Sponsored Funds | Release Time Appointments
Release Time Appointments
Policies and Procedures
Purpose
The release time appointment transaction is the process by which a research grant or contract reimburses the salary and fringe benefits paid to state funded faculty and staff devoting effort to research grants and contracts. These funds are transferred as payments on a monthly basis to the appropriate unit's state IFR account.
Policy
Sponsored Funds Financial Management will review and process release time appointment transactions on Research Foundation accounts.
The following policies regarding release time appointment transfers must be adhered to:
- To avoid delays in processing, please be sure the release time appointment form is filled out completely (areas shaded in gray are for office use only).
- Two original signatures are required on all release time appointment forms, one signature from:
a) the Principal Investigator, the Co-PI, or other authorized signatory, and another signature from,
b) the Dean, Director or Chair of the appropriate department requesting the transfer to the SUNY IFR Account.
- Release time appointment transfers should be made in a timely manner - - within 90 days from the beginning of the appointment period. Any transactions submitted later than 90 days after the start of the period will be considered exceptions and the project manager must complete the transfer form and provide the following justification before the transfer will be considered:
a) A reason for the transfer
b) A description of why the cost is appropriate for the new account that is being charged
c) An explanation why the new award wasn't charged in the appropriate timeframe
- IFRs that are over 120 days late will be considered on a case by case basis only and only with proper justification. SFFM reserves the right to reject any transfer request which places the University at risk for an audit finding or disallowance.
All release time appointment transactions should be prepared for staff members who specifically commit effort on that project for that time period and percentage of time. Transactions temporarily set up on one award until another award is established are not acceptable and will not be processed.
Please keep in mind that certain cost transfers are suspect by their very nature and are to be avoided whenever possible. These include:
- Transfers to or between awards
- Transfers that are late (greater than 90 days after discovery of the error
- Transfers to a project occurring at the end of the project, thereby giving the appearance of utilizing funds inappropriately
- Transfers with an inadequate explanation
- Transfers between projects that clear an overrun on one of the projects
While it is understandable that there are sometimes extenuating circumstances such as an award being approved and/or funded late that can create the need for a cost transfer, we need to limit problem transfers to as few as possible and only when completely justified. In order to comply with federal regulations and requirement, we must insist that you follow the guidelines listed above.
- Sufficient funds must be available from the appropriate account to support the release time appointment request.
- The appointment period for the release time request must fall within the period of the employee's SUNY appointment and within the award period of the Research Foundation project.
- The reimbursement must comply with sponsor terms and conditions.
- Enter the salary to be transferred only. (Fringe benefits will automatically occur as per the current rate).
Reimbursement
The portion of the employee's salary and associated fringe benefits reimbursed through the release time process is based on:
- the SUNY employee's approved salary,
- The percent of effort the period will expend on the Research Foundation administered project, and
- the percent of the employee's salary paid by the sponsored project.
- These funds are transferred as payments on a monthly basis to the appropriate unit's state IFR account.
Review and Approval Process
The operations manager, the project director or co-project director, and the SUNY administrative officer must sign the Release Time Appointment/Change Form in order to certify that the assignment complies with Research Foundation and Sponsor policy.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING RELEASE TIME APPOINTMENT FORMS:
You may retrieve this form from our office web site under "Forms" or Click Here for a form.
Forms should be completed anytime requesting a new release time transaction, or if requesting a change in an existing request. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the process, you can contact Tristan Turk by email at (tturk@uamail.albany.edu) or by phone at 437-3892.
Grants Administration
Financial/Billing Reporting
Management Services Center
Room 203
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12222
Phone: (518) 442-3196
Fax: (518) 442-5208 |
Labor Distribution and
Effort Reporting
Management Services Center
Room 220
1400 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12222
Phone: (518) 437-3890
Fax: (518) 437-3894 |
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