Human Subjects
Research: Institutional Review Board
Function and Scope of the
Institutional Review Board
PURPOSE
To
protect human subjects involved in research conducted by persons affiliated with
Wesleyan University.
If
human subjects are involved in research, the IRB reviews and approves those
aspects of research protocol that may have an impact on the human subjects
of the research, solely for the purpose of protecting those human subjects.
The need for IRB approval extends to any manner of research,
including experiments, interviews, surveys, and other data collecting
methods. This process is designed to protect the rights and
welfare of human participants by ensuring that they are selected equitably,
participating voluntarily, fully informed of the risks and benefits of the
research, and that the research minimizes risks to humans and protects their
privacy and confidentiality.
The IRB must review and approve externally-sponsored ongoing projects at least
once a year and all projects involving human subjects whenever changes occur
in the research design.
The IRB must be notified of any unanticipated problems involving risks to subjects or others, including physical or psychological injury to subjects, improper disclosure of private information, economic loss, or other potentially
harmful occurrences.
SCOPE
The IRB is responsible for
reviewing, either with a full board review or an expedited review, all research
involving human subjects conducted by faculty, researchers, students, or staff
of Wesleyan University.
Membership
of the Institutional Review Board
Coordinator:
|
Paula Lawson
Associate Provost
Academic Affairs
North College 306
plawson@wesleyan.edu
860/685-2703
|
Chair:
|
Don Moon
Dean of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Programs
Professor of Government
North College 309
dmoon@wesleyan.edu
860/685-2707
|
Wesleyan Faculty:
|
Joseph L. Knee
Professor of Chemistry
Hall-Atwater Labs 024
jknee@wesleyan.edu
860/685-2727 |
| |
Rob Rosenthal
Professor of Sociology
Public Affairs Center 204
rrosenthal@wesleyan.edu
860/685-2943
Lisa Dierker
Associate Professor of Psychology
Judd Hall 302
ldierker@wesleyan.edu
860/685-2137
|
|
Public Members: |
TBA |
Process for Submitting Projects
to the Institutional Review Board
1. Anyone planning research involving
human subjects needs to submit to the IRB (c/o Paula Lawson, Associate
Provost, Office of Academic Affairs, Room 306, North College, 237 High Street)
the following information. Electronic submissions are welcome (plawson@wesleyan.edu).
a. A copy of the research proposal including a summary of the research, a
description of the subject population, and the method by which subjects
will be recruited.
b. The research protocols
(e.g., recruitment letter, poster, ad, etc.).
c. The Informed Consent
Statement which will be used in the research and an explanation of the method by
which informed consent will be obtained.
Follow this link
for a
Sample
Informed Consent Form.
d. The process by which
subjects will be debriefed, if necessary, following the study.
e. An explanation of how
subjects’ privacy will be guaranteed.
f. A description of how the
data will be stored, for how long, and how and when it will be destroyed, as
well as who is responsible for the data during this period.
2. Schedule of
Deadlines:
a. Student research should be
submitted to the IRB according to the following timetable:
-
First
semester course research--by September 15th
-
Second
semester course research--by February 15th
-
Summer
research--by April 15th
b. Faculty,
administration and research grants are being reviewed on an as-needed
basis--with the stipulation that the full committee can be convened ten days
after the material (as outlined above) have been submitted to the IRB.
3. Principal investigators generally are informed of the status of the
proposal within four days following the meeting. In some
cases, clarification, revisions or changes to the protocol are necessary prior
to formal approval. In such cases, the investigator is sent an email with the
recommended revisions and is asked to comply by instituting the changes and the
principal investigator is expected
to confirm the changes recommended. A formal letter and/or memorandum of approval is usually mailed by the IRB chair to the principal
investigator within a week after the meeting, or when warranted, after the
recommended revisions to the protocol have been made.
April 2007
