM

CHRONIC DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10 12:00-1:00 PM

INFECTIOUS DISEASE EPIDEMIOLOGY

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10 3:00-4:30 PM

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28 3:00-4:30 PM

CLUSTER SEMINARSDECEMBER — JANUARY

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2010 SPECIAL LECTURE: ELVIN GENG, MD, MPH

ThUrSday, dEcEMbEr 9, 2010 SPECIAL LECTURE: YU CHEN, PhD

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2010 SPECIAL LECTURE: MONICA UDDIN, PhD

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2010 CUEGR: JONATHAN SAMET, MD, MS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2010 SPECIAL LECTURE: DANIEL kIM, MD, DrPH

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2010 FACULTY MEETING

FRIDAY, JANUARY 07, 2011 DEPARTMENT SEMINAR: GRAHAM BARR, MD, DrPH

FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 2011 FACULTY MEETING

UPCOMING DECEMBER — JANUARY

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PUBLICATION HIGHLIGHTS

Genetic variants may predispose Caribbean Hispanic individuals to late-onset Alzheimer’s

Stigma deters those with alcohol disorders from seeking treatmentDespite the existence of effective programs for treating alcohol depen-dencies and disorders, less than a quarter of people who are diagnosed seek treatment.

a new survey of 6,309 adults with lifetime alcohol disorders has illuminated why this is. According to the results, people with diagnoses of lifetime alcoholism were less likely to try to seek treatment if they believed they would be stigmatized once their status is known.

“Given that alcohol use disor-ders are one of the most prevalent psychiatric disorders in the United States, the empirical documentation of stigma as a barrier to treatment is an important public health finding,” said Dr. katherine keyes, a Columbia University Epidemiology Merit Fellow and Instructor in Epidemiology, who was first author of a paper on the re-sults in the November 2 issue of the Journal of American Epidemiology.

keyes kM, Hatzenbuehler ML, McLaughlin kA, Link B, Olfson M, Grant BF, Hasin D. Stigma and Treat-ment for Alcohol Disorders in the United States. Am J Epidemiol. 2010 Nov 2. [Epub ahead of print].

Drs. Joseph Lee, Associate Professor of Clinical of Epidemiology, and Richard Mayeux, Gertrude H. Sergievsky Professor of Neurology, Psychiatry and Epidemiology, co-authored a study that identified in Caribbean Hispanic individuals several novel genetic variants that could make them more prone to developing late-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

They studied 1,093 caribbean hispanic in-dividuals with the disease, and then confirmed their findings in a large independent family-based study.

In addition, they showed that three Alzheim-

er’s susceptibility genes that were previously identified in white populations were also associ-ated with Alzheimer’s in Caribbean Hispanic individuals. Currently additional sequencing and functional genetics studies are being carried out to identify potential variants and to understand the role of these genes in Alzheimer’s.

Lee JH, Cheng R, Barral S, Reitz C, Medrano M, Lantigua R, Jiménez-Velazquez IZ, Rogaeva E, St George-Hyslop PH, Mayeux R. Identification of Novel Loci for Alzheimer Disease and Replica-tion of CLU, PICALM, and BIN1 in Caribbean Hispanic Individuals. Arch Neurol. 2010 Nov 8. [Epub ahead of print].

Examining the link between malnutrition and schizophreniaThere is a growing body of evidence in epidemiology, notably Dr. Ezra Susser’s early Dutch Famine studies, linking prenatal nutrient deficiency from famine to an increased risk of schizophrenia.

Building on that research, a new paper co-authored by Dr. Alan Brown, Professor of Clinical Epidemiology at Mailman, and Dr. David St. Clair, Adjunct Professor of Epidemiology, looks at how a lack of the micronutrients

vitamin D, folic acid and iron relate to schizophrenia.The paper argues that efforts to prevent the dis-

ease should draw their inspiration from other public health interventions that emphasize adequate nutri-tion for women during pregnancy.

McGrath J, Brown A, St Clair D. Prevention And Schizophrenia--The Role of Dietary Factors. Schizophr Bull. 2010 Oct 25. [Epub ahead of print].

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SUBMITTED GRANTSDEPARTMENT OF EPIDEMIOLOGY, JANUARY–NOVEMBER 2010

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

JAN-FEB MAR-APR JULY-AUG SEPT-OCT NOVMAY-JUNE

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR

POSTDOC

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

PROFESSOR

Faculty member chairs conference on integrative oncology and public healthDr. Heather Greenlee, Assistant Professor of Epidemiology and Medical Oncol-ogy (in Medicine), chaired the Seventh Annual International Conference of the Society for Integrative Oncology, which took place November 11-13 at the New York Academy of Medicine.

The conference program addressed how the relatively new field of integrative oncology—the use of complementary and supportive evidence-based therapies in conjunction with conventional cancer therapies—can conduct research that will influence public health policy as well as clinical practice. One panel discussed the use of comparative effectiveness research; another addressed how integra-tive cancer treatments may be reimbursed in an era of health care reform.

The conference drew 300 attendees from 19 different countries, including the president of the Institute of Medicine. “Thus far the field has been focused on how to do this research in the first place, but now we are taking it to the next level, to look at how we can actually affect change in the public’s health,” Dr. Greenlee said.

BRIEF MENTION

PIZZA FRIDAYS

Beginning in 2011 Epi staff will have a new way to get together. Four times a year on Friday, we’ll gather for a pizza lunch to share ideas and skills.

Location: TBDTime: 12:00-1:00 PM

■ February 11

■ May 13

■ September 23

■ December 2

PIZZA PHOTO BY BRET ARNETT

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Dr. Cerdá, who will join the Psych/Neuro Cluster, has a body of scholarship that, like the Department, values the signifi-cance of mental health as a central pub-

lic health issue. Specifically, she studies violence, drug use, and psychiatric disorders in the U.S. and Latin America, examining how they can be influenced by external factors, such as exposure to traumatic events, or the public services and infrastructure of a neighborhood. She is particu-larly interested in understanding what sorts of social factors increase people’s risk of suffering from multiple comorbid psychiatric conditions. Her research cuts to the question of “whether environments make people vulnerable to a wide range of psychiatric problems,” she said.

As a Robert Wood Johnson Fellow at the University of Michigan, Dr. Cerdá completed a five-year study of the mental health ramifica-tions of a new urban cable car system in the city of Medellín, Colombia, which connected the formerly isolated mountain slums to the central city, and was accompanied by major investment in the built environment surrounding the cable car stations. The survey results from about 500 people showed that both actual violence—in the form of homicide rates—and residents’ percep-tion of violence decreased after the new public transit system was put in place.

Dr. Cerdá is currently expanding her work on neighborhoods and mental health in New York City by carrying out a study on the impact that an initiative launched by the Department

of Transportation to change the neighborhood built environment and improve pedestrian safety among older adults will have on their physical activity and, indirectly, on rates of depression.

Dr. Cerdá became interested in epidemiol-ogy because of a senior thesis she completed as an undergraduate communications major at Cornell University, which involved promot-ing daily activities to prevent parasites among adolescents and young mothers in rural areas of Honduras. Inspired by that project and the encouragement of her adviser, she decided to go into public health, earning an MPH at Yale University and a DrPH, focused on Social Epi-demiology, at Harvard’s School of Public Health.

At Columbia, Dr. Cerdá, will continue on the interdisciplinary track she has forged through her scholarship, linking individual, family and neighborhood social factors with the develop-ment of common psychiatric disorders through-out the lifecourse.

Her particular interest in developing countries will also add to the Department’s global mental health profile, as she continues her research in Medellín, and works with the University of São Paulo in Brazil to develop an evaluation for an early intervention program on preventing child abuse and to carry out research on neighborhood influences and mental health.

Dr. Cerdá who is originally from Montevi-deo, Uruguay, said she is thrilled to be staying in New York City, where in her free time she enjoys seeing plays and going to museums.

