Subcontracts are complex but GCS works with other institutions to facilitate as much as possible. Expenses NIH is cutting out administrative support so shadow systems will be getting smaller. Some faculty will prefer to have on-line data be easily available and to make their own models with projections. Rubel thinks improved access to data is the most important improvement that could be made. In another view, decentralize authority and more help for development of proposals.
Many departments lack resources.
Keeping track of budgets will become more important due to cutbacks in support staff. As clinical funds get tighter and tighter this is going to become much more of a problem. GCS is the best central unit on campus, compared to problems in other areas. The group is discussing problems because they were invited to help make the GCS process better, but it now works relatively well. People do bend over backwards to help.