Who is eligible to Be a Principal Investigator?
Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor
A PI normally must have a full-time appointment at CUNY SPS and hold one of these titles.
Clinical Professor, Distinguished Lecturer
Faculty holding these titles are also eligible to serve as PI with a full-time appointment.
Lecturer, Senior Lecturer
These faculty members are eligible to serve as PI with a full-time appointment.
Adjunct Faculty
Adjunct faculty may serve as PI only with written approval from their Academic Director (or Area Head) and the Senior Associate Dean. The proposal must include either (a) a Co-PI with an eligible full-time faculty title above OR (b) written confirmation that the Academic Director and Senior Associate Dean accept fiscal and administrative oversight of the project.
Professional Staff
Full-time professional staff, who are not also students, may serve as PI with written approval from their area supervisor.
Research Foundation (RF-CUNY) Staff
Full-time RF-CUNY staff may serve as PI with written approval from their area supervisor.
Student Participation in Sponsored Projects
Students may play an important role in developing and carrying out grant-funded projects in collaboration with a faculty PI. Depending on the project and the student's status (student vs. employee), they may be supported as part-time or full-time research staff, contractors providing specific services, or through project-related stipends or fellowships.
Because sponsored awards at CUNY are administered through the Research Foundation, a qualified CUNY SPS faculty member must serve as the official Principal Investigator (PI) of record. While students may be identified in proposals as project leads, fellows, or student investigators, the faculty PI retains responsible for project oversight, compliance, and administration in coordination with the CUNY SPS Office of Grants and Contracts and the Research Foundation.
Important:
Those who are approved to serve as PI are responsible for compliance with applicable sponsor regulations, CUNY policies, and Research Foundation requirements, including oversight of human subjects protections and adherence to Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements when applicable.