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Directory & Services

ORA is divided into four functional units:

Funding and Information Services — assistance with identification of funding sources, funding databases (Pivot, SPIN, and GrantSearch), information dissemination, limited submission coordination, ORA website maintenance, The Reporter newsletter, and more
Proposal and Award Management — budget development, proposal submission, award negotiation & acceptance, subaward preparation, non-financial award management, such as time extensions, PI/PD changes, and more
Financial Reporting and Audit — award set-up, subrecipient monitoring, expense review and approval, cost transfer approvals, invoice preparation, financial reporting, payment deposits, project closeout, audit management, F&A and salary recovery distributions, and more
Compliance and Technology — salary verification, expense monitoring, ORA systems and desktop support, and more

— Marcia Landen (marcia.landenFREEMississippi)
Associate Vice President for Research

UNITS & STAFF

Organizational Diagram of the Office of Research Administration

Central Office Staff

Gale Pigott (gale.pigottFREEMississippi)
Administrative Assistant

Kenda Rose (kenda.roseFREEMississippi)
Budget and Office Manager

Funding & Information Services

Maurine Pace (maurine.paceFREEMississippi)
Information Specialist

Proposal & Award Management

T. Michelle Shows (michelle.showsFREEMississippi)
Director

The Proposal & Award Management (PAM) staff are assigned to specific departments, centers, or other units. If you have questions about whom to contact, call us at 601.266.4119 or email us at sponsoredprogramsFREEMississippi.

For assistance with Proposals and Contracts:

To see which pre-award administrator provides assistance for your organizational unit, open ORA's Area Assignments Chart (pdf).

Jeannene Garbee (jeannene.garbeeFREEMississippi)
Contracts & Grants Specialist

Darlene Ramsey (darlene.ramseyFREEMississippi)
Assistant Director, PAM

Omaria Gray (omaria.grayFREEMississippi)
Contracts & Grants Coordinator

Michelle Deare (michelle.deareFREEMississippi)
Contracts & Grants Administrator

Olivia Jones (oliviajonesFREEMississippi)
Contracts & Grants Administrator

Anne Speed (kathryn.speedFREEMississippi)
Contracts & Grants Administrator

Financial Reporting & Audit

Corrie R. Stringer, MPA (corrie.stringerFREEMississippi)
Director

For assistance with restricted fund expenditures, invoices, financial reports, project closeout, and audits:

Kathy Bailey (k.baileyFREEMississippi)
   Research Administration Specialist

Shareka Blackmon (shareka.blackmonFREEMississippi)
   Accountant: Fixed Price Projects, State &
Business/Industry Agencies

Cori Clinton (cori.clintonFREEMississippi)
   Research Administration Analyst

Shannon Davis (shannon.davisFREEMississippi)
Accountant: Fixed Price Projects, State &
Business/Industry Agencies

Haley Freeman (haley.freemanFREEMississippi)
   Senior Accountant: Federal Agencies, Letters of Credit

Neta Harrison (neta.harrisonFREEMississippi)
   Assistant Director: Salary Recovery

Willie McKennis (willie.mckennisFREEMississippi)
   Accountant: Federal Agencies, Letters of Credit

Jennifer L. Schmidt (jennifer.schmidtFREEMississippi)
Accountant: Fixed Price Projects, State &
   Business/Industry Agencies

Systems & Technology

Jennifer Wilson (jennifer.wilsonFREEMississippi)
Technology Manager

Kaycee McMullan (kaycee.mcmullanFREEMississippi)
Compliance/Technology Analyst

Rhashad West (erin.westFREEMississippi)
Associate Business Analyst

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ORA PRINCIPLES & SERVICES

ORA Principles

to provide visible leadership in sponsored project development, administration, and compliance
to offer service that is responsive to the current and projected needs of Southern Miss faculty and staff
to supply differential assistance that reflects individual faculty and staff needs and experience with sponsored projects
to support the pursuit and administration of external funds to advance the University's mission

ORA Services

provide timely information on funding opportunities
contribute to development of proposals
support principal investigators (PIs) by providing information, interpretation, and guidance from proposal preparation through close-out of the award
process and submit proposals in an accurate, timely manner
ensure that accounts for funded projects are in place as quickly as possible
provide information on contracts and subcontracts
verify that sponsored activities are conducted in compliance with state, federal, and university requirements
develop and ensure compliance with university policies related to external funding
ensure cost-sharing commitments are documented
capture, analyze and report pertinent financial data to the administration
assist in preparation of the University's facilities and administrative costs rates
prepare financial billings and reports
collect and monitor payments from sponsor
manage audits of externally funded projects