The purpose of any research review process is to protect human research subjects from undue physical, emotional, and economic harm. Safeguarding the rights and welfare of human subjects in research and other activities is a general policy adopted by most institutions of higher education (all institutions if engaged in federally funded research).
At ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø, Board Policy 2.15040 BP specifies that although the community college is primarily a teaching institution, the board made a provision for ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø employees (administrators, faculty, or staff) to conduct research activities when it contributes to the professional growth of the individual and the mission and goals of the district.
The district officer responsible for insuring appropriate research and analysis is being conducted for the district is the Vice Chancellor for Institutional Intelligence, Planning & Transformation. Per ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø Board Policy 2.15070BP, the Vice Chancellor of Institutional Intelligence, Planning & Transformation has delegated the implementation of district research activities to the Executive Director for Institutional Research & Analytics as assigned to the ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø Institutional Review Board (IRB) Chair.
Written approval for implementation of a research project is required prior to research activities commencing.
Why does ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø have a review process?
Although Board Policy 2.15040 BP allows for district employees to engage in research projects, this does not mean, because you are a district employee, you can conduct whatever research you desire. A review process exists so as to insure the district is conducting the research it should in order to fulfill its mission and goals.
Why does ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø have an IRB?
The greatest asset an institution of higher education has is its students as they are the data pool for all activities: instructional, social, athletic, and research. Our students are flooded with literature and communications from departments within our colleges and district.
The IRB ensures the safety and well-being of human subjects participating in research studies being conducted by ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø students, faculty, and staff, as well as all research projects involving human participants occurring at ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø.
The use of students as a data set should be evaluated carefully and prioritized prior to implementation of any research activity. District-wide implementation of research activities has precedence over campus-based or external research activities.
Types of research permitted
Research is defined as a systematic inquiry or investigation to validate or refute old knowledge or generate new knowledge. A research project is any activity conducted by one or more investigators for the purpose of:
- generating new or expanded knowledge,
- formally or informally disseminating the findings orally or in writing via presentations, publications, etc., or
- fulfilling a course or degree requirement.
Researchers may use either qualitative, quantitative, or a mixed-methodological technique to acquire data. Each methodological design, or combination of, can require different actions for human subject protection. The type of research activities ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø supports are those classified as having a "minimal risk" to subjects. These activities include research conducted in established or commonly accepted in educational settings and involving normal educational practices, such as:
- archival research
- instructional techniques
- curricula
- research on types of tests
- surveys
- questionnaires
- interviews
- longitudinal studies (those requiring student intervention, such as continued contact, or providing on-going information or material requires a participation form)
- videotaping (requires participation and consent form)
- assessment of student learning, etc.
Types of research not permitted
Research that involves intense interaction with individuals, such as:
- children or at-risk individuals in invasive research activities
- blood drawing
- exceptional invasive questioning (e.g., about criminal or hurtful activities), etc.
Getting approval for your project
To obtain approval for administering or implementing a research activity the following must be submitted to the ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø IRB:
- A letter, memorandum, or email that outlines the research activity you wish to conduct;
(if this involves pursuit of an additional degree or graduate research requirement,
a letter from your advisor must accompany the
request). - If in conjunction with another college or university, notification the project has cleared that institution's Institutional Review Board (IRB) official IRB letter.
- A copy of the research proposal.
- Population of participants and their location (±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø district or individual campuses).
- The research instruments (survey or interview questions, etc.) and design.
- Communication plans for participant recruitment, etc.
- Dean and/or President’s written approval if applicable.
- Consent forms if applicable.
Researchers should note that some requests need to be cleared through the Presidents and/or Deans. Plan ahead when scheduling implementation of your project. Formal notification to you will be a letter, with ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø letterhead, that provides the ground rules for implementation of your project. The research activity is to be administered one-time only; this authorization for research is not open-ended and pertains to this project only.
General ground rules and data collection procedures for conducting research projects
As part of ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø’s commitment to ethical research practices, the following outlines our ethical approach to research and data collection procedures within Metropolitan Community College.
Minimizing harm
The research will be designed to avoid any physical, emotional, psychological, or social harm to participants. Any risks will be clearly communicated during the consent process, and support resources will be made available if needed.
Voluntary participation and non-coercion
Special care will be taken to ensure that students, faculty, or staff do not feel obligated to participate due to perceived power dynamics. No academic or employment-related consequences will result from choosing not to participate.
- Participation in this study by any district employee (administrator, faculty, or staff) and/or students is strictly voluntary.
- No student should be forced to participate in an external research activity if not inclined to do so on his or her own.
- If a project is to be administered in a class other than your own, you must establish an agreement with faculty to use their classes.
- Individuals desiring to use rooms, tables, and other assorted support must obtain the approval of the appropriate Dean prior to implementation of the project.
Informed consent
All participants will be provided with a clear, written explanation of the study’s purpose, procedures, risks, and benefits prior to their involvement. Participation is strictly voluntary, and participants will have the right to withdraw at any time without penalty. Consent forms will be signed before any data is collected.
Privacy and confidentiality
All data collected will be kept confidential and used solely for the purposes of this research. Personally identifiable information (PII) will be anonymized or coded to protect participant identities. Data will be securely stored on password-protected devices or encrypted servers, accessible only to the research team.
- Data/information collected about students and/or ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø employees (administrators, faculty, and staff) will be treated as confidential information.
- No individual participating in this study will be identified by name or title; all persons shall have their anonymity protected by reporting in the aggregate only.
Equity and inclusion
Efforts will be made to ensure the research is inclusive and representative of the diverse community college population. This includes attention to cultural sensitivity, language accessibility, and accommodation for participants with disabilities.
Individuals requesting to conduct research activities must also acknowledge and embrace the ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø Statement of Ethical Conduct and Assessment.
Statement of ethical conduct and assessment
The ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍøs recognize that the activities associated with
assessment must be conducted in an ethical and professional manner. Information, data,
and assessment activities designed to present an aggregate picture of ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø shall in
no way be used to evaluate individual students or faculty. Also, students,
faculty, and staff associated with assessment activities or projects will be treated
in a manner that follows accepted practices for dealing with human subjects. The ±¬ÁϳԹÏÍø
assessment initiatives are designed and conducted so as to improve teaching and learning
as well as overall institutional improvement.