Defining the Eligibility of Principal Investigators

The following policy for defining the eligibility of principal investigators at Lamar University is effective April 2, 2020.

The eligibility to serve as a principal investigator (PI) and a Co-PI shall meet the requirements as stated in the announcement of funding opportunities and one of the following employment criteria at Lamar University:

  • A tenured and tenure-track assistant, associate, and full professor or librarian;
  • A research assistant professor, research associate professor, research professor, clinical professor, or senior research fellow;
  • An adjunct, visiting, or emeritus professor, or a lecturer, instructor or other faculty who has the approval of his/her department chair and the college dean. The PI in this category shall either include a Co-PI from appointment types described in 1 and 2 above; or provide a signed memo where the chair and the dean accept full fiscal and administrative liability and responsibility for the actions of the PI included in this category;
  • A post-doctoral fellow who has the approval of his/her department chair and the college dean. The post-doctoral fellow’s mentor at Lamar University shall be included as a Co-PI; or
  • A professional or research staff who is not also a student at Lamar University with the approval of his/her department chair and the college dean, or of the Associate Provost for Research.