Faculty Departure Checklist
Download a printable Faculty Departure Checklist
Faculty departures require action by the faculty member, Department Administration, Human Resources, Research Administration, Research Compliance offices, and Department Chairs/Chiefs. These actions are required as soon as the decision is made to ensure a timely transition. This includes departure to another institution, retirement, or closure of a lab for any reason.
This page provides guidance to PIs, Department Chairs, and Department Administrators when faculty who conduct research at Boston Medical Center or BU depart our institution.
Space/Facilities
Required Actions:
- PI needs to outline all space occupied and used.
- Contact Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) for instructions to decontaminate laboratory and equipment.
- Complete the EHS Certificate of Decontamination Form for equipment and laboratory.
- If you generate hazardous waste, contact Environmental Health and Safety to verify the disposal of the waste and confirm proper labeling of all hazardous materials that will not be disposed.
- Notify Environmental Health and Safety if you plan to ship or transport any chemical, biological, or radioactive materials to another institution. Contact OTD to determine if an MTA (Material Transfer Agreement) is also needed.
- If the lab contains radiological materials, all unwanted items MUST be decomissioned. Contact Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) for instructions and fill out the Radiological Decommission Form
- Place work orders for the removal of decontaminated (green stickered) equipment to other laboratories or for disposal.
Sponsored Research
Grant/Contract Funding
Required Actions:
The departure of research faculty usually involves the close-out, relinquishing and/or transfer of existing grant(s) and contracts. Since grant awards and contracts are made to the Institution rather than the named Principal Investigator (PI), the request to relinquish, keep, or terminate an award and/or contract is made by the Institution
- Alert BU Sponsored Programs (SP) or BMC Grants & Contracts (GC) or BMC Research Finance (RF) at least 30 days prior the faculty’s last day.
- Update end date in SAP/BUWorks
- Alert department admin and RF/PAFO and provide contact info for new organization’s offices
- Notify collaborating institutions that subawards will be amended and reissued from new institution
- Notify GC/SP of subcontracts that will transfer
- Coordinate with GC/OSP to ensure closeout of contracts and subawards
- Complete any required NIH guidelines, as applicable
- Upload results, close out records, and fulfill any other applicable requirements as outlined on ClinicalTrials.gov
Corresponding Documents to be Submitted:
- Budget for remaining months, including salary, benefits, vacation payout, and outstanding balances, address any anticipated deficits
- Identify accounts and budget for laboratory clean up and decommissioning
- Written request to originating sponsor to transfer award
- Progress and final reports
- Relinquishing statement
- Request to sponsor for transfer of equipment
- Final effort reports
Intellectual Property
Required Actions:
Additionally, faculty often have data, records, or such things as specimens, cell lines, or reagents that they would like to take with them when they leave the institution. The ownership of these items must be clarified prior to faculty member’s departure or the transfer of these items.
- Ensure all original documents (including data and research records) are given to Department chair or Section Chief.
- Review terms of original MTA (Material Transfer Agreement) and ensure materials are handled accordingly. Materials to be transferred to another institution will likely require a new MTA to be processed between the providing entity and the receiving entity.
- Get permission from the original provider before Materials are transferred.
- Confidentiality Agreements: Coordinate with BMC Grants Administration or BU Sponsored Programs to ensure proper closeout of existing confidential disclosure agreements. Review terms of confidentiality agreement to ensure that any information provided is handled accordingly.
- Contact Tech Transfer office of new institution to establish new MTA.
- Obtain permission from the sponsor provider before transferring any provided information.
- Review Record Retention Policies:
- For BU (Charles River and Medical Campuses): Review the BU Record Retention Policy and take action as needed.
- For BMC: Review the BMC Record Retention Policy and take action as needed.
Corresponding Documents to be Submitted:
- Final invention statement forms
- Forward information for patent prosecution, assistance with licensing activities, and changes in royalty flow to the Technology Development office
- Material Transfer Agreements (MTA): Coordinate with the BMC or BU Grants and Contracts contracting staff to ensure proper closeout of existing material transfer agreements
Equipment
Required Actions:
- Lastly, equipment purchased with federal funding and needed to complete the research on the relinquished grant should be relinquished to the new institution. Non-federally purchased equipment can be sold to the new institution at an agreed upon (market value) price. Contact the Research Safety division of Environmental Health & Safety for decommissioning of laboratory equipment. Computers with BU asset tags that will be taken to the new institution must be off-boarded by IS&T; a ticket should be submitted to re-image the device and remove any BU-licensed software. Vacated space reverts to the hospital or university.
- BMC only: Review the BMC Grants Administration Research Equipment Policy and take appropriate action.
- BMC only: Review the BMC Grants Administration Policies and take appropriate action.
