Reply to:     IRB and UG class projects
I have been asked by our newly-formed IRB to survey other IRBs with the
following questions:
1) The IRB would like to know how other US public colleges and universities
(especially predominantly undergraduate institutions) address the issue of
monitoring undergraduate class research projects.
For example, members of a large class of undergraduate nursing students are
required to conduct individual surveys as a requirement for a course.  These
might involve surveying dietary habits of elderly people, or coping mechanisms
of caregivers for altheimers patients -- non-invasive research.  Does your IRB
require that each student project go thorough IRB review, or does it shift some
of the responsibility for these types of projects to the departments through
multiple-project approvals?  We'd especially like to hear from IRBs at
institutions using the quarterly system on this question --  a quarter's not a
lot of time to go from an idea through the IRB approval process and still be
left with time to carry out the survey and analyze the results.  We're looking
for ways to overcome this problem.
2)  We need some guidance on the issue of instructors collecting data using
their own students.  When our IRB requested that instructors not be present,
and that the survey be administered by a neutral party, the request was met
with great resistance.  Are we on track with this request or are we being too
rigid?
3)  Are faculty IRB members given reassigned (release) time by the
college/university to devote to IRB participation.

Thanks in advance for your input.

Alexandra Thompson
Grants Director
Armstrong State College
11935 Abercorn Ext
Savannah  GA  31419-1997
(912) 921-5803 (voice)
(912) 921-5418 (temp. fax #)
email: xxxxxx@mailgate.armstrong.edu