Dear Colgate Employees,
All research that involves human participation is subject to oversight by the University's Institutional Review Board (IRB). If you or your students plan to conduct research that involves human participants, please read this memo to ensure that you are in compliance with University and federal regulations. Detailed information can be found on the University's IRB website.
For the purposes of IRB oversight, "research" is defined as "a systematic investigation designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge." Thus, course evaluations, surveys for internal use, and classroom projects are not categorized as research, and hence need not be reported to the IRB.
Briefly, there are three classes of research:
Exempt from Review
Research that poses no risk to the participants (e.g., some attitude surveys, cognitive measures, interviews, observation of public behavior, anonymous data sets), or that poses minimal risk and guarantees full anonymity, is generally exempt from IRB oversight. However, all researchers are required to notify the IRB that such research is taking place. Details about how to submit an exemption request appear here.
Expedited Review
Proposals may be submitted for expedited review if they pose no more than "minimal risk" to participants or involve only minor changes from previously approved research. Minimal risk means "that the probability and magnitude of harm or discomfort anticipated in the research are not greater in and of themselves than those ordinarily encountered in daily life or during the performance of routine physical or psychological examinations or tests." Expedited reviews are usually reviewed by one IRB member as well as the chair. We try to assure this process occurs within 10 business days.
Full Review
Research that could expose participants to harm (broadly construed), that manipulates their behavior, or that includes intentional deceit requires review by the full IRB committee. Meetings are held once per semester, and proposals requiring full IRB review this fall must be submitted by noon, Sept. 29 (Friday), 2023. The review process typically takes 10 business days.
If you or your students have any questions concerning this process, or concerning the use of human participants in research, please feel free to contact the IRB chair, irb_chair@colgate.edu.
Take care,
Erin Cooley
Associate Professor of Psychology
Chair, Institutional Review Board
April Baptiste
Associate Dean of the Faculty for Global and Local Initiatives; Professor of Environmental Studies and Africana and Latin American Studies