FACULTY PROFILEMAGDALENA CERDÁ

Magdalena Cerdá, DrPH, MPH is joining the Department in January as an Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, coming from a two-year post as a researcher at the New York Academy of Medicine’s Center for Urban Epidemiology Studies.

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He earned a PhD in epidemiology from Rutgers/UMDNJ (2010) and an MPH in epidemiology from Emory (2004). His dissertation research evaluated long-

term cancer risk among people with AIDS, using data from the HIV/AIDS Cancer Match Study, a nationally-representative registry linkage data-base housed at the National Cancer Institute.

In a series of first-author papers recently published by Dr. Simard in Archives of Internal Medicine, Clinical Infectious Diseases and Cancer, he investigates rates of cancer in AIDS patients in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for HIV infection, which has been widely available in the U.S. since 1996 and has resulted in dramatic declines in AIDS-related mortality and overall increased life expectancy. He demonstrates that long-term cancer risk persists up to 10 years after AIDS diagnosis and that there has been an increase in a number of non-AIDS-defining cancers, notably anal cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma. Dr. Simard further finds that cancer-mortality decreased in the haarT era (1996-2006). how-ever, because of decreasing mortality due to AIDS, cancers account for a growing fraction of deaths. Dr. Simard suggests that improved can-

cer prevention and treatment, particularly for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and lung cancer, would reduce mortality among people with AIDS.

Dr. Simard retains an adjunct investigator appointment at the National Institutes of Health and is building a research portfolio at Columbia under the guidance of Drs. Alfred Neugut and Judith Jacobson. He recently returned from a trip to South Africa with Dr. Jacobson, where he plans to initiate collaborative epidemiologic research focused on HIV/AIDS-associated ma-lignancies in sub-Saharan Africa.

Recent publications:

Simard EP, Pfeiffer RM, Engels EA. Cumulative incidence of cancer among individuals with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome in the United States. Cancer. 2010 Oct. [Epub ahead of print].

Simard EP, Engels EA.Cancer as a cause of death among people with AIDS in the United States. Clin Infect Dis. 2010; 51(8):957-62.

Simard EP, Pfeiffer RM, Engels EA. Spectrum of cancer risk late after AIDS onset in the United States. Arch Intern Med. 2010; 170(15): 1337-45.

POSTDOC PROFILEEDGAR P. SIMARD

Dr. Edgar P. Simard joined the Department of Epidemiology as a postdoctoral research fellow in May 2010. Prior to coming to Columbia, Dr. Simard was a pre-doctoral fellow in the intramural research program of the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.

7


In the Department of Epidemiology, she focused on infectious disease epidemiology and completed her thesis on the seasonal-ity and drivers of H5N1 influenza (bird flu)

with Dr. Stephen Morse. She also worked as a graduate research assistant for Dean Linda Fried on a project about the changes in public health, investigating global aging, global urbanization, and epidemiologic transition in developing countries.

Eleanor is now applying for a PhD in the Department of Epidemiology and plans to work on modeling infectious diseases and studying the effects of climate change on the range and incidence of infectious diseases.

She first became interested in epidemiol-ogy during the SARS outbreak of 2003, an event that she says caused her to re-think her assumptions about modernized public health systems and their ability to handle rapid-spreading diseases.

“I had bought into the idea that severe infectious diseases were becoming a thing of the past, at least in countries with high-quality medical systems,” she said.

The Mailman School emerged as Eleanor’s top choice after she came across Dr. Morse’s book about emerging infectious diseases, which she said provided an exceptionally holistic understanding of epidemiology.

Eleanor hails from Vancouver, but also spent some time as a child in England, Thailand, and Papua New Guinea. In her free time, she likes to cook, read, and go on urban hikes. She earned her undergraduate degree in Biology at McGill University in Montreal.

ALUMNA PROFILEELEANOR MURRAY

Eleanor Murray earned her MPH at the Mailman School in 2009, and is currently doing research in Vancouver on the occupational health of healthcare workers, focusing on work absences because of an injury or illness and return-to-work programs.

8


WE AIM TO Reinforce the Department’s areas of strength and build new onesOUR GOAL IS Innovative scientific contribution

OUR OPERATIONAL STEPS ARE1. Articulate, communicate, and implement Department strategic vision 2. Recruit new faculty to strengthen Department direction3. Catalyze new, Columbia-wide, inter-departmental, collaborative initiatives4. Establish and nurture regular departmental academic seminars and events5. Contribute to the intellectual discussion on directions in epidemiology

WE AIM TO Nurture faculty and create clear road maps for collaboration with partners inside and outside ColumbiaOUR GOAL IS Engaged, productive faculty

OUR OPERATIONAL STEPS ARE6. Formalize and sustain a system of mentoring of junior faculty7. Develop and administer a junior faculty grant review mechanism8. Introduce and conduct annual faculty reviews9. Articulate promotion procedures and benchmarks10. Engage Department senior faculty and Columbia leaders in Department stewardship

WE AIM TO Strengthen our educational programsOUR GOAL IS Dynamic educational opportunities

OUR OPERATIONAL STEPS ARE11. Renew the epidemiology doctoral curriculum12. Increase departmental training grants consistent with Department direction13. Establish clear faculty teaching expectations and reward faculty teaching14. Clarify and improve opportunities for student support15. Communicate our value proposition to candidates and recruit high priority students

WE AIM TO Effectively manage the Department’s administrationOUR GOAL IS Supportive administrative infrastructure

OUR OPERATIONAL STEPS ARE16. Communicate clearly and consistently, internally and externally17. Maximize efficiency of Chair’s office operations18. Optimize departmental grants management and administrative functions

Taking Epidemiology to the next level: a strategic plan for the Department

A

B

C

D

This section features some of our core administrative team members:

And provides two very useful administrative tools:

p. 10

p. 13

p. 12

p. 15

SUPPORTIVE

INFRASTRUCTUREADMINISTRATIVE

>

>

>

>

STAFF PROFILES The three senior administrators in the Department

GRANT LIFECYCLE A graphic of the lifecycle of a grant, from the tasks leading up to the submission of an application down to the final report

SENIOR CLUSTER ADMINISTRATORS The four Senior Cluster Administrators who provide direct support to our six clusters

GUIDE TO ADMINISTRATION The full Department of Epidemiology Guide to Administration, providing clear instructions on everything from getting a UNI to hiring staff

9

10


In her communications capacity, she pub-licizes the Department’s achievements internally and to the wider community. This year the Newsletter has given her

a new forum to promote the scientific achievements of the faculty and also to provide useful information about how the Department functions, including its reorga-nization around research clusters.

In her faculty affairs role, Barbara is responsible for coordinating faculty recruit-ment, promotions, and tenure review. She works with the Chair, Vice Chair, and senior faculty to develop policy and procedure for appointments and promotions and to devel-op and implement a comprehensive annual review process for the entire faculty. Barbara also supervises human resources functions for a staff of over 50 people. She is quick to credit Associate Director for Faculty Affairs and Human Resources, Brian Van Buren, for his excellent work. (Brian is profiled in the November newsletter.)

One of Barbara’s key roles is assess-ing the administrative activities in the Department and tweaking policy and indi-vidual roles to make processes work more

smoothly for all involved. “That’s probably my favorite part of the job,” she says.

“Barbara is a dynamo—always ready to work on whatever you need, always there with good advice, always thinking about how to make things better,” says Dr. Al Neugut.

Dr. Bruce Link agrees, “How can you capture the essence of Barbara? She is incredibly efficient and because of that efficiency, she makes things better for you and you appreciate it! ”

Barbara’s years of coordinating these wide ranging areas have given her a wealth of knowledge about the Department and the accomplishments of its faculty. Today, her enthusiasm for her job is undimmed. “2010 has been such a productive year. We’ve really come together as a team, and that makes it possible to achieve so much more,” she says.

