The Principal Investigator is responsible for the scientific or technical design and overall conduct of the project. This individual is assigned by the University, and approved by the sponsor. The Principal Investigator must be a NIU employee.
Faculty may request salary to cover summer months, a course buyout or release time.
Sponsors often limit the amount of salary one can request; for more information, please consult the sponsor guidelines.
Requests for extra compensation must be approved by the department.
Extra compensation may not be requested on projects that involve Federal funds.
Postdoctoral Associates normally receive full salary compensation. They should be paid in a salary range competitive with other professionals in their field.
Professional & Technical Support staff should include such positions as technicians, computer programmers, and clerical assistants. These appointments may be on a monthly or hourly basis up to full-time.
Graduate student stipends should be consistent with University and departmental policies. Please review the memorandum (FY10, FY11) issued by the Vice President for Research and check with the department chair or departmental graduate student advisor for information on stipends. Twenty hours per week is considered full-time for a graduate student.
Undergraduate students are paid on an hourly basis consistent with student employment regulations. They may only work 20 hours per week and are typically paid between $8-10. Please review the Illinois Hourly Minimum Wage Rates.