Last-minute submissions have become a chronic problem for the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). The tendency to provide proposals last-minute to this office provoked an investigation into the Principal Investigator’s (PI’s) understanding of the roles and responsibilities of the pre-award administrator, their knowledge of the proposal submission process in regards to JHU KSAS proposal submission procedures, and the resources available to them. Last-minute submissions devalue the work of the administrator and create a stressful environment forcing them to drop all other work to accommodate these submissions. Through interviews with PIs and Research Administrators (RAs), this case study evaluated the culture of the Research Administration Office (RAO) and the support it provides to the PI. This case study acquires the understanding of the roles and responsibilities, the support available to the PI, the support provided by the Research Administrator (RA), the partnership and communication between these two entities, the environment surrounding last-minute submission, and the prevention and management of last-minute submission. Results provided evidence which supports inconsistency in the understanding of the RAs role and a need for transparency in the proposal requirements and procedures for submission. Some PIs feel the system should tailor to the needs of the PI because funds from approved proposals are critical to the university and last-minute submission should be accommodated. However, all players are important to the proposal submission process, and lack of clarity of the role of the RA creates disorder and disrupts not only the quality of the proposal but also the cohesiveness of these entities. Both parties, as well as the institution, can benefit from a submission-aware culture by creating a combined effort of the benefit of the University for the advancement of science