In her free time, she, her husband, two teenage sons, and one extremely eager Australian Shepherd can be found conquer-ing the outdoors. This past summer they hiked New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, the highest mountain in the Northeast.

The Associate Director for Academic Programs, manages four academic programs (MPH, MS, PhD and DrPH) and over 200 full and part

time students. Liliane provides administra-tive oversight for recruitment, admissions,

advising, career development and courses offered through the Department. Students rely on Liliane for her knowledge and advice about navigating the Department of Epidemiology. Read an in-depth profile of Liliane in the October newsletter.

SENIOR STAFF PROFILESBARBARA AARON

LILIANE ZARETSkY

During the nine years Barbara has been in Epidemiology, she has become the point person for some of the Department’s most essential functions, including communications, faculty affairs, development and human resources.

11


In addition, she monitors and approves all expenditures to make sure they comply with university and agency guidelines. kathy submits all faculty and

staff salary distributions into the financial system and manages “effort reporting” for the Department.

When she first started, kathy had a lot to tackle—improving the accounts payable, grants management, and the grant submission process were significant undertakings. “Serving as Department Administrator has been one of my most rewarding and challenging professional experiences,” says kathy.

“kathy has done an excellent job in organizing the administrative and financial aspects of the Department,” says Anthony Pramberger, Jr., the Vice Dean of Finance and Administration for the Mailman School. “She has worked tirelessly to improve processes within the Department to provide better support to the faculty. kathy’s posi-tive can-do attitude is appreciated by all who come into contact with her,” he adds.

kathy talks about the privilege of work-ing with a ‘dream team’: “Since I started, I have been fortunate to hire Neil Rhodes, Christina McCarthy, and Erica Peña—all experienced, highly dedicated profes-sionals and wonderful additions to the Department. They join Emily Alexandrino, our other highly competent Senior Cluster Administrator and all will continue to contribute strongly to advancing the goals of the Department of Epidemiology.”

“kathy faced a difficult task when she first came, to put the office into financial order, which took her several months of very long days, evenings and hard work. As a consequence she was remarkably successful, and we in the department owe her a debt of gratitude,” says Dr. William Friedewald, Department Vice Chair.

The focus and drive that characterize kathy’s efforts on the job are also evident in her private life. An avid sportswoman, she can be found playing golf, softball or basketball in her hours away from the office.

SENIOR STAFF PROFILEkATHLEEN DODD

As the Department Administrator, Kathy Dodd manages the financial operations for the Department. Her job responsibilities include preparing and updating quarterly the Department’s annual budget, managing the pre-award and post-award process for all grants, and managing accounts payable.

The fruits of Kathy’s efforts are best summed up by the numbers

NUMBER OF EPI ACCOUNTS

NUMBER OF GRANTS SUBMITTED IN LAST FISCAL YEAR (Fy09-10)

RANkING AMONG MAILMAN UNITS IN FIScaL yEar (Fy09-10) FOR NUMBER OF GRANTS SUBMITTED

ACTIVE FUNDED PROJECTS IN THE DEPARTMENT (FEDERAL AND PrIVaTE) ThIS FIScaL yEar (Fy10-11)

FUNDING FOR FIScaL (Fy09-10)

PRESENT FUNDING FOr (Fy10-11)

TOTAL “LIFETIME” WORTH OF CURRENT GRANTS (DIRECT and IndIrEcT)

>200

159

1

95

$15.2 MIL.

$17 MIL. AND STILL GROWING

$75 MIL.

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Since the introduction of the cluster structure, the four SCAs, Christina McCarthy, Emily Milligan Alexandrino, Erica Peña and Neil Rhodes, took on the critical role of coordinating the day-to-day functions of the six clusters so each operates smoothly,

efficiently and cohesively. The SCAs are the go-to people for all admin-istrative, financial and human resources support within a cluster.

The SCAs bring a wide variety of experiences to the job.Christina McCarthy has been with the Mailman School of Public

Health since September 2006. Her previous experience as a Finance Administrator for International Center for AIDS Care and Treatment Programs (ICAP) and Program Manager for Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiologic Research (CIDER) prepared her well for both the financial and grant management responsibilities of the Senior Cluster Administrator position. She came to the Department in november 2009 and has been an Sca since July.

Emily Milligan Alexandrino came to the SCA role as a public health student herself. Her interest in the field began when she lived in Brazil, working in under-privileged communities. It was further sparked by her travel to Nicaragua with the United Nations Population Fund, where she “met researchers through whom I lived vicariously in stories of their global adventures.” She decided to pursue project management because it kept her involved with public health while allowing her to develop skills in the finances of grant management.

Erica Peña, who started in November, has dedicated much of her career to public administration, citing her desire to be a part of the process that drives a department forward. She has worked at Columbia University/Weill Cornell Medical College for several years in many different administrative capacities, most recently in the Department of Biochemistry.

Neil Rhodes came to the position with experience in development and finance. As an undergraduate at Northwestern University, he led several student fundraising campaigns in the school’s development office. After college, he continued to work in development for UCLA. At Columbia’s Department of Medicine, he managed clinical and research revenue as the business manager in the Division of He-matology/Oncology. He came to Epidemiology to focus on research operations and administration.

The SCAs work directly with Department Administrator kathy Dodd and the Sponsored Projects Administration on grant submissions. They also administer all post-award functions on grants and con-tracts and work with kathy to develop a budget for their clusters and the Department. They also support cluster faculty by assisting in the preparation of manuscripts for publication.

Given such varied responsibilities, SCAs must communicate with multiple stakeholders, including faculty, the administration, and outside institutions. “The SCA is responsible for coordinating relationships and collaborations within and between clusters so that the intellectual enterprise of the Department is nurtured and culti-vated in order to maximize our ability to be global leaders in public health,” according to Neil, the SCA for the Psych/Neuro Cluster.

Additionally, the SCAs work hard “to create an environment in which the cluster staff can work collaboratively to ensure that the academic and research objectives of the cluster faculty are realized, and to ensure that each member of the cluster feels connected to the mission of the Department as a whole,” as Christina, who is the SCA for Infectious Disease and Lifecourse Clusters, puts it.

Also important, said Emily, who is a Mailman MPH herself and the SCA for the Epidemiology Innovation and Social Epidemiology Clusters, is promoting well-being within the clusters. “I encourage my colleagues to pursue a healthy balance between work, family, and other ambitions, whatever those goals may be,” she said.

Part of the SCAs job is to worry about administrative issues so researchers do not have to. “The investigators shouldn’t worry about, ‘is somebody going to sign off on this?’” said Erica, SCA for the Chronic Disease Cluster. “We want them to put all of that energy into focusing on their research.”

SENIOR CLUSTER ADMINISTRATORSCHRISTINA MCCARTHY, EMILY MILLIGAN ALEXANDRINO, ERICA PEÑA, AND NEIL RHODES

The Epidemiology Departments’ senior cluster administrators (SCA) keep the wheels of grant manage-ment moving and are central to facilitating the collaboration that goes on through the cluster system. LEFT TO RIGHT: ERICA PEÑA, NEIL RHODES, CHRISTINA MCCARTHY & EMILY MILLIGAN ALEXANDRINO

SPA Sponsored Projects AdministrationIRB Institutional Review BoardMSPH Mailman School of Public HealthHR Human ResourcesFAS Financial Accounting System

KEY

PI Principal InvestigatorSCA Senior Cluster AdministratorRFA Request for ApplicationsRASCAL Research Compliance and Administration System DA Department Administrator

SPBA Sponsored Project Budget AuthorizationNOA Notice of AwardWebSAF Web Salary Accounting FormSPF Sponsored Projects FinanceFSR Financial Status Report

