Additional Help

4.1 Required Space

Space information that you can select in this section comes from the M-Pathways Financials system (Space Management database).

  • This information is updated from a nightly feed.
  • If changes are required, please have them made in M-Pathways Financials System via the Space Survey or other mechanism.

For each person with a role of UM Principal Investigator, UM Sponsor Principal Investigator, or Participating Investigator with Specified Effort:

  • Select No individual space required
    OR
  • Click Add Space (then follow Add Space directions below).

ADD SPACE

  1. Enter any of the following:
    - Building Name
    - Room Number
    - Department ID.
  2. Click Find.
  3. Select the check box for the building/room you want to add.
  4. Click OK.
  5. The space is added for the person.

Searching Tips:

  • Use % as a wildcard with a partial name (for example, %dow%).

  • You can search for space using any combination of:
    - Building Name
    - Room Number
    - Department ID

  • To find all rooms in a building, just enter a building name.

  • If you just know a room number, enter the number and all matching room numbers are returned.

  • To see all space for a department, just enter a department ID.

  • Format of the building name:
    Building Long Title (building abbreviation)
    e.g., BAGNOUD FRANCOIS-XAVIER BUILDI (FXB)

    The Building Long Title from M-Pathways may not be the name by which the building is commonly called.
  • To search by the building abbreviation, use the wildcard (%).

    E.g., %FXB% to search for BAGNOUD FRANCOIS-XAVIER BUILDING
    If you do not use the wildcard when searching for building abbreviations, your search will not find any buildings because the system recognizes the parenthesis as part of the abbreviation, e.g., "(FXB)"

Can't find a building or room?

If you cannot find a building or room, first refer to the List of Buildings in eResearch Proposal Management spreadsheet to find the M-Pathways Financials system name for the building.

SPACE NOT FOUND

If you have used the search tips above and still cannot find your space
or
your space does not exist in the M-Pathways Financials system:

  1. Select the checkbox on the bottom of the page.
  2. Click Find in the top right corner.
  3. Select Space Not Found from the list that appears below.
  4. Click OK at the bottom of this window.
  5. Enter the Description of your space.
  6. Enter the Approving DeptID for the space.
  7. Click Save.

OVERRIDE SPACE OWNERSHIP & ADD COMMENTS

If needed, you can override the Department listed as the owner of the space (you need another department to approve use of this space):

  1. Click Override or Add Comments
  2. Enter comments in the Room Comments field about why this is the wrong ownership of the space.
  3. Enter the Override Dept ID (the department that will need to approve use of this space).
  4. Click Find.
  5. Click Save.

    Note: The orginal department listed will appear crossed-off and the new department will be listed. This new department will need to approve this space.

EDIT SPACE

If you need to change already entered Room Comments or the Override Dept ID:

  1. Click Edit.
  2. If needed, make changes to Room Comments.
  3. If needed, type a new Override Dept ID and click Find.
  4. Click Save.

DELETE SPACE

Deleting space only has one step, be sure you select the correct space to delete.

  1. Next to the space you want to delete, click Remove.

University Space

It is the responsibility of the University to provide adequate space for the duration of any sponsored project. When a department chair, dean, or director (or anyone responsible for assigning space within a University unit) indicates on the Proposal Approval Form that space is available and specifies the building and rooms, the space commitment serves two important purposes. First, it indicates to the sponsor that adequate space is available in which to conduct the proposed research or other sponsored activities. Second, the designation of a specific site for the sponsored project serves as a basis for the drug free workplace certification, required in all federally sponsored projects.

The lead time involved in submitting proposals may dictate that units "hedge their bets" in terms of the assignment of space. Therefore, in some cases, the space identification may include the phrase "or equivalent space, as available."

Sponsors may seek assurances that adequate space will be provided by the University to carry out the proposed research during the duration of funding. The sign-off by the Deans, Directors, or their designees provides such assurances, and in turn, these commitments are provided to sponsors when the University receives inquiries in this regard. Careful review of this section is therefore essential.

Faculty may have appointments in more than one department and may initiate a grant proposal in one department which involves space in another unit. It is especially important that the appropriate space approval be obtained in such cases, because it also indicates that the unit whose space is involved approves submitting a grant through another unit. An increasing number of projects involve individuals in two or more units. All relevant space allocations should be documented on the PAF and proper units must approve these space commitments.

Many award applications include a section on available facilities and resources. The information on the PAF should correspond to that section and include all the activity space indicated.