Actual FTEs for this Reporting Period:
Enter the actual Full-time equivalent(s) (FTE) that supported this project for this reporting period only (reporting period is one year or less; refer back to your cover page for the exact reporting period). An FTE is defined by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) as the number of total hours worked divided by the maximum number of compensable hours in a full-time schedule as defined by law. For most NIFA partners and places of employment, a full-time schedule as defined by law equates to 2,080 hours of work (52 weeks multiplied by 40 hours per week). Thus, a person who works 40 hours per week for 52 weeks towards a project equals 1 FTE. A person who works 20 hours per week towards a project for 52 weeks per year equals .5 of an FTE.
INSTRUCTIONS: You may enter fractions of FTEs rounded to the nearest tenth. You should include all FTEs that supported the project, regardless of source of funding (i.e. FTEs funded by NIFA non-formula or formula grants, other Federal funds, State, or Other funds should all be included). Make sure to separate the FTEs by type as indicated on the table provided: Faculty and Non-Students in the first column and Students with Staffing Roles in the subsequent three columns. Also ensure that the FTE categories are correctly populated, differentiating between the following:
- Scientist: A research worker responsible for original thought, judgments, and accomplishments in independent scientific study. This includes investigation leaders and project leaders and portions of the time of supervising scientists or staff assistants who meet the preceding definition. Examples: Professor, Associate Professor, Assistant Professor, Scientist.
- Professional: A professional does not qualify as a scientist under the preceding definitions but may still significantly contribute to research activities. Professionals usually hold one or more college degrees and have otherwise qualified for employments in a professional category. Generally, professionals have a high degree of research activity responsibility but do not hold principal investigator status or equivalent at the reporting institution. Examples: Department Head, Resident Director, Statistician, Analyst, Assistant Director, Dean.
- Technical: Technical Staff are associated with research efforts in a technical capacity and do not participate in the investigative aspects of the research. Examples: Lab Assistant, Mechanic, Carpenter, Machinist, Skilled Tradesperson.
- Administrative and Other: These are clerical and support staff who contribute to the non-technical support of the project. It is often difficult to assess an individual's clerical and labor support to any one project; they usually support groups of researchers of different projects in a broad manner, such as by ordering supplies, typing reports, managing bill payments, performing janitorial work. Examples: Secretary, Typist, Repairman, Janitor, Data Entry.
Calculating FTEs for students
- FTEs are based on 2080 hours per year = 1.0 FTE
- They must be rounded off to a single decimal place
- For the undergraduate students, 5 hours per week (hpw) for 52 weeks is 260 hours; divide by 2080 hours (1 FTE) = 0.125 FTE (it will have to be rounded off to a single decimal, or 0.1). Did they work 52 weeks/year, or average more than 5 hpw over 52 weeks? Whatever you estimate a weekly average and a number of weeks, that is how to do the math.
- For the grad student, we can assume a ½ time assistantship would be .5 FTE if it was for 52 weeks. If only for a single semester, then adjust accordingly based on the number of weeks. Don’t agonize over it, just give it your best shot.
Student Count by Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) Code
- If any Student FTEs are reported, then it is now required to enter any applicable CIP codes, and vice versa.
- The data entered into the Undergraduate, Graduate, or Post-Doctorate CIP fields, are the Number of Students that worked on the project, and therefore must be whole numbers.
- Student FTEs and CIP codes are interconnected data points, and the data entered into these sections must have a logical relationship. There are automatic validations programmed into the system which will indicate if any of the numbers entered need to be adjusted.
- For example – if 5.0 FTEs was entered for Graduate students, then 5 or more must be entered into the Graduate section for the CIP codes.
- The CIP code chosen should reflect the student’s major field of study.
- The CIP taxonomy includes about 5,000 codes, categorized into three tiers. The list of CIP codes provided in the dropdown menu in REEport includes tiers 1 and 2, or about 400 codes.
- For more information on CIP Codes, please go to the CIP website, where you can find more detailed information about the CIP coding system. [Follow the “Browse all CIP codes” link, then drill into the appropriate category (most, although certainly not all, will be under 01 - Agriculture, Agriculture Operations, and Related Sciences, or 03 – Natural Resources and Conservation). NOTE: It is worth repeating that REEport only requires the 2nd tier of specificity – with 2 decimal places. It is not necessary (nor does the REEport form permit) entering a 4-decimal code from the 3rd tier.]