3 MONTHS BEFORE AGENCY DEADLINE

2 MONTHS BEFORE AGENCY DEADLINE

10 BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE AGENCY DEADLINE

5 BUSINESS DAYS BEFORE AGENCY DEADLINE

BEFORE THE NOTICE OF AWARD

NOTICE OF AWARD

SAME DAY AS NOTICE OF AWARD

1 DAY AFTER NOTICE OF AWARD

WITHIN 10 DAYS OF NOTICE OF AWARD

SAME DAY AS SPBA IS RECEIVED

WITHIN 30 DAYS OF NOTICE OF AWARD

MINIMUM OF 6 WEEKS AFTER NOTICE OF AWARD

4 MONTHS PRIOR TO END OF BUDGET PERIOD

2.5 MONTHS PRIOR TO END OF BUDGET PERIOD

2.25 MONTHS PRIOR TO END OF BUDGET PERIOD

1 DAY AFTER AGENCY AWARDS FUNDS FOR NEW BUDGET PERIOD


WITHIN 30 DAYS AFTER THE END OF THE BUDGET PERIOD

1 DAY AFTER AGENCY AWARDS CARRYOVER FUNDS


4 MONTHS PRIOR TO END OF PROJECT PERIOD

1 DAY AFER END OF PROJECT PERIOD

WITHIN 90 DAYS AFTER THE END OF THE PROJECT PERIOD

■ PI meets with SCA to review RFA and develop budget

■ PI and SCA meet to finalize budget; SCA develops and compiles biosketches, subcontract proposals, letters of support, in-kind letters, RASCAL approvals, Facilities and Resources, etc; SCA submits Decision Analysis (if applicable) to DA, Department Chair, and MSPH Finance for approval

■ SCA submits a draft of the proposal (not including science) to SPA for review

■ PI finalizes science; SCA submits a final version of the proposal to SPA, including science and addressing all comments from first review; Project Officer in SPA submits proposal to the agency; SCA gives DA a copy of proposal, including RASCAL, salary letters, in-kind letters, budget, Decision Analysis, etc.

■ SCA collects and submits Other Support and Proof of Training in the Protection of Human Subjects to Project Officer; Project Officer in turn submits these materials to Agency.

■ PI Submits protocol to IRB for review

■ PI meets with SCA, DA and Department HR to review hiring plans

■ The Notice of Award or signed agreement is sent to Columbia from the agency

■ PI and SCA meet to develop budget based on award; SCA submits budget and IRB to SPA and DA

■ Department HR submits position requisition to DA for review

■ DA submits position requisition to MSPH HR

■ SPA creates FAS account

■ SCA and DA meet to update cluster grant spreadsheet and attestation spreadsheet with new FAS account number; SCA meets with DA to create project file/notebook and to input Budget Tool entries for FAS account and to complete the appropriate WebSAFs SCA submits subcontract request paperwork to SPA

■ SPA will issue SPBA to DA

■ SCA meets with DA to update project file with SBPA and backup documentation

■ SCA receives fully executed subcontract agreement and creates Purchase Order for the subcontract

■ New project personnel can start work

■ SCA meets with PI and DA to prepare progress report and to spend unobligated balance left on the account

■ SCA submits draft of progress report (not including science) to Project Officer in SPA for review

■ PI finalizes science for progress report; SCA submits final progress report to Project Officer in SPA for review; Project Officer submits progress report to agency; SCA submits a copy to DA

■ SCA submits budget for next budget period’s funds to Project Officer in SPA; Project Officer adds funds to FAS account and issues SPBA to DA

■ SCA meets with DA to update project file with SPBA and backup documentation; SCA provides DA with updated budget for next budget period’s funds

■ SCA meets with PI to prepare carryover request; carryover request is submitted to DA and by Project Officer to agency

■ SCA submits budget for carryover funds to Project Officer in SPA and DA; Project Officer adds funds to FAS account and issues SPBA to DA

■ SCA meets with DA to update project file with SPBA and backup documentation

■ SCA meets with PI to prepare competitive renewal proposal or to request no-cost extension; SCA notifies DA of the renewal or NCE

■ SCA prepares final reconcilliation for SPF; SPF submits FSR to agency and to DA

■ PI submits final invention statement and final report to SCA; SCA ensures that these materials are submitted to the agency and to DA

PR

E-A

WA

RD

| MO

NT

HS

1–

3P

OS

T-A

WA

RD

| MO

NT

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4–

15

PO

ST

-AW

AR

D | M

ON

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S 1

6-1

8

D E TA I L N E X T PA G E →

LIFE CYCLE OF A GRANT


KEY



LIFE CYCLE OF A GRANT

DAILY MONTHLY QUARTERLY ANNUALLY

■ SCA processes invoices, expense reports, service agreements, purchase orders, etc.

■ Original AP/CAR transaction paperwork must be given to DA within 24 hours after it is entered into the financial system. DA keeps originals and SCA keeps the copies

■ SCA monitors accounts, reconciles expenses, performs cost transfers and clears overdrafts as needed; direct and IC overdrafts are not permitted by CUMC

■ SCA monitors attendance of project staff

■ SCA meets with PI monthly to provide PI with financial report; PI provides SCA with spending forecast

■ DA monitors SCA’s files and reviews account reconciliations

■ Project staff submit attendance records to SCA; SCA reviews with PIs and submits records to Department HR; SCAs submit their attendance records to DA

■ SCA meets with DA quarterly to update Budget Tool entries for FAS account based on PI’s spending forecast

■ SCA meets with PI quarterly to review and sign grant attestations; DA reviews account reconciliations with SCA monthly; SCA gives grant attestations to DA immediately after they are signed; DA keeps original attestations

■ PI reviews effort quarterly but can only certify annually; DA processes all effort certifications

■ PI meets with SCA & DA to submit effort certification

■ PI meets with SCA to review and submit performance evaluations for project staff to Department HR; DA meets with SCA to perform performance evaluations

P O S T - A W A R D | M O N T H S 4 – 1 5

GUIDE TOADMINISTRATION

15

New Employee Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Day to Day Operations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

IT/Telecommunications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Human Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Grants and Finance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

16


New Employee InformationHow

do I?

GUIDE TO ADMINISTRATION

Get started as new employee/faculty member?

Associate Director of HR and Faculty Affairs, Brian Van Buren [email protected], will provide you with a welcome letter and hire packet including your official hire date, including benefits information, UNI, and the date of your mandatory new employee orientation. The new employee orientation provides all new employees with mandatory HIPAA training, plus valuable informa-tion of work/life and resources at Columbia, as well as guidance about enrolling for the benefits that best suit your personal needs. Most benefits selections MUST be made within 30 days of your start date.

Select a benefits package?

You will learn about benefits options that are available to you at your new employee orientation, and you will be able to complete your benefits enrollment online at http://my.columbia.edu once your hire is confirmed and your UNI is activated. The Benefits Department at Columbia will send you an e-mail approximately 2 weeks after your start date alerting you that you can en-roll online. For questions about benefits, please call the Benefits Hotline at 212-851-7000. Note that most benefits MUST be elected within 30 days of your start date.

Activate a UNI?

On your first day of work, Brian Van Buren will provide you with your University Network ID. Once you have this, you can activate your UNI and set a password at:

■ http://uni.columbia.edu

Click on “Activate a NEW Account.” Please bookmark this page as it also contains guides to changing your password, setting email away messages, etc.

Get an ID Card?

The CUID allows access to University facilities, services, and resources, including libraries and gyms. The Health Science ID Center is in P&S, Room 1-405C. If you are getting an ID for the first time, please bring a photo ID and your UNI. Should you lose your ID, please report it immediately to SECURITY and request a new ID. The CUMC Security Office asks that your CUID be visible above the waistline at all times.

Enroll in Direct Deposit?

If you want to enroll in the University’s direct deposit payroll program, you can do so online from http://my.columbia.edu, using the Faculty & Staff tab. You’ll need to have your checking or savings account and bank routing number to enroll.

Get Around Campus?