Corresponding Documents to be Submitted:
BU only (Charles River and Medical Campuses):
- Contact Property Management and Department Chair via email to request list of equipment
- Chair or Dean authorizes transfer of equipment on list by replying to email with copy to Property Management
BMC only:
- Contact Research Finance and provide complete list of all equipment being transferred, including: Location; Description; Manufacturer; BU or BMC “tag” number; Serial Number; Purchase Price; Financial Account used to purchase equipment; Date Purchased
- Obtain the approval of the Chair and the Authorized Signatory for all equipment being transferred, these individuals must sign off on the “request to transfer” equipment list and provide a copy of the list to research finance
Compliance Requirements and Protocol Close-Out
Required Actions:
For IRB:
PI is to contact the IRB to closeout all existing protocols and provide any necessary information required to meet the compliance regulations. Notify issuing office of new institution of Certificate of Confidentiality. For Med Campus IRB: Fill out INSPIR II Amendment Form (found in INSPIR II) if applicable.
For IACUC:
PI is to contact the IACUC to closeout all existing protocols and provide any necessary information required to meet the compliance regulations. The Animal Facility should be notified of intentions in regards to any animal colonies.
For IBC:
PI is to send IBC protocol closure form via email to IBC@bu.edu.
For Radiation Permits:
PI is to send written notification to the Radiation Safety Committee including exact date of departure, date of termination of permits, and new contact info, if applicable. The permit will be closed after the decommissioning of the laboratory (see Radiological Decommission Form above in “Space/Facilities” section).
Corresponding Documents to be Submitted:
For IRB:
- Contact the IRB office to identify open protocols/grants and provide IRB with departure date.
- Ensure that a Final Report is completed for each active IRB protocol that you are planning on closing.
- Delegate a new, appropriate Faculty/staff member for all IRB active protocols that will remain at BMC/BU. This is done by submitting a protocol Amendment to the IRB.
For IACUC:
- Send written notification to the IACUC and the ASC including exact date of departure, date of termination of protocols, intended disposition of any remaining animals, and new contact info.
- A Material Transfer Agreement is required if animals will be transported to the new institution.
- Review information and forms for exporting animals and take action as needed.
- Obtain collaborating BU faculty member’s agreement to accept responsibility for any ongoing research and animals.
- Submit new animal protocol under new PI name including nature of collaborative work, his/her willingness to accept the project, his/her experience with the research, timetable for completion of collaborative project.
- Verify that any qualified BU collaborator(s) has received full IACUC approval for the new protocol.
For IBC:
- IBC Protocol Closure Form to be sent to IBC@bu.edu.
For Radiation:
- Send written notification to the Radiation Safety office including exact date of departure, date of termination of permit, and new contact info. The permit will be closed after the decommissioning of the laboratory (see Radiological Decommission Form above in “Space/Facilities” section).
Personnel and HR
Required Actions:
The PI needs to outline all employees on grants and what their status will be after departure. Specific consideration should be given to the effect of employees on visas. Notify Department Administrator, Human Resources, etc. at least 60 days prior to departure. PI should also identify any graduate students working in the lab who will need a new mentor assigned.
- Notify and coordinate with Department Administrator to submit termination, if applicable, via BUWorks. Provide at least 30 days notice so termination can be processed prior to the payroll cutoff period. (see Payroll Calendar)
- Notify and coordinate with Department Chair and HR regarding personnel funded by the grant or for whom you are responsible.
- Notify and coordinate with Graduate Program and the Office of the Provost to identify new mentor.
- Fellows and post-docs on T or F grants who have their own funding separate from the departing PI should contact the post-doc office.
- BU only: Complete the HR Exiting Employee Checklist (to be filled out by Chair or Admin) This doc is for internal department use only and does not need to be submitted to HR.
- Check Payroll Calendar for any applicable payroll cutoff dates.
- For employees on visas, correspond with ISSO.
- Any university purchased assets, including but not limited to: cellular phones, computers, tablets and peripherals, p-card, travel card, BUID card, and office/building keys should be returned to supervisor or department chair on last day in office.
- Cancel parking permit through Employee Self Service for CRC employees or at the parking office adjacent to the 610 garage on BUMC. Failure to do so may result in additional charges on your pay check. The permit itself should be returned to the office on the corresponding campus.
- If an employee requires access to their email after termination, the department chair or supervisor will need to request that via a ticket to IS&T. Otherwise, email access will automatically terminate upon employee’s last day. Any access reliant on an email, which may include physical swipe access into buildings, access to various IS&T systems, etc, will also terminate.
Corresponding Documents to be Submitted:
For BU:
- SAP/BUWorks termination form, if applicable
For BMC:
- Contact the appropriate Faculty Practice Plan for information regarding termination of FPP employment
- For employees on visas, correspond with International Office
- Non-BMC health insurance must be terminated manually through BMC HR and completely expensed to the cost center(s)