Given the importance of obtaining external funding to support Michigan State University's research activities, there is a need for a software system that meets the complex functional needs of research administration through all phases:

• Proposal development and submission to a funding agency
• Complete grant administration, including financial and compliance
• Reporting functions for sound management

Additionally, this system must meet requirements of an enterprise-level system:

• Centrally supported in terms of servers, backup, security, and accessibility
• Integration with other enterprise systems
• Ongoing quality control
• Business continuity and disaster recovery planning

MSU is an investing partner in Kuali Research Administration (KRA), along with Cornell University, Indiana University, University of Arizona, Colorado State University, and University of California - Davis. Through support from the Mellon Foundation, this project is developing open source research administration software using MIT's proprietary Coeus as its base code. Working in this manner brings more resources to the table, allows for more customization to fit specific needs, and eliminates the need for vendor support when upgrades are necessary.

The Research Administration system will be designed to integrate with other enterprise systems at MSU, meaning necessary Human Resource (salaries, positions, etc.) and Financial (object code and purchasing info) data will be appropriately accessible. This integration, which will occur in phases, combined with the comprehensive features of the new Research Administration software, will create a system that covers the entire lifecycle of a research project while providing appropriate ease of accessibility and transparency. The most common business practices, including the approval process, compliance, and budget planning, can be streamlined and tracked, providing the most effective support possible for individuals involved in research activities at MSU.