■ Campus map: http://cumc.columbia.edu/map

■ Guide to the campus and surrounding community: http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/sites/cumc/files/campusguide.pdf

Submit bi-weekly timesheets/officer timecards/casual timesheets?

All time record documents should be submitted to Brian Van Buren: [email protected] (MSPH 15th floor, Room 1510) with authorized supervisory signature.(Note: overtime hours must be initialed by supervisor.)

■ Bi-weekly timesheets for Support Staff Association (SSA) and casual employees are due every other Wednesday.

■ Officer timecards are due at the end of every month

Get paid?

■ SSA and casual employees are paid every other Friday.

■ Officers are paid twice monthly.

Checks and stubs should be picked up on the appropri-ate days from Brian Van Buren by one designated staff member from each cluster. (Officers with direct deposit will not receive a check stub.)

17


Day to Day OperationsHow

do I?


Get Medical Attention or Report an Accident?

CUMC Workforce Health and Safety, located at the Harkness Pavilion 1st Floor (212-305-7580), is available to serve all employees who require medical attention while at work.

If you experience a work-related injury or illness, please alert your supervisor and Brian Van Buren, Associate Director of Faculty Affairs and HR, at [email protected], 5-1825, as soon as possible.

Report a potential security problem?

To prevent against theft, it is important that unoccupied offices are kept locked and valuables kept out of sight. Should you see anyone suspicious, do not hesitate to call the MSPh security desk at 2-1905. In an emergency, please dial 5-7979. To speak to a sergeant or report an incident, call 5-8100.

Acquire office supplies?

Supplies can be purchased through your Senior Cluster Administrator.

Request meeting space, audiovisual equipment, chairs, and refreshments?

The Department of Epidemiology currently maintains 3 conference spaces: 15th fl (Rm. 1514); 8th fl (Rm. 812A); and the 7th fl (rm. 739a). If none of our rooms are available you will be directed to other departments within the school.

To request the use of a conference room send an email to Ebony king at [email protected]. Requests must include the date and time needed, whether or not refreshments will be served, the number of attendees, and the account number to be charged (if applicable). A/V and/or chair orders, set up, and breakdown are han-dled by core administrative staff, and coordinated through Ebony king. In her absence, Meeting requests should be directed to Anthony Diaz [email protected].

Meeting space should be requested as early as possible, with the understanding that some locations (particu-larly large ones) are booked far in advance. Last minute requests for space can be hard to accommodate. This is also true for A/V equipment and chairs.

Refreshments should be ordered by the individual unit, but core staff can assure that food delivery and set up go smoothly if Ebony is informed of the arrangements in advance. Core staff will also assist in breaking down and cleaning up after the meeting. A copy of the signed delivery receipt indicating grand total, names of at-tendees, and account number to be charged must be submitted to the Department Administrator’s office (see Mirtha Delvalle in Rm. 1506).

Get assistance with large copy jobs?

Routine small copying must be performed by the staff of the individual unit. To obtain a code for the copier nearest you, please see Ebony king (Rm. 1502). Anthony Diaz on the 7th floor and Ebony king on the 15th floor are available to assist with large copy jobs. Ample notice and clear instructions should be submitted in writing whenever possible. We’d like to try and use CUMC Print Services for large jobs when we can, in order to reduce the burden on our department copy machines. If you have a very large copy job, please contact your SCA to arrange with CUMC print services. SCAs with questions about how to proceed can get in touch with Ebony king. 24 hour notice is required, as well as an account number to charge, and most jobs can be submitted electronically.

Scan Documents?

Scanners are located on the 7th 8th and 15th floors. Each floor is equipped with a dual-functioning copier that has the ability to scan directly to email and Accounts Payable. See Anthony Diaz or Ebony king for assistance.

Especially large scan jobs can be provided by outside vendors (see CU Preferred Vendors http://procure-ment.columbia.edu/purchasing/pv_list.html). We are currently working on how to better service the depart-ment in this area.

Send/receive letters/packages VIA the USPS?

Only business mail can be processed in the Epidemiology mail room. No personal mail or packages may be accepted.

Domestic USPS mail that requires postage can be left in the 7th floor mailroom (740). Be sure to include your four-digit postage code in the top right hand corner and it will be mailed. (See your SCA for the appropriate four-digit code). Mass mailings (50+), will be stamped but the requesting unit is responsible for getting them to the mail slot. See Anthony Diaz for questions involving postage.

Per recent federal law, any item over 13 ounces must be brought to the local post office.

International USPS mail has the same instructions as domestic.

Fed Ex domestic and International air bills are available on the 7th floor from Anthony Diaz and the 15th floor from Mirtha Delvalle. Please be sure to reference your FAS account number on the air bill for billing purposes, and give the original receipt back to Anthony or Mirtha.

Internal (Epi Department) interoffice mail is picked up and delivered daily for 722, twice weekly for the towers located at 100 Haven Ave.

18



A mailbox will be assigned to you and labeled with your name or the name of your group for the receipt of your incoming mail on your respective floor.

Make a general request/complaint regarding maintenance?

Contact Ebony king via e-mail [email protected] or call 212-305-0895 to make a report or request regard-ing heating/cooling, power, broken items, signage, keys/locks, leaks, add-ons, trash/recycling, paint, hanging boards/art, shelving installation, routine cleaning, light-ing, pest control, furniture replacement/removal, noise complaints, carpet shampoo, telephone etc. Ebony will arrange service from the appropriate facilities staff. If you experience delays in response to the problem, please get back to Ebony directly so she can intervene.

Request new or changed office space and coordi-nation of office moves?

Submit request to Ebony king [email protected], who will review with the Department Chair, and if approved, coordinate the operational aspects of the new office/move.

Recycle?

Each office is equipped with a blue container for recy-cling paper. These should be emptied into the large blue recycling receptacles on each floor. Shredded paper must be bagged. Cardboard boxes should be placed NEXT to the receptacle.

Each floor also has a large blue receptacle designated for recycling glass, metal and plastic.

Dispose of toner?

Old toner cartridges for printers/copiers cannot be thrown in the garbage. Place them in the grey toner re-cycle boxes located in your area. Please find out if your toner was purchased for “use and return”, if so, please place your used cartridge in a box with the provided label and leave at the UPS box located in the main lobby.

(CONTINUED FROM P. 17)How

do I?

19


IT/TelecommunicationsHow

do I?


Get help with a computer related issue?

For problems, please call 5-HELP and an IT technician will assist you over the phone or arrange for on-site service.

You may also visit the Columbia University Biomedical and Health Information Services web site at http://cubhis.org to report a problem.

New computer installations, IP registrations, Exchange/ Domain accounts, or network port activations can be requested by Ebony king [email protected] 5-0895. (Note: not all employees are eligible for exchange ac-counts). Port activation can take as long as one week to process; IP registration can take up to four days; Exchange accounts can take up to two weeks to finalize.

You may also order new computers and other peripher-als with Ebony. Please have your specifications available.

Acquire new software?

You will find the latest free software downloads, such MS office and Semantic (Norton) antivirus, on the CUB-HIS website. SAS and SPSS licenses may be purchased through the department at a discount. The Department places a bulk order for each one each year: SPSS is generally purchased in September, and SAS in Novem-ber. Please contact your SCA to arrange to purchase/renew a SAS/SPSS license.

Use my phone?

Visit the CUMC Telecommunication website: http://cumc.columbia.edu/it/telcom/telcom.html#instruction for a comprehensive explanation of telephone features, charges, and instructions.

If you need to place long distance calls (US domestic, tri-state, international, or Caribbean), please see Ebony King (5-0895) to have an authorization code assigned to you. Telephone billing is managed through our Finance team and questions re: billing should be directed to kathy Dodd in Rm. 1507 or Mirtha Delvalle in Rm. 1506.

Request telephone repairs/changes/installa-tions/disconnections/assistance?

