Re: IRBs and faculty senate Lawrence Waxler 07 Mar 2007 14:08 EST
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) ====================================================================== 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") ====================================================================== ====================================================================== 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") ====================================================================== ====================================================================== 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") ======================================================================