Bill,
We too process undergraduate the same way.  Our 4th years all do thesis work, defend their work orally in front of a panel of faculty and then it gets put in the library's permanent collection (that is why we feel our students cross the "generalizable knowledge" line because anyone can access their work).
However, even if the study is poorly designed, and we try to offer constructive criticism, we always approve it (of course they need to be keeping subjects safe and all).  We believe that sometimes they have to fail and that they might learn something anyway.  Routinely what happens with us on those types of protocols, the faculty advisor always gets copied on the memo we send to the students that cite the issues with the protocol.  Noting your example, why then would the faculty member sign off on a poorly conceived research protocol in the first place?  Possibly because they are putting the burden on your IRB to quash it or is it that they aren't reviewing it... either way, it is laziness on part of the faculty advisor.  So, that is why we feel, as long as there are no harms to the subjects, we approve it with adding our criticisms.  Then it is up to the faculty advisor to have to work with the student when things go south.
.02 and change...
Jeanne

________________________________

From: Research Administration List on behalf of Bill Campbell
Sent: Wed 4/26/2006 5:06 PM
To: xxxxxx@HRINET.ORG
Subject: Re: [RESADM-L] Student research and IRB

David and RESADMers--

At UW-River Falls, we require all student protocols to be approved by
the faculty adviser.  And we expect the adviser to monitor quality; the
board consciously tries to avoid judging anything but protection of
human subjects.  However, we will frequently make suggestions on how to
make the research better.

Exception: if the study is so poorly conceived or designed that it could
not possibly yield significant results that will benefit someone, we
reject it, even if it poses no danger to subjects.  Our rationale is, if
it's worthless it's not worth the time subjects would invest.

Regards, Bill

Bill Campbell
Director, Grants & Research
University of Wisconsin-River Falls
410 S. 3rd St.
River Falls, WI 54022
715/425-3195
FAX 715/425-0649

David McGinnis wrote:

>I am curious how your university handles undergraduate (or graduate)
>research projects and IRB approvals.
>
>Do you require the student's advisor or instructor to sign off on the IRB
>forms before submission to the IRB?
>
>Secondly, who has the responsibility to monitor quality of the research -
>the IRB or the student's advisor/instructor?
>
>Thanks for any responses.
>
>Dave McGinnis
>
>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>Dr. David L. McGinnis
>Co-Director, Grants and Sponsored Programs
>Montana State University-Billings
>1500 University Avenue
>Billings, MT 59101
>email: xxxxxx@msubillings.edu
>office: 406-657-2340
>fax: 406-657-2299
>cell: 406-698-8164
>+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>
>
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 Instructions on how to use the RESADM-L Mailing List, including
 subscription information and a web-searchable archive, are available
 via our web site at http://www.hrinet.org (click on "Listserv Lists")
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