This raises a big red flag for me!
Your institutional IRB policy and procedures need to be compliant with
OHRP requirements - period. Although I understand that there is some
philosophical differences of opinion in the social science research
community regarding the scope of IRB authority, these differences can
not be allowed to overtake OHRP requirements.
I think that by allowing your faculty senate to intercede in the
process, you have opened the door to a dilution of your compliance
efforts. While it is certainly the faculty senate's prerogative to
discuss such matters and even take a position, compliance is not
necessarily a negotiated issue. You need to have your upper
administration take a position that supports the IRB as an independent
and objective process.
To answer you questions:
Our faculty senate is not and was not involved in the process of
formulating our institutional policy and procedures for the reason which
I stated. Yes, they did express some early discomfort, but we have moved
beyond that with policy and procedure which is clearly stated in terms
of OHRP requirements and which faculty have grown to understand and
comply with.
All of our members are recommended by the chair of our IRB, in
conjunction with our Office of Research Compliance, and appointed by the
Provost. They do not represent any particular committee, board, or
academic unit as much as they bring a sent of skills and knowledge to
the committee which allows for diverse and well-rounded discussions.
Good luck.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Larry Waxler, Director
Office of Sponsored Programs
University of Southern Maine
P.O. Box 9300
Portland, ME 04104-9300
Telephone: 207-780-4413
Telefax: 207-780-4927
From: Research Administration List [mailto:xxxxxx@hrinet.org] On
Behalf Of Baumann, John
Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2007 11:55 PM
To: xxxxxx@hrinet.org
Subject: [RESADM-L] IRBs and faculty senate
Our faculty senate has begun to raise concerns regarding IRB policy,
practices and membership. It has been sparked by concerns raised
about
IRB review of human subjects' research taking place in the humanities
and social scientists but has grown to address the issue of the IRB
within the context of shared governance within the university.
While, on the one hand, we welcome their participation in the matters
related to our human subjects protection program, I am, on the other
hand, a wondering how others have collaborated with such bodies as the
faculty senate.
So, my questions to your collective wisdom:
* Is the faculty senate involved in your human subjects'
protection program? If so, how? If not, why not and have they
requested
to be?
* Are a portion of the members of your IRB elected through the
faculty senate, or a comparable body?
* If so, what portion?
* By what means?
John
John R. Baumann, Ph.D.
Vice Provost for Research
Director, Office of Research Services
5100 Rockhill Road (US Postal Service)
5211 Rockhill Road (Courier Service)
Kansas City, MO 64110
xxxxxx@umkc.edu <BLOCKED::mailto:xxxxxx@umkc.edu>
816.235.1303 (v)
816.235.6532 (f)
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