Paper: Universities Lose Money on Research

Most universities lose money on research, according to an analysis published in the journal Technology and Innovation - Proceedings of the National Academy of Inventors. The study notes that universities seek (and receive) research grants from the federal government and other sources. But the study says that these grants cover such a small share of "indirect costs" of research -- such as staffing, equipment and facilities -- that typically institutions lose money. The authors of the paper are Karen Holbrook, former president of Ohio State University, and Paul R. Sanberg, senior vice president for research and innovation at the University of South Florida.