Via e-mail to Ebony king [email protected]. Tele-communications requests have a standard turnaround time of up to two weeks with some exceptions.

20


Human ResourcesHow

do I?


Hire Casual Employees?

Casual employees are paid hourly. They are part-time, non-salaried employees, and are not eligible for bene-fits. The scope of work for casuals includes clerical and research duties only. Casual employees are not eligible for benefits. Casuals can work up to 40 hours weekly at a regular hourly rate. Excess of 40 hours must be paid to the casual at 1.5x the hourly rate. Casual employees that are NOT Columbia University students must pass a drug screening and background check to be hired. Additionally, non-student casuals are permitted to work only four consecutive months in a calendar year, or 560 hours (whichever arrives first). Following these limits, casuals must be hired into a regular, salaried position, or their employment must be terminated.

If you need to hire a casual employee, please contact your Senior Cluster Administrator (SCA) approximately one week before you would like the employee to begin working. SCAs will work with the departmental staff, and the following steps will be taken:

■ Step 1: SCA checks with kathy Dodd to confirm availability of funds (e.g., DARTS summary statement) and availability of workspace

■ Step 2: SCA and PI develop proposal for duration of employment, hourly rate, and number of hours per week

■ Step 3: SCA provides Brian Van Buren with account number, hourly rate, number of hours per week, and contact information for casual employee

■ Step 4: Brian contacts casual employee to arrange for employment paperwork and drug screening (where necessary)

■ Step 5: casual completes I-9 processing, at which point s/he can begin recording hours

Hire Support Staff?

Supporting Staff Association (SSA) employees are regular, salaried employees of the University. SSA employees working at least 20 hours weekly are entitled to benefits. Their scope of work includes clerical and research duties. These employees are members of the 1199 United healthcare Workers East union, and many of the conditions of their employment are governed by the collective bargaining agreement between 1199 and Columbia. SSA employees are paid bi-weekly and must submit bi-weekly timesheets. They are also eligible for 1.5x overtime pay if their work week exceeds 35 hours. The salary grades for SSA employees are fixed. Poli-cies concerning raises, performance evaluations, and disciplinary procedures for SSA employees differ from other employment categories, per the negotiations of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Hire Officers of Administration?

Officers of Administration are regular, salaried employ-ees of the University. Officers working at least 20 hours weekly are entitled to benefits. Their scope of work may include administrative assistance and management, supervision of other employees, financial oversight, and other duties requiring independent judgment. Officers are paid semi-monthly, and their starting salaries fall into a range based on pre-determined job grades that are commensurate with the employee’s experience. Officers do not submit timesheets; their attendance is instead recorded through monthly vacation accrual reports.

If you need to hire an SSA or Officer of Administration, please contact your Senior Cluster Administrator (SCA) approximately six weeks before you would like the em-ployee to begin working. SCAs will work with the departmental staff, and the following steps will be taken:

■ Step 1: SCA checks with kathy Dodd to confirm availability of funds (e.g., DARTS summary statement) and availability of workspace

■ Step 2: SCA drafts job description (with PI or other supervisor) and sends to Brian Van Buren, along with proposed title and salary

■ Step 3: Brian Van Buren reviews job descriptions and proposal to ensure guidelines and standards are met, and then, to initiate recruitment from MSPH HR (Salary Review Committee)

■ Step 4: Position is approved and posted online for a minimum of 5 business days

■ Step 5: PI and SCA interview at least three applicants and notify Brian of selectee

■ Step 6: Brian contacts selectee to arrange for background check (OOA and SSA) and drug screening (SSA only)

■ Step 7: Upon clearance of background check and screening, SCA and PI make job offer and determine start date with selectee

■ Step 8: Brian contacts selectee to complete employment paperwork and I-9

21



Keep track of staff attendance and vacation time?

Casual and SSA employees must submit bi-weekly timesheets to the Department. Timesheets are to be signed by the employee’s direct supervisor and also initialed by his or her Senior Cluster Administrator. Em-ployees deliver signed timesheets to Brian Van Buren by 5:00 pm every other Wednesday.

Officers of Administration submit monthly vacation accrual forms to the Department. These forms record all vacation, personal, and sick days taken each month. Accrual forms are to be signed by the employee’s direct supervisor and also initialed by his or her Senior Cluster Administrator. Employees deliver signed forms to Brian Van Buren by the first working day of every month.

SSA employees and Officers of Administration wishing to take vacation must submit a departmental vacation accrual request to their Senior Cluster Administrator at least one month prior to the beginning of the requested vacation period. SCAs maintain a vacation calendar for their respective clusters and therefore must be notified in advance of staff member vacation plans.

Evaluate my employees’ progress and development?

All SSA employees and Officers of Administration must be given a yearly performance appraisal. The Depart-ment asks all supervisors and SCAs to conduct these during the months of February and March. Principal investigators and SCAs collaborate to evaluate each staff member’s performance and identify goals for the coming year, and each employee is able to review the evaluation before it is given to the Department. Annual salary increases are dependent on performance evalua-tions being completed by the Department and Mailman School’s deadlines.

SSA employees must receive a one-time probationary performance review at the end of their third month of employment. This is in addition to the annual perfor-mance evaluation that each SSA employee received during the spring.

(CONTINUED FROM P. 20)How

do I?

22

Grants and FinanceFAQ


What is the process for submitting a grant pro-posal from start to finish—and what is the grant life cycle after an award is made?

(See graphic on page 13)

What are the Principal Investigator’s respon-sibilities for financial oversight of grants and contracts?

The University’s Administrative Policy Library includes policies applicable to PIs of sponsored projects. The policy can be accessed at http://policylibrary.columbia.edu/principal-investigator-responsibilities-financial-oversight-grants-contracts

What are the rules and guidelines for travel and business expense reimbursements?

The University’s Administrative Policy Library and the online Finance Gateway provide guidance for what types of travel and expense reimbursements are reimbursable:

■ http://policylibrary.columbia.edu/travel-expense-policy

■ http://policylibrary.columbia.edu/business-expense-policy

■ http://finance.columbia.edu/procurement/ap/travel-business_expenses/travel/travel.html

What should I be looking for when I review my grant attestations?

Grant attestations and the backup documentation from DARTS (Columbia’s accounting system) are submitted quarterly but should be reviewed monthly by the SCA and the principal investigator to ensure that the expenses incurred are appropriate and directly related to the proj-ect account to which they were charged. The Office of the Controller performs regular audits of grant attestations, and as such, it is critical to comply with this process and to review the attestations in a timely manner.

What is the effort reporting process and what do I need to do to certify my effort?

Effort reporting is the federally-mandated process by which the salary charged to a sponsored project is certified as being reasonable in relation to the effort expended on that project. All Officers of Instruction and Officers of Research other than postdocs (“Faculty”) who receive sponsored project funding or apply effort

to any sponsored projects are required to certify their own effort annually. Principal investigators are required to certify the effort of postdocs, graduate students and staff funded by their grants. Effort certification is completed once per year via https://ecrt.columbia.edu after PIs certify the DA processes all employees. (Note: effort reporting can be reviewed quarterly, but can only be certified annually.)

What do I do when faculty in another department want to put me on a grant proposal?

If a faculty member in another department wishes to include you in a proposal, please provide his or her administrator with the name and contact information of your SCA. The SCA will coordinate with that department to secure RASCAL approvals, salary confirmations, etc.

How do I know if I have automatic carryover authority?

The Notice of Award or subaward agreement for a sponsored project will generally indicate whether prior authorization is required in order to carry over an un-obligated balance from one budget period to the next. If prior authorization is required, an official request to the agency should be prepared, including a budget for how the carryover funds will be spent as well as a detailed justification.

When are progress reports due on my projects?

