New Orientation Session Strengthens Support for Research Administrators
When Nicole Tardiff, director of Contracts and Grants Accounting, or CGA, joined UC Davis last year, she quickly recognized a growing need for stronger support and clearer guidance for research administrators across campus.
Feedback from customers, conversations with the Administrative Management Group, or ADMAN, and internal discussions within CGA revealed that many departmental research administrators were unsure where to find resources, who to contact for assistance or how to navigate post-award processes efficiently.
In response, Tardiff brought the CGA team together to brainstorm solutions as part of a broader customer service initiative.
“One of the things we realized was that people wanted partnership, not just process,” said Tardiff.
Jeanene Hayes, research analyst for Contracts and Grants Accounting, helped turn those conversations into action by proposing a new orientation program focused on helping new research administrators better understand CGA’s role and available resources.
“I wanted people to know how to find help, who to contact and where to get resources,” said Hayes. “The goal was to make research administration feel more connected and navigable.”
Hayes developed much of the program’s content in collaboration with colleagues across CGA and the Sponsored Programs Office, or SPO, in the Office of Research, with support from Admin IT's Office of Business Transformation. The resulting Research Administrator Orientation launched this spring as an interactive training session for departmental staff who support faculty proposals and awards.
Sessions are intentionally capped at 20 participants to encourage discussion and allow attendees to ask questions directly of subject matter experts. Interest has been strong, with sessions filling up quickly after being announced through the CGA research administrator listserv.
The orientation focuses on practical post-award administration topics, including award management responsibilities, key contacts and available resources. Participants also receive reference materials designed to help them navigate research administration processes more effectively.
The program is part of a broader effort within CGA to strengthen communication, improve service and support better stewardship of university resources. That effort also includes CGA’s transition to a new team structure in which staff will support awards from setup through closeout, designed to provide departments with more consistent communication and guidance throughout the life of an award.
While the orientation currently focuses primarily on CGA’s role in research administration, future sessions may include collaboration with the Sponsored Programs Office and more specialized training opportunities.
Tardiff and Hayes also envision the orientation becoming an integral part of onboarding for newly hired research administration staff, helping them build foundational knowledge, navigate campus resources and establish essential campus connections early in their roles. By creating clearer pathways for communication and support, they hope the program will help research administrators feel more confident navigating the research process.