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Mandatory Research Integrity Training

(Approved by Cabinet on March 30, 2010)

Keene State College expects faculty, staff, and students to conduct their work, including sponsored projects and research, with the highest degree of integrity. Likewise, federal sponsors are increasingly imposing requirements for grantee institutions to demonstrate the proficiency of their investigators in the ethical considerations inherent in research. These requirements reflect a shared societal concern for the proper stewardship of public dollars in support of research, the ethical treatment of human subjects, and the humane care and use of animals in research. Keene State College shares these commitments and therefore puts forward the following training requirements. This policy constitutes minimum standards set forth by Keene State College. Specific sponsors may have more stringent training requirements, in which case investigators supported by those sponsors are required to adhere to those requirements.

There are three areas of research integrity training covered by this institutional policy:

  • Responsible Conduct of Research training (for those supported under externally funded research grants)
  • Protection of Human Subjects training (for ALL individuals conducting research with human subjects, regardless of funding source)
  • Animal Care and Use training (for ALL individuals conducting research with vertebrate animals, regardless of funding source)

I. Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) Training

Applicability: This RCR training requirement applies only to externally sponsored research. The policy does not apply to other types of externally sponsored/funded projects. For example, externally sponsored projects that are primarily creative or artistic in nature, or grants supporting instruction or service delivery are not covered by this policy. This policy also does not apply to internally funded research.

This requirement applies to all individuals (faculty, staff, and students) supported under externally sponsored research projects. For the purposes of this policy, the term “supported” means receiving payment for personal services (e.g., salary or wages). This RCR training policy is in effect for all externally sponsored awards received on June 1, 2010 or after.

Requirement: All faculty, staff, and student researchers supported under externally sponsored research projects are required to complete the CITI Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) online training course made available through the Office of Sponsored Projects & Research (OSPR) website. Individuals shall register on the CITI site, affiliate themselves with Keene State College, and choose the appropriate RCR course based on the individual’s discipline (e.g., Humanities, Social & Behavioral Sciences, Physical Sciences etc.). Upon completion of the course, OSPR will automatically receive a completion notification for the individual which will be made available to external sponsors by request. Training certifications are valid for a period of three years, after which time it is the individual’s responsibility to complete a “refresher” CITI module.

Sponsor funds will not be released to the Principal Investigator of a sponsored project until documentation of his/her completion of the RCR course is received. It is the Principal Investigator’s responsibility to ensure each current or future member of his/her research team supported by sponsor funds (including students) also completes the training course.

Faculty, staff, and students conducting research activities not supported under externally sponsored projects are not required to complete this training, but are strongly encouraged to do so. Keene State College has purchased a campus-wide membership to the CITI training site and all members of our community are encouraged to utilize this resource. Additionally, faculty are encouraged to consider ways in which the training course may be incorporated into their course work to enhance student understanding of research ethics.

II. Institutional Review Board (IRB) Protection of Human Subjects Training

Applicability: This IRB training requirement applies to all faculty, staff, or students conducting activities that meet the definition of human subjects research, regardless of whether those activities are externally funded, internally funded, or unfunded. Individuals needing clarity on whether their activity meets the definition of human subjects research should contact the IRB Chair, whose contact information is listed on the OSPR website.

This IRB training policy is in effect for all human subjects research protocols submitted to the IRB as of June 1, 2010 or later.

Requirement: Individuals conducting human subjects research are required to complete the CITI Institutional Review Board (IRB) online training course made available through the Office of Sponsored Projects & Research (OSPR) website. Individuals shall register on the CITI site and affiliate themselves with Keene State College. Upon completion of the course, OSPR and the Chair of the Keene State College IRB will automatically receive a completion notification for the individual which will be made available to external sponsors (if applicable) by request. Training certifications are valid for a period of three years, after which time it is the individual’s responsibility to complete a “refresher” CITI module.

Faculty, staff, and students are reminded that no research with human subjects may be conducted without the advance review and approval of the Keene State College IRB. IRB protocols will not be approved without documentation of the completion of the required training by the Principal Investigator. It is the Principal Investigator’s responsibility to ensure each current or future member of his/her research team (including students) engaged in human subjects research also completes the training course.

Additionally, faculty are encouraged to consider ways in which the training course may be incorporated into their course work to enhance student understanding of the ethical considerations involved in human subjects research.

III. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) Training

Applicability: This IACUC training requirement applies to all faculty, staff, or students conducting research with vertebrate animals, regardless of whether those activities are externally funded, internally funded, or unfunded.

This IACUC training policy is in effect for all animal research protocols submitted to the IACUC as of June 1, 2010 or later.

Requirement: Individuals conducting research with vertebrate animals are required to complete the CITI Lab Animal online training course made available through the Office of Sponsored Projects & Research (OSPR) website. Individuals shall register on the CITI site and affiliate themselves with Keene State College. Upon completion of the course, OSPR and the Chair of the Keene State College IACUC will automatically receive a completion notification for the individual which will be made available to external sponsors (if applicable) by request. Training certifications are valid for a period of three years, after which time it is the individual’s responsibility to complete a “refresher” CITI module.

Faculty, staff, and students are reminded that no research with vertebrate animals may be conducted without the advance review and approval of the Keene State College IACUC. IACUC protocols will not be approved without documentation of the completion of the required training by the Principal Investigator. It is the Principal Investigator’s responsibility to ensure each current or future member of his/her research team (including students) engaged in animal research also completes the training course.

Additionally, faculty are encouraged to consider ways in which the training course may be incorporated into their course work to enhance student understanding of the ethical considerations involved in the use of animals in research.

Non-compliance: Keene State College considers instances of non-compliance with institutional policies, including those pertaining to sponsored projects and research, to be serious events. Consequences for individuals not in compliance with this Mandatory Research Integrity Training policy will be determined by the Provost, in consultation with other institutional officials as appropriate to the case (e.g., KSCEA, Dean/Supervisor, Director of OSPR, Director of Human Resources, Faculty Mentor in the case of students).

For additional guidance on determining which training applies to you, please see the decision tree.

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About this Policy

Mandatory Research Integrity Training
Ownership: OSPR, Penny Miceli
Last Modified: Jul 13, 2018 – webmaster, on behalf of Penny Miceli
Categories: Research
For questions regarding this policy, please contact the policy owner.
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