For NIH awards, progress reports are generally due 2 months prior to the end of the current budget period. For NIH awards subject to eSNAP (Electronic Stream-lined Noncompeting Award Process), progress reports are due 6 weeks prior to the end of the current budget period. For non-NIH awards, the Notice of Award and/or subaward agreement should provide details, including deadlines, for submitting progress reports.

What materials are needed by SPA and/or the agency for my progress report?

The required documentation for progress reports general-ly includes (at a minimum) the budget for the next budget period, RASCAL, and scientific report—but the materials required can vary greatly depending on the type of award. Your SCA will be able to determine what is required.


KEY



23



How soon after the end of a budget period do I need to request carryover?

Carryover should be requested as soon as possible after the FSR (financial status report) is generated by SPF.

What is the accounts payable process?

SCAs are responsible for assuring that accounts payable transactions are entered promptly into the AP/CAR sys-tem and for assuring that original paperwork for these transactions is given to the DA within 24 hours after they are entered into the system. (All original paperwork is kept on file in the DA’s office.)

How often do I need to review my salary accounting?

Salary accounting should be reviewed by the SCAs on a daily basis, and updates need to be submitted via a Web-SAF. Your SCA will alert you when it is time to review salary accounting in order to plan any adjustments or to find alternative funding sources, should you experience a lapse in salary funding.

How do I ensure that I spend all of my grant funds before the end of the budget period?

You should meet with your SCA regularly to develop and update a plan for spending project funds. All expenses for which current budget period funds are to be used must be reflected in the accounting system well in advance of the end of the budget period in order; there-fore, it is critical to provide your SCA with enough time to process purchase orders, invoices, and Travel and Business Expense reimbursements before the end of the budget period.

When can I rebudget grant funds and what is the process for rebudgeting?

Rebudgeting authority varies from project to project. Check with your SCA to inquire about the process for reallocating funds from one expense category into another.

What needs to be reported in the current and future FY Budget Tool?

The SCAs will work with the DA to update the Budget Tool on an ongoing basis. Therefore, it is critical that any anticipated changes in spending or reallocation of funds for current or future budget periods be immediately communicated to the SCA, so that the Budget Tool can be updated accordingly. Your SCA will meet with you regularly to discuss budgets and to make projections for current and future fiscal year spending.

What do I need to do if my NIH proposal exceeds $500K direct costs in any year?

For applications requesting $500,000 or more direct costs for any year, applicants must seek agreement to accept assignment from Institute/Center staff at least 6 weeks prior to the anticipated submission of any application. This policy does not apply to applications submitted in response to RFAs or in response to other Announcements that include specific budgetary limits. Your SCA can assist in drafting a request to go above the $500k limit. SPA requires that these requests include a detailed budget for the entire project period.

If I serve on an NIH study section do I have the authority to submit proposals after the standard deadlines?

An alternative submission policy is available for certain applications submitted listing as PD/PI individuals serv-ing as appointed members of NIH chartered standing study sections, NIH Boards of Scientific Counselors, NIH Advisory Boards or Councils, NIH Program Advisory Committees, and/or peer reviewers who have served as regular or temporary members six times in 18 months. This policy applies to R01, R21, and R34 applications that would normally be received on standard applica-tion submission dates (not special receipt dates). Your SCA should attach proof of your eligibility for continuous submission to the cover letter portion of your proposal.

What if the NIH deadline falls on a holiday or a weekend?

When a standard NIH postmark/submission date falls on a weekend or Federal holiday, the application dead-line is automatically extended to the next business day. If the submission deadline shifts beyond the expiration date of the FOA, applicants submitting electronically may receive a warning message from Grants.gov. This warning will not keep your application from processing through Grants.gov.

What are the standard application due dates for the NIH proposal cycle?

■ http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/submissionschedule.htm

How do I submit an “unsolicited” or “investigator-initiated” grant proposal?

Program announcements for investigator-initiated proposals can be found at:

■ http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/parent_announcements.htm

(CONTINUED FROM P. 22)FAQ

24



Barbara Aaron 212 305-4680Administrative Director Room [email protected]

Emily Alexandrino 212 305-6718Senior Cluster AdministratorSocial EpidemiologyEpidemiology InnovationRoom [email protected]

Mirtha Delvalle 212 305-6226Financial CoordinatorRoom [email protected]

Anthony Diaz 212 305-9539Operations Clerk7th fl [email protected]

Kathleen Dodd 212 305-0695Department AdministratorRoom [email protected]

Elizabeth Ferrari 212 342-4552Project Manager for Academic ProgramsRoom [email protected]

Ebony King 212 305-0895Administrative Manager of OperationsRoom [email protected]

Directory

Department of Epidemiology Central Administrative StaffImportant Emergency Phone Numbers

Christina McCarthy 212 305-7171Senior Cluster AdministratorInfectious Disease EpidemiologyLifecourse Epidemiology Room [email protected]

Erica Peña 212 305-8313Senior Cluster AdministratorChronic Disease Epidemiology Room [email protected]

Neil Rhodes 212 305-9557Business ManagerSenior Cluster AdministratorPsych and Neuro Epidemiology Room [email protected]

Brian Van Buren 212 305-1825Associate Director of Faculty Affairs and HRRoom [email protected]

Liliane Zaretsky 212 305-9410Associate Director of Academic ProgramsRoom [email protected]

Security

212-305-8100

Emergency Fire/Smoke

212-305-7979

Biohazards 212-305-6780

Cardiac Arrest 212-305-9999

Medical Emergency 212-305-7979

Facilities (Emergency Only)

212-305-0303

Environmental Health and Safety

212-305-5603

Workforce Health and Safety

212-305-7580

25


FACULTY ARTICLE BIBLIOGRAPHYNOVEMBER 2010

LISTED ALPHABETICALLY BY FIRST AUTHOR

Abdool karim Q, kharsany AB, Frohlich JA, Werner L, Mashego M, Mlotshwa M, Madlala BT, Ntombela F, Abdool karim SS. Stabilizing HIV prevalence masks high HIV incidence rates amongst rural and urban women in kwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Int J Epidemiol. 2010 Nov 3. [Epub ahead of print]

Argos M, Pierce BL, van Geen A, Graziano J, Ahsan H. Arsenic exposure from drinking water and mortality in bangladesh - authors’ reply. Lancet. 2010;376(9753):1642.

Bresnahan M, Zhuang J. Exploration and validation of the dimensions of stigma. J Health Psychol. 2010 Nov 1. [Epub ahead of print]

Brown AS, McGrath JJ. The Prevention of Schizophrenia. Schizophr Bull. 2010 Oct 27. [Epub ahead of print]

Capps LL. Ua Neeb khu: A Hmong American Healing Cer-emony. J Holist Nurs. 2010 Nov 1. [Epub ahead of print]

Carlos JA, Bingham TA, Stueve A, Lauby J, Ayala G, Millett GA, Wheeler D. The Role of Peer Support on Condom Use among Black and Latino MSM in Three Urban Areas. AIDS Educ Prev. 2010;22(5):430-44.

Cates W, Abdool karim Q, El-Sadr W, Haffner DW, kalema-Zikusoka G, Rogo k, Petruney T, Averill EM. Global develop-ment. Family planning and the Millennium Development Goals. Int J Epidemiol. 2010 Nov 3. [Epub ahead of print]

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Goodwin PJ, Stambolic V, Lemieux J, Chen BE, Parulekar WR, Gelmon kA, Hershman DL, Hobday TJ, Ligibel JA, Mayer IA, Pritchard kI, Whelan TJ, Rastogi P, Shepherd LE. Evaluation of metformin in early breast cancer: a modification of the traditional paradigm for clinical testing of anti-cancer agents. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2010 Oct 26. [Epub ahead of print]

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TWO BY TWO

Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH Gelman Professor and Chair Department of Epidemiology

EDITOR

Barbara Aaron Administrative Director

ASSOCIATE EDITORS

Erin Gilbert Coordinator for Special Projects

Elaine Meyer Communications Coordinator

DESIGNER

Jon kalish

(PanScan). Cancer Causes Control. 2010;21(8):1213-25.

