Teaching & Demonstration Use

Policy and Fee Structure for Faculty Use of the NDIIF for Teaching and Demonstration Purposes

Creating a clear and fair policy for faculty wanting to use an academic research core facility for teaching and demonstration purposes is essential to ensure consistency, transparency, and effective resource management. The policy outlined below will guide how the NDIIF can work in partnership with faculty wishing to incorporate the aspects of Imaging into course syllabi:

Purpose and Scope

The scope of the existing policy should be applied in any teaching activities, including undergraduate or graduate courses, lab demos, or special academic events. This policy is not applicable for groups simply requesting a “walk-through” tour of the facility. The defining distinction between these requests is the actual use of any instrument/s within the core facility. If operation of the instrument/s during the time of the tour or class visit is requested, the following policy should be taken into consideration.

Distinction Between Research and Teaching Use

The definition of research use includes but is not limited to the practice of faculty or students conducting their own studies with aspirations to acquire and potentially publish the data in any format. The definition of teaching use implies that the core facility is being used for demonstrations, practical training, or student exercises. During teaching exercises data can be acquired but will not be permitted to be used for publication or distribution of any kind.

Research use will follow the standard fee-for-service structure and should be conducted after proper training or consultation with the NDIIF staff. Teaching use may be subject to different charges or terms and should be discussed and clearly defined between the requestor and the NDIIF staff.

Fee Structure for Teaching and Demonstration Use

• Discounted Teaching Rates: A discounted or reduced rate for teaching purposes may be determined after the details of the instruction are agreed upon by all parties. For example, charges might be based on a reduced service fee, especially if the primary goal is educational rather than experimental output. If the requested demonstration/course instruction time being requested from any of the NDIIF staff is less than a 2-hour time frame and limited to a single day, it is possible that this can be offered at no charge.

• Tiered Pricing: A tiered pricing model based on the type of course (e.g., undergraduate labs vs. graduate seminars) or the duration of use will be taken into consideration. For example:

  • Fees will include any consumable costs for short, single-use demonstrations or workshops if applicable. Instrumentation time will be recorded but offered at no charge.

  • The requestor will be subject to higher fees for longer-term, recurring use or specialized equipment needed for the class. The costs of consumables will be included as well as the extended time on the instrument. The instrumentation time will be 50% of the standard rate.

  • External faculty requesting services offered within the NDIIF facility for teaching purposes will be responsible for both instrumentation time as well as consumable costs at the standard rate.

• No Charge for Demonstration Only: Charges will be waived for simple demonstrations or brief sessions where no consumables or significant staff involvement are required.

Faculty Responsibilities and Time Allocation

• Time Limits: A single faculty member can request a 2-hour time frame to be allocated to teaching activities per semester or academic year at discounted or waived rates. Faculty will need to request time in advance for teaching-related use to ensure that research use is not compromised. Accommodations that exceed this 2-hour period will be offered for a fee and should be covered by the faculty member or department making the request.

• Faculty Preparation: Faculty may be expected to assist in coordinating with core facility staff to prepare for teaching sessions or demonstrations, particularly if specialized equipment or setup is needed.

Usage Guidelines

• Facility and Equipment Access: NDIIF staff will work with the faculty to determine which equipment and services are included in teaching use. For example, standard equipment might be available at a discounted or waived rate, but highly specialized or high-demand equipment could require full charges.

• Class Size and Staff Support: Larger classes or those requiring more extensive staff support could incur additional fees based on staff time and support needs.

Agreement Process

• Faculty are required to submit a request or agreement detailing the scope of their use of the facility in the context of teaching, including:

• Dates and times of use.

• Specific equipment or services required.

• Estimated class size and duration of each session.

• Expected level of facility staff involvement, if any.

Funding and Grant Considerations

If faculty members have external funding (e.g., grants) that can support the use of the core facility, this can be used to offset the fees for teaching purposes, ensuring that these resources are available without the burden of a significant fee.

For faculty without external funding, you might explore internal funding sources or agreements with the department to subsidize costs. The University offers many opportunities for funding: https://learning.nd.edu/projects-partnerships/funding-opportunities/

Review and Evaluation

• The policy and fee structure is evaluated annually to ensure it is working well for both the core facility and the teaching faculty. Adjustments can be made based on feedback and usage trends.

