Human and Animal Research Approval
Research projects involving human participants and animal subjects are required by federal law to undergo prescribed review. Studies involving humans (including questionnaires and surveys; interviews and focus groups; cognitive and perceptual experiments; analysis of specimens; or other research involving intervention or interaction with human subjects or the collection of identifiable information from human subjects) are reviewed by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). Studies involving animals are reviewed by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Faculty, staff, and students who plan to conduct such research must follow the respective guidelines set forth by Maryville College. In the case of Senior Study research, primary responsibility of submitting an IRB or IACUC proposal resides with the student. Faculty advisors must review student approval documents prior to student submission to the IRB for approval. Once the student submits the approved document to the IRB, advisors register their final approval of the research plan. Faculty advisors are responsible for ensuring that appropriate approval has been met before data collection begins. Serious violations of these guidelines may be referred to the Academic Integrity Board.
IRB guidelines and procedures are available on the Tartan.
Institutional Review Board
The Institutional Review Board (IRB) is responsible for reviewing research projects that involve human participants to ensure ethical and legal research standards are upheld. All researchers submitting applications—including faculty supervising student research—must demonstrate an understanding of the ethical and legal guidelines governing the use of human participants by completing an IRB-approved training prior to the approval of any human subjects research.
Maryville College adheres to following three fundamental ethical principles for all human subjects’ research outlined in the “Ethical Principles and Guidelines for the Protection of Human Subjects of Research” also known as the Belmont Report:
- Respect for persons
- Beneficence
- Justice
In addition, to the three principles above, human subjects research standards also include:
- Research is supported by sound rationale and purpose;
- Participants are not placed at undue risk;
- Training and experience of researchers is adequate;
- Participants are not coerced and provide informed consent for their participation;
- Participants’ privacy and reputation are protected;
- Applicants intending to work with protected populations should expect a longer review process;
- Federal guidelines and safeguards are met;
- Additional standards, requirements, and safeguards for research conducted internationally are required; and
- Measures are taken to protect the College and researcher from complaints due to incomplete material, poor quality of research materials, and/or unclear instructions.
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
Research projects involving animal subjects are required by federal law to undergo prescribed review. Studies involving animals are reviewed by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). Faculty, staff, and students who plan to conduct such research must follow the respective guidelines set forth by Maryville College. In the case of Senior Study research, primary responsibility of submitting an IACUC proposal resides with the student. Faculty advisors must review student approval documents prior to student submission to the IACUC for approval; Once the student submits the approved document to the IACUC, advisors register their final approval of the research plan. Faculty advisors are responsible for ensuring that appropriate approval has been met before data collection begins. Serious violations of these guidelines may be referred to the Academic Integrity. IACUC guidelines and procedures are available from members of the IACUC.
The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is responsible for reviewing research projects that involve animal subjects to ensure federal research standards are upheld. Issues considered include:
- Research is supported by sound rationale and purpose;
- Numbers of subjects in individual projects is justified;
- Training of researchers is adequate;
- Federal guidelines and safeguards are met;
- Additional standards, requirements, and safeguards for research conducted internationally are required; and
- Measures are taken to protect the college and researcher from complaints due to improper procedures.