Effort Resets
- A request to reset effort must be submitted via e-mail to SPA at spa@utk.edu along with a valid reason or explanation for the reset.
- Back-up documentation must be provided supporting the original effort certification.
Documentation
If the employee does not certify their own effort, then suitable documentation must be maintained in the department.
- Employee needing to certify effort may email departmental accounting staff (or whoever certifies effort for the department) the percent of their effort spent on a project. The email is your document.
- Provide printout of the effort report (before certification) and have that employee note changes and sign form.
- PI may certify effort on behalf of graduate students without documentation as PI should know explicitly what projects the GRAs are working on.
- Not acceptable: Effort being certified based on proposal without proper verification.
Effort Certification
Monthly certification is highly encouraged. Effort can be entered through the IRIS system or via the WEB for those without access to IRIS. Monthly certification of effort allows for sponsored project billing to be kept accurate and up-to-date.
At a minimum effort must be certified at least once for the entire semester or within 30 days after the grant or contract end date.