Application Process and Checklists
To apply for an IRB review, follow these steps:
First, complete the required human participant protection online training course from the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). This course can be accessed at http://www.citiprogram.org. There should be a certificate for each researcher. In the case of student research, both the student and the faculty sponsor must submit certificates. No application will be reviewed if a copy of this certificate is missing.
Instructions:
- Go to https://www.citiprogram.org
- If a new user, follow the steps to create an account
- In response to the "Organization Affiliation" question, select "PennWest California"
- Once the account is created, login with the username and password
- From the Main Menu, select "PennWest California Courses"
- Select the "All Researchers Applying for IRB Approval" option
- Complete all required modules with a passing grade
- Review the list of Supplemental Modules for items applying directly to your study. The IRB strongly recommends(and may in some cases require) completion of applicable modules
- Retain a copy of the CITI completion certificate(s) and include with the review request.
- NOTE: Beginning with the 2016-2017 academic year, certificates from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) training course will no longer be accepted.
Next, complete the IRB Review Request Form. Instructions on what is required in the application are contained in the checklists that are part of the form. Completion of the checklists is mandatory.
NOTE: Please do not use old versions of the IRB Review Request Form. The current version is dated 02-11-2016. Version numbers are in the footer of each page.
Be sure to include copies of consent forms (or cover letters for surveys, questionnaires and interviews). Use of the checklists will ensure that the content of these forms/letters meets the guidelines.
This form should be signed by the principal researcher. For student research, the form should be signed by the student researcher and the faculty sponsor. The application will not be reviewed if any of these signatures is missing.
Submission of Forms
The IRB strongly encourages e-mail submissions of documentation (as attachments). Send required materials to instreviewboard@calu.edu
Paper forms should be submitted only via Campus Box 109.
The IRB office is located in Morgan Hall (LRC), Room 310.
Review Process
Applications are reviewed on a continuous basis throughout the fall and spring terms. Applications submitted during the summer term may experience significant delays in processing because the IRB maintains only minimal operations during these months.
All research proposals should be submitted to and approved by the IRB before any data are collected. THE IRB WILL NOT APPROVE ANY PROJECT AFTER THE FACT.