UNIVERSITY RESEARCH
COUNCIL
DR. GEORGE E. KLINZING, CHAIR
MINUTES -- FEBRUARY 22, 2001
The meeting was called to
order at 2:35 p.m.
Crouch led the meeting in
Klinzing's absence.
ONLINE EDUCATION MODULES
AND POLICY ON INSTRUCTION IN THE RESPONSIBLE CONDUCT OF RESEARCH
Jerome
Rosenberg, Research Integrity Officer, provided an overview of the NIH
directive requiring all researchers and significant participants in
NIH-supported research to complete a training program dealing with the
protection of human subjects in research. University of Pittsburgh researchers can meet this
requirement in 5 ways:
- Take a self-guided tour on the NIH Web site
- Attend one of the fundamentals of human subjects
workshops (now being offered by the Research Conduct and Compliance Office
[RCCO])
- Serve on an IRB
- Participate in a departmental tutorial arranged
through RCCO
- Take the Web-based University of Pittsburgh self-tutorial (http://www.health.pitt.edu/rpf)
Four of
these methods do not include a testing component and will likely not be
sufficient in the future.
The Final PHS Policy on
Instruction in the Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) is available at http://ori.dhhs.gov.
Pitt's online tutorial
will ultimately include four modules:
- Module 1 -- Research Integrity
- Module 2 -- Human Subjects
- Module 3 -- Use of Animals in Experimentation
- Module 4 -- Radiation Safety
Module 1
is currently operational. Modules 2, 3, and 4 will be available within a few
months. Each module will contain a testing component, and you must receive an
80% or better score to be certified. If you don't pass the overall test, you
will be required to take quizzes on each of the chapters within Module 1.
All the core areas listed in the PHS Policy on RCR are covered in Module 1
except for Human Subjects and Use of Animals in Experimentation.
As of February
21, 2001,
the Office of Research Integrity (ORI) posted a notice in the Federal Register
that its instructional requirement is suspended. However, this will most likely
remain an internal requirement for researchers in the Health Science schools.
Module 1 will be a
uniform requirement while the other modules will be determined later, based on
the area of research. Anyone who goes through the Internal Review Board (IRB)
will likely be required to complete the human subjects section.
Rosenberg demonstrated Module 1 by
projecting some of its contents from the web.
Crouch suggested that Mr.
Rosenberg be invited to demonstrate the other modules as they evolve.
MINUTES
No
changes were requested to the minutes of the January
18, 2001
meeting.
COMMERCIALIZATION OF
INVENTIONS THROUGH INDEPENDENT COMPANIES POLICY
Council
was asked to review the latest revisions to the policy and be prepared to
comment at the next meeting.
CENTRAL RESEARCH
DEVELOPMENT FUND (CRDF) - SMALL GRANTS PROGRAM
Subcommittee
Chairs have been selected.
Health Sciences - Yalowich
Science & Engineering - Tabakin
Social Sciences & Humanities - Husted
Chairs should contact
Theresa Dunn in the Office of Research to arrange pickup of proposals. Reviews
and recommendations are due to Helen Jarosz (826 CL)
by April 9, 2001.
REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR
OF THE OFFICE OF RESEARCH - MICHAEL CROUCH
- One new grants and contracts officer has been hired
and another is back from leave. Response times should improve.
Constituencies will be realigned in the spring.
- There have been NSF FastLane
queue delays. Crouch recommends starting your submission two business days
prior to the deadline.
- The Survival Skills and Ethics Workshop focused on
"Grantspersonship" is
scheduled for February 24, 2001.
- There will be a
Interdisciplinary Research Partnerships workshop on March 13, 2001 in 2K56 Posvar Hall. Bow
Lowman will lead the workshop. Online registration will be available on
the Office of Research Web site by next week.
- There are still 3 spots available for the federal
agency briefing scheduled for March 18 and 19.
NEW BUSINESS
No new
business was discussed.
The meeting adjourned at 3:48
p.m.
cc: Elizabeth Baranger,
N. John Cooper, Gerald Holder