Consumables, Time, and Supplies for Sample Preparation

This section outlines the handling of consumables, time, and supplies needed for sample preparation when faculty use the core facility for teaching and demonstration purposes. Sample preparation may involve additional costs for consumable materials, specialized tools, and staff time, which will be addressed in this policy.

Consumables and Supplies

Standard Consumables

Basic consumables, such as gloves, pipettes, vials, and reagents, are provided for research use under the standard fee-for-service structure. For teaching purposes, a limited amount of standard consumables may be included in the discounted fee, but any additional usage beyond the allotment will incur charges.

Teaching Use Allocation:

• Undergraduate and Graduate Courses: A standard allocation of consumables (e.g., 10 sets of gloves, pipette tips, grids or slides) will be included at no additional charge for each session. Beyond this, a per-student or per-session fee will be applied for consumables
• Special Consumables: If the class requires specialized or high-cost materials (e.g., rare reagents, custom samples), the faculty member will be responsible for purchasing these items or coordinating the purchase with the core facility. These items may be charged at the facility’s cost plus a handling fee.

Sample Preparation Time and Labor

Core Facility Staff Time

Sample preparation may require significant staff time for activities such as preparing materials, setting up equipment, or assisting with complex protocols. For teaching purposes, basic staff assistance (e.g., equipment setup or brief demonstrations) is included in the discounted fee structure.

Teaching Use Allocation of Staff Time

• Up to 2 hours of core facility staff time per semester may be allocated for basic sample preparation and setup at no charge. Additional hours will be charged at the facility’s standard staff rate.
• Up to 2 hours of core facility staff time per semester may be allocated at a discounted rate for more involved sample preparation or hands-on guidance. Any additional hours will be charged at the facility’s standard staff rate.
• Any time above this 2 hour window for basic or more involved requests will be charged at the facility’s standard staff rate.

Extended Sample Preparation

For teaching activities that require complex or time-intensive sample preparation (e.g., handling large batches, specialized staining protocols, or sophisticated equipment usage), faculty must submit a detailed plan with their request. The core facility will assess the required labor and may allocate time on an hourly basis, either covered by the faculty or through departmental funding.

Time Allotment for Use of Facility Resources

General Time Allocation for Teaching

The core facility will allocate a limited number of hours each semester for teaching use, which includes sample preparation time and facility time.

• 2 hours per course or per semester will be available for teaching purposes, which covers basic equipment use and minimal sample preparation, with a greater emphasis on hands-on learning and sample preparation support.

If more time is required, faculty will need to request additional hours, which may be subject to full fees for both the time spent by facility staff and the resources used.

Notification and Coordination for Consumables and Time

• Faculty Responsibility: Faculty are responsible for notifying the core facility in advance if their class will require extensive consumables or sample preparation time that exceeds the standard allotment. This allows the core facility to provide an accurate cost estimate and schedule the necessary staff support.

• Approval Process: For each course, the faculty member will receive an estimate of consumables and labor charges based on their submitted request. If additional consumables or staff time are needed, these will be communicated to the faculty and must be approved in advance.

• Consumables Orders: If specialized or large quantities of consumables are required, the faculty member must submit an order request through the core facility’s standard ordering process, and any associated costs will be charged to the faculty or department.

Charging for Consumables and Staff Time

• Charges for Excess Consumables: Any consumables or supplies used beyond the standard allocation (as noted above) will be charged at the core facility’s current rate for materials. This may include reagents, chemicals, disposables, and any other items used during the sample preparation process.

• Staff Time for Sample Preparation: If additional staff time is required for teaching-related sample preparation beyond the allocated hours, it will be charged at the current staff rate as listed for each instrument within the iLabs reporting system. For example (an Electron Microscopy-Helios FIB):

  • Simple setup and cleaning: $59 per hour.
  • Extensive hands-on assistance or training: $131 per hour.

Policy Compliance and Adjustments

Faculty members are encouraged to work closely with the core facility to ensure that consumables and staff time estimates are accurate. Regular usage will be reviewed, and adjustments to the policy or fees may be made annually based on usage patterns and resource availability.