Mitchell P, Gopinath B, Wang JJ, McMahon CM, Schneider J, RochtcFive-Year Incidence and Progression of Hearing Impairment in an Older Population. Ear Hear. 2010 Nov 16. [Epub ahead of print]

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Newton-Cheh C, Johnson T, Gateva V, Tobin MD, Bochud M, Coin L, Najjar SS, Zhao JH, Heath SC, Eyheramendy S, Papadakis k, Voight BF, Scott LJ, Zhang F, Farrall M, Tanaka T, Wallace C, Chambers JC, khaw kT, Nilsson P, van der Harst P, Polidoro S, Grobbee DE, Onland-Moret NC, Bots ML, Wain LV, Elliott kS, Teumer A, Luan J, Lucas G, kuusisto J, Burton PR, Hadley D, McArdle WL, , Brown M, Dominiczak A, Newhouse SJ, Samani NJ, Webster J, Zeggini E, Beckmann JS, Bergmann S, Lim N, Song k, Vollenweider P, Waeber G, Waterworth DM, Yuan X, Groop L, Orho-Melander M, Allione A, Di Gregorio A, Guarrera S, Panico S, Ricceri F, Romanazzi V, Sacerdote C, Vineis P, Barroso I, Sandhu MS, Luben RN, Crawford GJ, Jousilahti P, Perola M, Boehnke M, Bonnycastle LL, Collins FS, Jackson AU, Mohlke kL, Stringham HM, Valle TT, Willer CJ, Berg-man RN, Morken MA, Döring A, Gieger C, Illig T, Meitinger T, Org E, Pfeufer A, Wichmann HE, kathiresan S, Marrugat J, O’Donnell CJ, Schwartz SM, Siscovick DS, Subirana I, Freimer NB, Hartikainen AL, McCarthy MI, O’Reilly PF, Peltonen L, Pouta A, de Jong PE, Snieder H, van Gilst WH, Clarke R, Goel A, Hamsten A, Peden JF, Seedorf U, Syvänen AC, Tognoni G, Lakatta EG, Sanna S, Scheet P, Schlessinger D, Scuteri A, Dörr M, Ernst F, Felix SB, Homuth G, Lorbeer R, Reffelmann T, Rettig R, Völker U, Galan P, Gut IG, Hercberg S, Lathrop GM, Zelenika D, Deloukas P, Soranzo N, Williams FM, Zhai G, Salomaa V, Laakso M, Elosua R, Forouhi NG, Völzke H, Uiterwaal CS, van der Schouw YT, Numans ME, Matullo G, Navis G, Berglund G, Bingham SA, kooner JS, Connell JM, Bandinelli S, Ferrucci L, Watkins H, Spector TD, Tuomilehto J, Altshuler D, Strachan DP, Laan M, Meneton P, Wareham NJ, Uda M, Jarvelin MR, Mooser V, Melander O, Loos RJ, Elliott P, Abecasis GR, Caulfield M, Munroe PB. Genome-wide association study identifies eight loci associated with blood pressure. Nat Genet. 2009;41(6):666-76.

Nirenberg A, Reame Nk, Cato kD, Larson EL. Oncology nurses’ use of national comprehensive cancer network clinical practice guidelines for chemotherapy-induced and febrile neutropenia. Oncol Nurs Forum. 2010;37(6):765-73.

Park SH, Jiang R, Piao S, Zhang B, kim EH, kwon HM, Jin XL, Lee BL, Ha NC. Structural and functional characteriza-tion of a highly specific serpin in the insect innate immunity. J Biol Chem. 2010 Nov 3. [Epub ahead of print]

Polis CB, Gray RH, Bwanika JB, kigozi G, kiwanuka N, Nalugoda F, kagaayi J, Lutalo T, Serwadda D, Wawer MJ. Effect of Hormonal Contraceptive Use Before HIV Sero-conversion on Viral Load Setpoint Among Women in Rakai, Uganda. J acquir Immune defic Syndr. 2010 nov 9. [Epub ahead of print]

Pressley JC, Mello MJ. Global injury surveillance: op-portunities and challenges. Inj Prev. 2010 Nov 10. [Epub ahead of print]

Quan PL, Firth C, Street C, Henriquez JA, Petrosov A, Tashmukhamedova A, Hutchison Sk, Egholm M, Osinubi MO, Niezgoda M, Ogunkoya AB, Briese T, Rupprecht CE, Lipkin WI. Identification of a severe acute respiratory syn-drome coronavirus-like virus in a leaf-nosed bat in Nigeria.

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Scheer FA, Hu k, Evoniuk H, kelly EE, Malhotra A, Hilton MF, Shea SA. Impact of the human circadian system, exer-cise, and their interaction on cardiovascular function. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Nov 8. [Epub ahead of print]

Schupf N, Zigman WB, Tang MX, Pang D, Mayeux R, Mehta P, Silverman W. Change in plasma A{beta} peptides and onset of dementia in adults with Down syndrome. Neurol-ogy. 2010;75(18):1639-44.

Siegel AB, Wang S, Jacobson JS, Hershman DL, Lim EA, Yu J, Ferrante L, Devaraj kM, Remotti H, Scrudato S, Halazun k, Emond J, Dove L, Brown RS, Neugut AI. Obesity and Mi-crovascular Invasion in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cancer Invest. 2010;28(10):1063-1069.

Singh R, Gaiha G, Werner L, Mckim k, Mlisana k, Luban J, Walker BD, Abdool karim SS, Brass AL, Ndung’u T. Asso-ciation of TRIM22 with Type 1 Interferon Response and Viral Control during Primary HIV-1 Infection. J Virol. 2010 Oct 27. [Epub ahead of print]

Sohel N, Vahter M, Ali M, Rahman M, Rahman A, kim-Streatfield P, kanaroglou PS, Persson LA. Spatial patterns of fetal loss and infant death in an arsenic-affected area in bangladesh. Int J health Geogr. 2010;9(1):53.

Valdez A, Neaigus A, kaplan C, Cepeda A. High rates of transitions to injecting drug use among Mexican American non-injecting heroin users in San Antonio, Texas (never and former injectors). Drug Alcohol Depend. 2010 Nov 12. [Epub ahead of print]

Vineis P, Chadeau-Hyam M. Integrating biomarkers into molecular epidemiological studies. Curr Opin Oncol. 2010 Nov 11. [Epub ahead of print]

Vineis P, Chuang SC, Vaissière T, Cuenin C, Ricceri F, Johansson M, Ueland P, Brennan P, Herceg Z. DNA meth-ylation changes associated with cancer risk factors and blood levels of vitamin metabolites in a prospective study. Epigenetics. 2011;6(2).

Vinkers DJ, Heytel FG, Matroos GM, Hermans kM, Hoek HW. Pre-trial psychiatric reports on Antillean suspected offenders in the Netherlands and on the Dutch Antilles. Tijdschr Psychiatr. 2010;52(11):745-752.

Weinstock RS, Brooks G, Palmas W, Morin PC, Teresi JA, Eimicke JP, Silver S, Izquierdo R, Goland R, Shea S. Less-ened decline in physical activity and impairment of older adults with diabetes with telemedicine and pedometer use: results from the IDEATel study. Age Ageing. 2010 Nov 16. [Epub ahead of print]

Wonpat-Borja AJ, Yang LH, Link BG, Phelan JC. Eugenics, genetics, and mental illness stigma in Chinese Americans. Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol. 2010 Nov 16. [Epub ahead of print]

Zablotska LB, Gong Z, Wang F, Holly EA, Bracci PM. Vitamin D, calcium, and retinol intake, and pancreatic cancer in a population-based case-control study in the San Francisco Bay area. Cancer Causes Control. 2010 Nov 12. [Epub ahead of print]