Institutional Review Board

Introduction

Grants and research proposals may involve the use of human subjects for data collection and analysis. It is the policy of FHDA to comply with all applicable Federal Regulations regarding the use of human subjects in grant and research projects; respect the rights, well-being and personal privacy of individuals; assure a favorable climate for the conduct of academic-oriented inquiry; and protect the interests of students and staff of FHDA.

FHDA's Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews grant and research proposals involving human subjects to ensure the rights and welfare of human subjects used in research studies by District personnel are protected; risks have been considered and minimized; the potential for benefit has been identified and maximized; and any research is conducted in an ethical manner and in compliance with established standards.

Please review the IRB - Policy and Procedures regarding the Institutional Review Board for further information.

Activities Exempt from Committee Review

Some grant and research projects involving human subjects are exempt from IRB approval requirements. The types of research generally exempt from IRB approval requirements include normal educational practices such as work undertaken as part of a course; educational tests when the subjects are not identified; surveys or interviews in which the subjects volunteer; and research that entails no or minimal risk, including damage to the subject's financial standing, employability or risk of civil or criminal liability.

Please review the IRB - Exempt Form for further information.

Expedited Review of Research Form

Human subject grant and research activities involving minimal risk to the subjects, even vulnerable subjects, may be eligible for expedited review by FHDA's Institutional Review Board Chair. The Principal Investigator/Project Director is authorized to make the first determination of eligibility for expedited review; however, the IRB bears the responsibility for concurring in that determination based on information provided by the Principal Investigator.

Please review the IRB - Expedited Review Form for further information.