Would not the same issues arise for Chairs reviewing grant/contract
applications.  If there were a faculty member, perhaps hired prior to
the Chair, who was doing research in a paradigm not favored by the
Chair, could that Chair not "sign off" on the application.  I assume
a chair will hire people whose work is acceptable.

How is this problem managed?  Is there an appeal process?  Everything
that applies to IRB approvals applies to Proposal applications and
this is perhaps a bigger issue.

Bob
xxxxxx@umich.edu

On Aug 24, 2007, at 4:18 PM, Barbara Gray wrote:

All,

Our IRB is having a big debate about Department Chairs signing off on
IRB applications.  IRB members are concerned about academic freedom
issues (e.g., a Chair refusing to sign an application because he/she
has some personal or moral issue with the nature of the research).
Our Chairs indicate that they want to see these applications but seem
mostly concerned with resource issues…are there funds and personnel
time to do the research proposed?   I would think that a Chair would
want to be aware of human research going on in his/her department so
as not to be blindsided if something goes wrong.  I also wonder why a
Chair who would refuse to sign off on an IRB application for personal
reasons wouldn’t be run out of town for violating the researcher’s
academic freedom.  Our IRB never required Chair signatures before and
I opened this can of worms with a proposed revision of our IRB
application that included a Chair signature line.  Given that our
Chairs sign-off on everything else, I never dreamed this would be
such a touchy subject.  I do believe there is some history here of
which I am unaware.  So I’m looking for some input from other
institutions to determine how we might move forward:

1.        Does your IRB application require the Department Chair’s
signature?

2.       Does the application require any other signatures besides
the PI and the Chair (like Dean, VPAA, VPR, etc.)

3.       If you don’t require any administrative signature (e.g., you
only require PI and perhaps Co-I signatures), do you officially
inform at least the Chair of the protocol submission?  If so, how
much information do you share (minimal descriptive info. Vs. full
copy of the application)?

4.       If you do have Chairs sign, what is the phrasing about the
signature (acknowledgement of review, assurance of availability of
resources, approval of the protocol, or something else)?

5.       If Chairs must sign, what is the rationale for having them
do so?

This will probably be a pretty interesting discussion, so please
share your responses with the entire list.

Thanks,

Barbara

Ms. Barbara H. Gray

Director of Grants & Contracts

Valdosta State University

1500 North Patterson Street

Valdosta, GA  31698-0429

Telephone:  229-333-7837

Fax:  229-245-3853

Email:  xxxxxx@valdosta.edu

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