Here are four things to know about the settlement.
1. UNTHSC, part of the Dallas-based University of North Texas System, agreed to pay the federal government $13,073,000 as part of the settlement.
2. The settlement stems from a 2015 self-disclosure report by UNTHSC stating the institution’s internal records system failed to accurately and timely certify reports related to federal NIH grant funding UNTHSC received between January 2011 and February 2016.
3. According to DOJ officials, UNTHSC, as a recipient of NIH grant funding, is required to accurately measure, track and pay researchers for their efforts related to NIH-funded projects. The DOJ contended UNTHSC “failed to meet those requirements, and as a result, received payments for inaccurately and untimely time and effort certifications and received salary payments when the correlating payments did not match the accompanying time and effort reports.” Because of UNTHSC’s failure to adhere to the necessary requirements, DOJ officials claim UNTHSC’s conduct resulted in false claims being submitted to the government.
4. UNTHSC said in a Feb. 16 statement the institution has since restructured its research and innovation division, hired compliance staffers, improved its accounting processes and invested in tools, training and technology to ensure it meets compliance efforts.
“We are improving and sustaining a culture of compliance and accountability through better training, tools, education and administrative support,” Anuja Ghorpade, PhD, vice president of research at UNTHSC, said in a statement. “We now have a plan in place that solidifies the infrastructure for a high-functioning research administration compliance program.”
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