Research Compliance

The Office of Research Integrity and Compliance (RSIC), a unit of the Office of Research & Innovation, is responsible for ensuring institutional compliance with federal and state regulatory requirements and University policies pertaining to sponsored and unsponsored research. RSIC staff will be happy to answer any questions you have pertaining to the regulatory oversight of research.

 

Support Areas

 

All University research, teaching, and training activities involving animals covered under either the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals (“PHS Policy”) or the USDA Animal Welfare Act and Regulations (AWAR) are subject to review and approval by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), irrespective of funding source. Institutional policy (701.0, Animal Care and Use) precludes the use of dogs, cats, and nonhuman primates in University research. More information can be found on the Animal Care and Use webpage.

 Submit Anonymous Animal Welfare Report From a mobile device, text @concerns to 35134. Reply with 1-YES to be sent a link to the reporting form.

University research, teaching, and business activities involving recombinant and/or synthetic nucleic acid materials (rDNA); microorganisms; biological toxins; bloodborne pathogens; human and nonhuman primate materials; and transgenic plants and animals, are subject to review and approval by the Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC). RSIC also works closely with the Office of Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) for ongoing oversight of activities subject to IBC review and approval. More information can be found on the Biological Safety webpage.

Any item that is sent from the United States to a foreign destination is an export. The release of controlled items/information to a foreign person within the boundaries of the United States is a “deemed export.” The release (export) of certain goods, services, technology, data, and technical information is strictly controlled by Federal regulations. Prior to collaborating with, visiting, or sharing equipment, technical data and information, etc. with foreign persons in the United States or abroad, personnel must determine whether government authorization is needed for those activities. More information can be found on the Export Control webpage.

Research is defined as a systematic investigation, including research development, testing and evaluation, designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. A human subject is a living person about whom an investigator conducting research obtains either (1) data through intervention or interaction with the individual; or (2) identifiable private information. Activities meeting both these definitions is considered Human Subjects Research (HSR) and is subject to review and approval by the Institutional Review Board (IRB). All such activities must be approved prior to project initiation; projects will not be approved retroactively. Research activities may be approved for up to one year at a time. More information can be found on the Human Subjects Research webpage.

The University of Arkansas places the highest value on research integrity. The protection of the rights and interests of research participants, the maintenance of the public trust, and the freedom to disseminate ideas through the publication of research results are critical to the institutional mission and values. The Office of Research Integrity and Compliance reviews all COI/COC submissions and all allegations of research misconduct. More information can be found on the Responsible Conduct of Research webpage.

All University of Arkansas employees are expected to carry out their roles and responsibilities in an ethical manner and to abide by all applicable laws and policies. The campus policy, Fayetteville Policies and Procedures 404.0, Disclosure and Management of Potential Conflicts of Interest and/or Commitment, including Outside Activity, should be reviewed and understood by all university employees. This policy was developed in accordance with Board of Trustees policies 330.1, Employee and Contractor Conflict of Interest and 450.1, Outside Employment of Faculty and Non-Classified Staff Members for Compensation; Concurrent Employment.

Disclosure of potential conflicts must be done at multiple times during an employee’s career with the university:

  1. Upon hire. New employees should complete a disclosure within two weeks of their start date;
  2. Annually. All employees (full and part-time) must submit an annual disclosure; and
  3. As needed. Any time a new potential conflict arises throughout the year, a disclosure should be submitted.

All full-time (30 hour or more per week) faculty and non-classified staff are required to obtain prior approval for outside employment. In most cases, outside employment will also require submission of a conflict of interest disclosure as well. More information can be found on the Conflict of Interest / Conflict of Commitment webpage.

Contact the Director for assistance with any of these.

 

RSIC Staff

 

  Streamlyne