Institutional Review Board
FAQs
- Why do we have an Institutional Review Board?
- As an investigator, where do I get the information I need about the IRB and its policies?
- I submitted a proposal to the IRB for a research project I want to do, but it was rejected, what do I do now?
- My proposal was approved, am I now done with the IRB?
- I have a project I want to start, how quickly will my proposal be approved?
- What kind of project must be approved?
Why do we have an Institutional Review Board?
Institutional Review Boards are mandated by
federal law for any research conducted on
human beings involving federal employees or the use of federal
money. Additionally, many publications and some conferences require
that any research being presented that involves human participants
has been approved by an institutional review board. Perhaps most
importantly however, the IRB plays a critical role in the life
of our institution, helping faculty, staff and students in their
work as scholars. We also help to provide reassurance to the public
that our educational community meets all appropriate ethical standards,
and we provide consultation and assistance to investigators to
help improve the quality of research while protecting participants.
As an investigator, where do I get the information I need about
the IRB and its policies?
This website is designed to provide you with
access to all materials, including policies and forms that you will
need. Additionally, manuals are provided to help in the completion
of forms. If you want additional information, contact Mike Tyler, PhD, (810) 766-4329
or write to irb@baker.edu.
I submitted a proposal to the IRB for a research project I want
to do, but it was rejected, what do I do now?
In most cases, projects that are returned to
investigators without IRB approval can be modified and re-submitted
with minor changes. In all cases, your proposal will be returned
with extensive feedback and suggestions to help guide you in your
re-development efforts.
My proposal was approved, am I now done with the IRB?
According to IRB policy, approval is given
for up to one year. Anytime a project continues after the end of
the 12 month approval period, re-approval must be obtained. Generally,
this simply means that a letter of request needs to be filed with
the IRB. The letter should include any preliminary findings, and
should explain either that no adverse impact has been noted among
participants, or explaining any adverse impact that has occurred.
If there has been any change to the research project that has not
already been approved, the update request must improve notification
of these changes.
I have a project I want to start, how quickly will my proposal be
approved?
The IRB meets no more than 1 time per month.
In most cases, a lead time of 3 weeks is required to ensure that
your paperwork is ready for distribution and can be acted upon at
the next meeting. Therefore, when planning, investigators should
always look at the scheduled meeting times (see the "meeting
dates" link on this page) and plan to submit their proposal
at least three weeks in advance. Investigators are never approved
to begin projects, and may not begin any project on the Baker College
Campus, with members of the Baker College Community, or as a student
or employee of Baker College until notification has been received
from the IRB.
What kind of project must be approved?
Any project that involves an investigation
of human beings or human behavior are subject
to review by the IRB. There are different levels of review (exempt,
expedited, full board) depending on the type of research being
conducted. However, regardless of the level of review, the IRB
maintains the authority to review ALL human subjects research on
a Baker College Campus, or conducted by or on any member of the
Baker College Academic Community. A more complete explanation of
review policies and procedures can be found under "links" and "policies."