Faculty members engaging in sponsored research act as the principal investigator for a contract that is awarded to the University of Hawaii. When equipment is bought as part of this sponsored research, the equipment is not owned by the principal investigator but rather by the University of Hawaii.
When the sponsored research ends, it is common and appropriate for the principal investigator (PI) to retain control over and use of the equipment.
However, since the equipment is formally owned by the University of Hawaii, the PI should not unilaterally “give away” the equipment, as the PI does not have the right to do so.
To avoid the legal and ethical issues surrounding transfer of control of such equipment, the ICS policy is that the Infrastructure Committee is responsible for reviewing and approving any transfer of control of equipment obtained through sponsored research.
The appropriate procedure is as follows:
- The PI informs the Department Chair of the availability of equipment for transfer of control. The Department Chair informs the Infrastructure Committee.
- The Infrastructure Committee sends email to the faculty indicating the availability of equipment and requesting proposals by interested parties for its use.
- Proposals are received by the Infrastructure Committee from interested parties. These parties may or may not be ICS faculty, but should be within the UH system.
- The Infrastructure Committee forwards a recommendation to the Department Chair.
- The Department Chair approves or declines a transfer of control.
Last updated: August, 2010
Approved by faculty: