Some questions have arisen regarding eligibility criteria for acting
principal investigator status on sponsored projects during the regular
PI's sabbatical or other leave from the University. Ordinarily, if a
faculty member is absent from campus for a period of less than three
months, he or she retains the title of PI for the project. Even if the
leave period exceeds three months, in some cases, the regular PI may
still retain responsibility for the overall intellectual and fiduciary
direction of the project, with the sponsor's permission.
Occasionally a member of the PI's staff may be designated as acting
project manager during the PI' s leave. This would be appropriate if the
staff member is asked to assume the day-to-day administrative tasks of
the project while still adhering to the overall goals, objectives, and
protocol outlined by the PI before his or her departure.
If the regular PI's absence from Stanford does not permit a sufficient
level of involvement in the sponsored activity, another faculty member
should assume the role of Acting PI. That is, Acting PIship is subject
to the same criteria for eligibility as is regular PIship. Designation
of individuals as acting PIs who are not ordinarily eligible to be
regular PIs requires the prior approval of the cognizant dean and the
Vice Provost and Dean of Research according to the criteria outlined in
Stanford's policy on PI Eligibility and Criteria for Exceptions.
Responsibilities for the intellectual direction of our externally
sponsored teaching and research activities must rest with the faculty
and should not be delegated to others, even on a temporary basis,
without prior approval.