PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR / PROJECT DIRECTOR
Role of Prinicipal Investigator/Project Director
In the eyes of the funding agency, the individual who is primarily responsible for the overall conduct of a project is the Principal Investigator (PI). Some agencies refer to this individual as the Project Director (PD). When more than one individual is primarily responsible for the conduct of a project, each is called a Co-Principal Investigator or simply a Co-Investigator.
A sponsored project is conceived and carried out by the PI or PD, who knows best how to meet the goals of the project. As the person primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of a project, it is the responsibility of the PI to see that a sponsored project is carried out in compliance with the terms, conditions, and policies of both the sponsor and the University, including the submission of all required narrative or technical reports.
Among the concerns that have become extremely important for PIs is the issue of compliance with various federal requirements. Of particular importance are those regulations dealing with the protection of human subjects, the care of animals, conflict of interest, and scientific misconduct.
Any research activity which involves human subjects or animals is subject to review by the University's appropriate committees, the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects (CPHS) and the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). In certain instances approvals from these committees are required prior to the submission of a proposal.
Current policy for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) requires the filing of a Statement of Economic Interest declaration by each PI when submitting a proposal. The State of California also requires the filing of a Statement of Economic Interest form by the PI when submitting an application to a non-governmental sponsor.
More Compliance Information
Who Can Serve as a PI at Sacramento State
At Sacramento State the Principal Investigator or Project Director must be a full-time, tenure track member of the faculty or a full-time Sacramento State manager/administrator. In rare cases an individual employed full-time by University Enterprises, Inc. may serve as a PI. Some non-faculty colleagues at Sacramento State are active in the sponsored projects process and they may serve as a Project Director on a project as long as another faculty member serves as the Principal Investigator. Any exceptions to these rules require the concurrence of the Assistant Vice President of Research Administration and Contract Administration, the appropriate department chair and college dean.
Emeritus Faculty as a PI
An emeritus faculty member is eligible to serve as a PI, but would need the approval of the appropriate chair and college dean. Since they are no longer on the Sacramento State payroll, an emeritus faculty member serving as a PI would be placed on the payroll of University Enterprises.
Replacement of a PI
An occasion may arise when a replacement will need to be found for a project’s original PI. In such situations the new PI must be a full-time, tenure track member of the faculty or a full-time Sacramento State manager/administrator or an individual employed full-time by University Enterprises. Any individual selected as a replacement for a PI must receive the approval of the appropriate department chair and college dean. In addition the sponsor will need to be notified and may also need to approve the change.
