Q: Who decides whether or how a proposal is to be associated with a constellation?
A: The decision is a collaborative one between the PI and the constellation leaders on the campus submitting the proposal. The PI must first mark the proposal as associated with one, and/or related to one or more, constellations, in the transmittal. For the association or relation to stick, a leader of that constellation must provide confirmation in the transmittal. The role of the preaward research administrator is to ask the question direct the PI and/or constellation leaders to this FAQ page and/or the Decision Flowchart. Chairs and Deans who sign off on the transmittal are also signing off on any constellation association/relationship indicated. 

Q: What are the requirements for a UM proposal submitted from the Oxford campus to be considered primarily associated with a constellation?
A: The requirements are:

1. The proposal must be directly associated with the theme or societal grand challenge of the constellation.
2. The association must be flagged in the Primary Constellation panel of the Constellations tab of the transmittal, and the nature association should be clearly described in the corresponding text field.
3. The proposal must involve multiple (at least two) investigators on the UM Oxford and/or UMMC campuses.
4. The proposal must involve multiple (at least two) disciplines on the UM Oxford and/or UMMC campuses. (Some departments house multiple disciplines).
5. A proposal can be primarily associated with at most one constellation. Relationships with additional constellations should be captured using the Related Constellations transmittal window.

Q: What are the requirements for a UM proposal submitted from the Oxford campus to be related to a constellation?
A: The requirements are:

1. The proposal must be related to the theme or societal grand challenge of the constellation.
2. The relationship must be flagged in the Related Constellations panel of the Constellations tab of the transmittal, and the nature of the relationship should be clearly described in corresponding text field.
3. The proposal may (but need not) involve multiple investigators on the UM Oxford and/or UMMC campuses.
4. The proposal may (but need not) involve multiple disciplines on the UM Oxford and/or UMMC campuses.
5. The Related status is provided to:
   • count relatedness to constellations that are not the primarily associated one
   • count relatedness to constellations for single-investigator and single-discipline projects

Q: Who decides whether a constellation should be marked as primarily associated with or related to a constellation?
A: The Principal Investigator (PI) should make the initial determination, and reflect that in the transmittal. Constellation Leader(s) should confirm that determination when signing the transmittal. Chairs and Deans should acknowledge that determination when approving the transmittal. ORSP will also acknowledge that determination when providing final institutional approval for the transmittal.

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